Re: Anybody else deal with asian carp?
I do realize what seabugs eat. Lobster Crabs and Catfish are tasty. the dozen or so times I have tried carp.......not so much.
You were probably eating European/German carp, referred to as Common Carp in the U.S. They are generally bottom feeders and are totally unrelated to the asian carps which are filter feeders. Paddlefish are also filter feeders and are considered a delicacy across the U.S. The asian carp flesh is very similar to paddlefish, but there are more bones present in the meat.
Carnivorous fish (or, rather, piscivorous) are much less safe to eat. They tend to have accumulated toxins (mercury and other heavy metals) from eating other fish that have eaten other fish, and the toxins bio-accumulate. Much more dangerous to eat than filter feeders.
As an aside, although channel catfish are generally considered bottom feeders, they actually do a LOT of feeding at the surface of the water, especially at night. I've seen large schools of them feeding just below the surface late at night (like midnight). Larger catfish, esp. blues and flatheads, fall into the piscivorous category and have the accumulated heavy metals in their flesh. The "good-eatin-size" channel cats (around 14"-18") have relatively clean flesh, and in my experience have a flavor reminiscent of the waters from which they came. IOW, catfish from warm muddy waters tend to have a muddy flavor, and catfish from cool clear streams taste like trout. Many commercial growers will get their fish into cleaner water for a few days before harvest to improve the flavor.
