Carp

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

JustinW

Contributor
Messages
1,127
Reaction score
3
Location
Rocklin, CA
OK, the idea may seem a bit redneck (NO OFFENSE MEANT TO THE REDNECKS OUT THERE) but on my last dive I saw quite a few carp, they are pretty large bodied and they fight like heck when stuck. I was thinking about spearing for them. Also these fish tend to skirt around at the edge of the visibility. I think it would be fun to use these as local freshwater quarry when the ocean is just too far away. Now comes the problem, what to do with them afterwards. I guess they make good fertilizer if buried, but my gosh, there has to be something more productive. Lets hear all the thoughts, techniques and *gulp* even recipes.

These are the first two I found
Carp recipes are common. My uncle reminded me how to cook roasted planked carp. Scale and gut a carp. Nail it to a plank. Roast over an open fire until the meat flakes. Throw away the carp and eat the plank. Onions and bell pepper may be added. There is also a recipe for baked carp. Scale and gut the carp and split into two halves. Place a brick between the two halves, cover with bell pepper, onion and salt and wrap in tin foil Bake in an oven for three hours. Unwrap carefully, throw away the carp and eat the brick. It will be better than the carp. Also works with a shingle or, if camping, a river rock.

 
I tried carp while I was living in Japan. While I can't say it was horrible, the mental aversion that it is "carp" will keep me from any cravings. Funny though, I like eating catfish.
 
Carp can be quite good. While you have to be more careful of getting the fish from cleaner lakes/rivers (they are bottom feeders after all) they can be very delicious. Treat it like any other fresh water fish and you will be happy. Simplest way to cook it is lightly coat the meat in flower and into the hot oil. If the fish smells too fishy, then let it soak in milk overnight and it will be as good as new.

HERE are some Carp recipes after doing a simple Google search
 
. . . what to do with them afterwards. In years past carp and buffalo were hunted in spearfishing contests. Some of the ways we could get rid of a couple hundred carp, find a hog farmer - feed hogs. Commercial fishermen sometimes want them for cat food. If I'm diving and shoot one carp, I'll cut it up and bury it in shallow rocky areas if I see crawfish.
. . .and *gulp* even recipes. . . Carp from muddy lakes usually taste muddy and need strong spices to cover the taste, I don't try to cook them anymore. That's what Flathead catfish are for!
 
In Vietnam, we trolled for them with C-4 and det cord in failrly clear, sandy bottom rivers. Cooked on an an open fire, with a little butter if available. Lots of bone but delicious, if you are hungry. Now I'd rather have the butter on lobster.
 
We have some Polish carpenters working around here. I buddy took them out netfishing on the lake, and they caught some nice pikes (15-20 Ibs) and a bunch of carps (3-4 Ibs). They warmsmoked them! I didn't get a chance to taste it, but they enjoyed it I heard.
 
KOMPRESSOR:
We have some Polish carpenters working around here. I buddy took them out netfishing on the lake, and they caught some nice pikes (15-20 Ibs) and a bunch of carps (3-4 Ibs). They warmsmoked them! I didn't get a chance to taste it, but they enjoyed it I heard.

Yeah, but you guys eat lutefisk also. :11ztongue
 
JustinW:
Yeah, but you guys eat lutefisk also. :11ztongue

In general NO! :wink:


I've never tasted our carps. Actually they are BREAM (Abramis Brama)

abramis_brama.jpg


They get up to 12-14 Ibs around here.

From what I've heard the French gladly pay the price of Atlantic Salmon for this delicatesse! :11:



Pike, however, is great eating, but as in fishcakes. The meat is very white and nice.
 
Carp are pretty bony but taste good smoked. They are regarded as being a sport fish in many parts of Europe and I have never really understood our extreme prejudice towards them here. They are great fun to catch and spear, but as I diver I eventually developed the good sense and maturity to enjoy more by just watching them as they are very freindly and curious fish that can grow to 40-60 lbs. And it is great fun to have a 40 pound fish follow you through your whole dive.

If they are staying on the edge of visibility, it is because they have probably been shot at before and are (sadly) viewing divers as a threat. 40 pound Buffalo Carp used to be very common in the reservoirs along the Missouri river in the state, but the huge increase in recreational fishing (where fisherman throw them in the dumptser if caught due to viewing them as trash fish) and the increase in spearing by divers (who often hold tournaments where hundreds are shot and then thrown away) has caused the population of larger mature carp to plummet.

I have never understood the rationale for throwing carp away rather than just releasing them, but many sport fisherman seem to think they compete for the same food source as other game species. Of course in my experience, a lot of sport fisherman tend to be a bit ignorant about all other species than the ones they actively fish for.

I'd also suggest that many of you have perhaps already eaten carp. I have not talked to him since the mid eighties, but we had a commercial fisherman at one of the larger lakes in the state who netted carp and sold them to fast food restaurant chains - McDonalds was his largest customer.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom