More carp put into grass war in Spring Bayou

Some day, perhaps, you’ll be able to dunk a shiner again in Spring Bayou without it becoming caught in grass. That is the objective as more grass-eating carp are put in the complex near here.
More of the carp were released earlier this month as the latest part of a program to help ease the grass problem in the water complex.  The program has been successful in the past years.
 The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) on Thursday, October 31, started releasing 20,000 grass carp into the Spring Bayou Water Management area complex.
This was the first release of grass carp in this most recent effort that will take take place over three years. A total of 60,000 carp will be released over the next three years.
The complex of lakes and bayous once among the most outstanding freshwater sports fisheries in the South over the years as become choked by acquatic vegetation as land use practices and navigation projects altered the natural ebb and flow of flushing backwater into the system.
LDWF agent Jody David said the first recent release was at the Boggy Bayou Landing of Spring Bayou. On the next day, another several thousand grass carp were released at Grand Lac.
“These are pretty large grass carp being released,” David said. “These carp are 12 to 14 inches in length.
 According to Jimmy Coffman who is with the Arkansas hatchery which provided the carp, the 12-inch sized fish are ideal for controlling the grass and algae.
“They get up to 30-40 lbs. but by that time are too lazy to eat the grass anymore,” he said. “This is the size everyone wants because they are so aggressive.”
Grass carp were first introduced to the Spring Bayou complex in 2008 and more were placed in 2010. David estimated that a total of 21,000 grass carp were released during those years.
“We really don’t know how many carp are left living in the complex,” David said last week. “Some have died during some small fish kills in the past couple of years;  while others died during a recent hurricane and other storms.”
David is confident that none escaped during a high water period in 2011. Some of the fish had transmitters placed on them and none have been found outside the complex, according to David.
“The placing of the grass carp seems to be working,” David said. “We have seen areas like in Old River, Bay Sec and the mouth of Tee-Lac where the carp are taking care of the vegetation.”
He added the number of the carp throughout the complex is looking good. The LDWF has been running gill nets since the carp were first released in 2008 and finding carp throughout the complex.
“The fish numbers are good but people expect results quickly with a reduction in the vegetation,” David continued. “It doesn’t happen, it takes years to see results.”