What do you do with the carp?

[ohiodoeslayer]

When I was way younger about 14 or or so I rode my bike to the local carp stream about 5 miles from the my house. Shot three 2-3 lbers on the west side of the creek not having boots I went to the road to get to the east bank without getting all wet. When I got on road holding the three fish at the side of the road a car came to a screaching stop and offered me .50 cents apiece for the fish. I took his money and went home a rich boy. I guess I missed my big business oppertunity. LOL

[owlbait]

Leaving fish in the water is against the law here in Michigan, so we can't "Catch and Release". If you dig the hole wide and deep enough most critters won't mess with them, its when the carp leave a scent trail next to the hole that you get diggers. At least that is my experience.

[Kip]

The big blue carp rib cage is great.Cut them in strips with large rib bone in and when fried the meat shrinks to leave a handle with the bone for your favorite dipping sauce.The yellow ones make good fertlizer.Kip

[Chris Shelton]

I trap so there is no contest for some stinky rotten carp meat, I just fillet them and either eat them or use the rest for bait.  Coons, scrats, possums, and all kinds of critters love that nasty smell.  

If you do plan to eat them I would feel safer with the younger ones for several reasons!  They are smaller which makes them easier to clean, and tenderer, lol(idk if that is a word), and they were in the water for a shorter amount of time, sooo there is a greater chance that they are safer to eat, if you are worried about merc or anything like that.

[JoeArizona]

I think the Politically Correct name for the process is "Kill and Release".
It isn't as popular with other species, but great for carp!  

Joe

[Schultzy]

Carp are excellent smoked   IF  you know what your doing with the smoking and the brine. 2 to 3 pounders are the perfect smoking size.

[Benoli]

Here is a recipe that was given to me by a fllow archer a while back:
2lbs Carp and 1 lb Bandini cooked in oven for 60 minutes at 350. Once done throw the carp away and eat the bandini. LOL

[Mojostick]

Bonebuster took the words out of my mouth. I wouldn't suggest eating any wild bottom feeders in much of the country.

Depending on the waterway, you're likely eating very polluted fish.

Even some perfectly safe looking, beautiful trout streams, like the Pere Marquette River, which is even a National Scenic River, aren't safe for eating much. For kids, don't eat more than one trout a month, even if only 8".

The Michigan DNR even states so on carp...
4. Don't eat fatty fish like carp and catfish from polluted waters. Most chemicals (except for mercury) collect in the fat. Buy catfish from your grocery store instead.

Here's the Michigan fish consumption guide. Scroll down a bit to page 7 and the big graphs. Notice the difference between what men and women and children can eat. To me, feeding a wild carp to my kids from the typical Michigan waters that would hold carp would be like handing them a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and telling them to smoke up.

Now maybe west of any major industry, like west of the Mississippi may be OK or in the deep south, but if east of the Mississippi or the upper Midwest and east, all that stuff that went airborne from the 1890's thru 1970's drifted east and settled in the lakes and rivers. The more fatty the fish, the more that stuff stays in the fish.

That's why Great Lakes salmon and lake trout are also something you should limit eating.

  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/FishAdvisory03_67354_7.pdf

[Cory Mattson]

Through the late 80's early 90's we averaged 350 carp each spring on piedmont lakes in NC. Raccoons and Eagles (we are covered up with both) ate the carp as quick as we could kille em. Often when fishing a day or a few days later I would check piles of carp we had left in the woods near waters edge (GONE) EVERY time. Similar to badger arrow I dumped some in my garden one time - then a Possum that was living under a neighbors porch dug up a carp and took it home under my neighbors porch - he had a contractor pull up his porch and rebuild !?!?!?!??!
Have fun - nobody needs to eat carp - the risk mentioned due to water quality is more than enough to avoid them. Carp eaten by raccooons and eagles are not wasted.
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[J. Cook]

Lots of good ideas, I was just wandering what everyone did with all teh carp!

[JPNTN]

Coyotes aren't too picky from what I understand ...

[nkw880]

gring them up and make catfish baiti ironically since i dont ever catfish i just give it away