Asian Carp and Excursion boats

Hi AJ,

Can't say I've seen Asian carp on the river. I might have, I just don't remember.

However, I have vivid memories of "flying fish" in the Gulf of Mexico. I used to work on a boat that made a round trip each day from Marco Island to Key West. Very often we would be paced by fast movers leaping out of the water as they kept up with us. And we were going 24-26 knots at the time!

Paul

Aaron,

In 2003 we encountered Asian Carp on Kentucky Lake. One evening in particular on the MQ we had about 2 or 3 of them flopping around on the bow...they'd just jumped up there. The Deckhands would take the deck squeegies and push them back into the lake. I remember it happening just the one time. Seems I heard Pilots talk alot about them in the season of 2006, too. The DQ has such a high freeboard that they couldn't get up there if they tried. Before the lay over hull, they would have made it up there easy! I bet someone on the AQ has stories of them, too..cause she had a low enough bow they might have made it up on her foredeck as well.

If you know anyone on the SPIRIT OF PEORIA, I bet they have some stories already...last I heard they were up in Peoria Lake already. So you know they have seen them.

Travis

Carp and the SoP

We saw some Asian carp on last year's SPIRIT OF PEORIA trip to St. Louis. This year's trip, a 5 day round trip, commences in less than 2 weeks. I hope the rains let up and the rivers recede to more normal summer levels - and this NOLA-like humidity can take a hike, too! Rambling River Rats, are you ready to roll on the river????

Aaron: Don't know nuthin' bout Asian Carp, but I did have an experience with skip-jacks (shad) once and only once about five or so years ago. Putting along in MISSIE having put in at Big Bone Landing and in the creek of that name, I suddenly noticed that every time or nearly so, that I tooted the steam whistle in greeting, one or more shad would jump out of the water. It happened way too many times to be happenstance and none came in the boat though some came close. I could nearly make them do it on demand that trip. But, I never saw that happen any other time. I don't remember which of my several whistles did it. Cap'n Walnut

Crazy Clifford told about what he called "thumping for fish" wherein he would 'thump' the side of his aluminum canoe a good rap with the side of his oar, and ever-so-often a fish would flop inside. After getting his quota, Cliff would paddle ashore and have fresh, steaming fish baked over the coals of a driftwood fire. I never saw him actually thump for fish, but once he showed me the elephant-- which was actually hearing the sound of a mastadon trumpeting far off across Big Bone Valley on the way to the salt licks that once attracted so many of those mammoth tuskers.

Sam: Yes, Clifford heard a lot of things that nobody else did! Little wonder that Wagner liked him! Cap'n Walnut

This is a photo that I took recently of an Asian Carp still jumping around in my boat on the Wabash River. The slimy thing bleeds all over the boat before it can be tossed out. Nasty fish!

Tom Schiffer;22354 wrote: I suddenly noticed that every time or nearly so, that I tooted the steam whistle in greeting, one or more shad would jump out of the water.

Cap,

This is not an unusual phenomenon, especially on the vessels of the Delta Queen steamboat company and its heirs. Over the years, many was the time a schad would bob up.

[Sorry, couldn't resist]

Paul