Carp

[Corin]

Over the years walking in the mountains, I was always amazed by the amount of big fat juicy carp in the clear sandy bottom rivers like the Coxs. On my last walk I resolved to catch and eat one.

WHAT you say! they taste like mud!

well I say to you... is that something you are saying from personal experience? I can tell you categorically from my experience that they do not. Not when they come from clean water anyhow.

They do stink when raw, thats true... I gaged a bit preparing it, and I have a pretty keen gut... but once cooked... Beautiful, no odor, pleasant taste.... fried it in a bit of butter, nothing special, some nettle on the side, perfect.

You really should not be surprised, if you do even a small amount of reasearch on the history of eating carp you will see that people have been catching and eating this fish since records began.

It is still the national christmas dish in many Eastern European countries, and in fact the most farmed fish in the world for human consumption.

I caught mine on a couple of corn kernels, it was fun to catch, good to eat, and I will be doing it again! It is a menace and found in large numbers. Easy to catch, and puts up a good fight too!

So lets hear your carp eating stories, recipies and tips and tricks for catching.

I will post a pic below... if you look closely along the top you will see the carp, not one is under 45cm and thick as your arm! Why ignore this resource?

 

[Blackhawk]

After seeing this menace in tubs for sale at the Sydney Fish Markets,my initial reaction was WTF,people pay for this!! I guess they cater for all tastes and cultures.So a while back on a morning feral fish eradication outing I kept one at about a kilo in weight for the purpose of eating.Bled it promptly and filleted it when I got home.Seasoned the bugger with some lemon pepper and cooked it on the BBQ.Ok now what?Well I have to say that it was quite good although there were some very fine bones,but that might be my filleting prowess or lack thereof.My wife liked the taste as well!I think that they should be skinned as well to remove any muddy taste.A resource to good to be passed up!

 

[Corin]

Its funny how your opinion changes after you actually try it eh Blackhawk. I will be actively seeking to catch carp now, its better than the usual bushwalking food that is for sure!

 

[Blackhawk]

Beats slugs and grubs ay!

 

[Corin]

absolutely!

 

[Templar]

Hmmmm... Carp... I Hate carp...!

These things are a staple food here in 'Nam, the buggers are all over the shop... I get served them quite a lot and when they do they always taste like cr@p... I espscially hate the heads, being the guest of honour I get them a lot too... but on the up side they are perfectly edible and harbour no known human parasites, on the down side, they are bottom feeders and tend to live on animal/fish waste, so be extra careful when cleaning them not to rupture the innards.

Best served with some lime and ginger, as a curry or as a sweet and sour on rice... or serve on lettuce with wild greens and wrap up in a rice paper sheet and dip in tamarind juice Vietnamese style...



Karl.

 

[Corin]

That is some good advice Karl! I am wondering if the fact that the one I ate came from a clear, sandy bottom river had anything to do with the good flavour. I have read that in some countries the carp are farmed in muddy bottomed dams but moved into clean fresh purging ponds for a week or so prior to sale. I would suggest a fish that has spent its whole life in a "clean" river would be even better...

By the way, I have been reading your blogs, I am really impressed, there is some excellent information there, and very well presented and written. Thank you for sharing it.

 

[Blake]

Stand by most fresh water rivers and strams these days and you will usualy see some carp within an hour. They seem to be in groups I find, not often alone. They are pretty easy to spot. Ive been fishing near mudgee and within 2 hours saw about 20-25 large carp stroll past. Really easy to spear if i had a hand spear made up.

Definatley a usefull resorce and would no doubt go after them if i was hungry but I do agree with Templar. The ones ive tried have been pretty average and that was a clear water stream.

I made a big fish curry with my partner on saturday. Used ling fish and a bunch of local musscles. It was fantastic. Maybe would be a good use for the carp...dont know.

Growing up on a river eating flathead, jewfish, kingfish, blue swimmers, yabbies, mud crab, trevalla, whiting and bream i think has made my seafood taste a little pedantic.

Next time im out ill have a go at spearing one and cook something up.

 

[Templar]

I have two words for anything harvested: Curry Powder... makes anything edible...

@Corin, thanks... A lot of my blog is my book & WSR School research notes.

 

[auscraft]

With fish that come from fresh water one concern is the mud taste this includes the fresh water bara. One way to remove that taste is soaking in a Brine.
The best way simular to Templar's is CHILLI>

 

[jaco]

I normally pull the whole skin off the carp with a Leatherman, slice off every bit of brownish meat. Marinade for a bit, put on a South African grid over coals, bbq it slowly, and it is quite edible. You can also do it in foil with onions and garlic. Whichever way, you have to take the whole skin off with a pliers, and get every bit of brown meat off.

BTDT

 

[Shane]

Here in the states they eat Mullet. Floored when I tell them they're crab bait back home lol.

 

[Michael]

there are some in the pond down the road my have to take my hobo fishing kit down there with a can of corn cheap fun for a sat avo

 

[Corin]

there are some in the pond down the road my have to take my hobo fishing kit down there with a can of corn cheap fun for a sat avo

+1 on that mate

Here is one my 11 year old son landed out of the local duck pond

 

[Michael]

mate thates a big one

 

[Michael]

I wonder how smoking em would go

 

[Corin]

I wonder how smoking em would go

They are pretty oily I reckon they would be awesome smoked! I am not game to try it from the local polluted pond though

 

[Jagielka]

I have never eaten them but,

There are groups of people here that catch them at the swamp(morass) using surf rods and corn they take 100's at a time in big storage containers i guess they eat them. theres a language barrier so i have never asked

I have used them a bait off the surf tho they work okay but smell bad. the only one i ever weighed was 17lb which was caught on 4lb braid and a float and pulled up the bank with 40lb mono and a big hook i put through it lip when close enough(i had no net and there so slippery to just grab from the water)

 

[Corin]

I have never eaten them but,

There are groups of people here that catch them at the swamp(morass) using surf rods and corn they take 100's at a time in big storage containers i guess they eat them. theres a language barrier so i have never asked

I have used them a bait off the surf tho they work okay but smell bad. the only one i ever weighed was 17lb which was caught on 4lb braid and a float and pulled up the bank with 40lb mono and a big hook i put through it lip when close enough(i had no net and there so slippery to just grab from the water)

That would have put up a mighty fight!

 

[Jagielka]

Yeah they are fun to catch but the problem is you then have to dispose of them. and around here they are so muddy you wouldn't eat them