BLOG: Carp capers

AT the risk of sounding like a bleeding heart, recently I have found a renewed appreciation for carp. I understand acutely that they're an invasive species and they occupy part of the ecosystem that our native species need to survive, but on face value, I'm sure many would agree they are fun to catch. They are often referred to in the same breath as cane toads and foxes, which are both introduced, but I can't remember the last time the drag screamed with a cane toad in tow!

Lately I have been visiting my local pond. Part of the mission is to feed the local ducks that reside there but any astute angler would be hard pressed not to see the quality of carp on offer and not feel compelled to catch a few. Some of the fish are upwards of 3kgs and some crafty bread berley always brings them on the chew. The fact they are easy to catch, are relatively big fish, pull like steam trains and are highly accessible has led me to rethink my stance on this unfairly unpopular fish.

Firstly, I'm not sure the carp crisis can be managed from this point, so a better outlook might be to learn to exist with them rather than foster a negative attitude. Dragging them 50ft up the bank to rot does no one any justice, especially the rec fishing reputation and the fish themselves. Non-fisher folk that use the local pond who don't understand we are obeying the law by disposing of these fish think we are wasteful and brutal marauders by killing what we catch. It's difficult to teach all onlookers what we are doing is normal. I can't see why we can't return these fish to the pond to catch another day.

Secondly, the accessibility of carp and their sheer size makes them perfect fodder for kids. One of the major negatives I hear from fathers trying to teach their kids to fish is their inability to keep the kids interested. The best way to do that is to ensure the catch rate is sufficient and the fish that are caught are impressive. I guarantee that a child won't know carp are regarded as a pest and if they hook one the ensuing fight will leave an indelible memory and hopefully instill a passion for life. The drama will be how they react when they see you discard their prized catch like a bag of garbage.

As a pending father, the resource will become highly valuable to me as my jaunts in the boat will become scarcer in the short term. Heading down to the local park to "feed the ducks" as I will tell my wife - which might be hard to sell with a rod stuffed in the pram - will become an avenue in which to get my fishing fix. In the end, as a sport fisherman who releases almost all fish he catches, the fight of the fish is most paramount. Therefore, the stigma carp have, when considered in this paradigm, is hard to fathom. Let's value them as a fishing resource and enjoy them for what they are - an easy and fun fish to catch that can be enjoyed by many.

Do you agree that carp should be treated better or do you reckon they should still be victimised?