Bob Frye / Tribune-Review
Carp are the main attraction at the spillway at Pymatuning State Park.
Mention carp to a lot of people in western Pennsylvania and the first image that springs to mind is likely of the spillway at Pymatuning State Park, where the fish are so numerous that the “ducks walk on” their backs.
Many a loaf of stale bread has been sold to tourists looking to feed the fish in what is a unique, noisy, slurpy display.
There are serious, dedicated carp anglers out there, though. They’re guys — and gals – who prefer them to all other species.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is looking into ways to better serve them. Commissioner Len Lichvar of Boswell in particular has said carp are a fishery that’s widespread and boasts big, hard-fighting specimens that reproduce on their own, without the support of expensive hatcheries.
A “carp working group” made up of agency biologists and carp anglers has met twice to talk about how the agency might turn people on to fishing for them. The most recent of those gatherings included not only fishermen who pursue carp with rod and reel, but those who use bows, too.
One of the ideas to come out of that was to perhaps include a page in the summary book that all anglers get when they buy a license outlining opportunities to chase the species.
“Just to increase understanding,” Lichvar said.
That same information could be posted on the agency’s website and distributed via social media, he added.
The group also talked about perhaps better identifying trophy carp waters that fishermen and bowfishermen could share.
That sharing aspect could be tricky, Lichvar admitted. Carp anglers, many of whom practice strict catch and release, and bowfishermen, who obviously cannot, haven’t always gotten along. Finding ways to unite them on the same waters, Lichvar said, might be difficult.
“That’s certainly going to be a little challenging to come up with,” he said.
The working group hopes to offer the commission some specific recommendations “in the near future,” though, he added.
Bob Frye / Tribune-Review
Some just like to feed them, but others like to fish for carp.
