Flying Fish Jump Into Boats On Missouri River

WKMG ^ | August 7, 2003

[Shermy]

BOONVILLE, Mo. -- People spending time on the Missouri River near Boonville are catching dozens of pounds of fish without a hook, according to a report.

With just a motor as hit bait, Duane Chapman doesn't just catch fish -- he choreographs them, according to KMBC-TV.

"Here they come. Look out," Chapman yelled.

Hubbard said that there is something about the noise from motorboats that has Asian and bighead carp jumping, flipping and flopping right in the boats.

"I've been hit in the head, hit in the side of the neck," Chapman said. "One fellow from MDC had a rib separated, another fellow got hit in the head and lost a tooth."

Chapman is a researcher for the U.S. Geological Survey. For months he has been charting the carps' capers on the Missouri River and its tributaries.

Catching fish this easy comes with a catch, Hubbard reported. The geological survey said that Asian and bighead carp are overpopulating local rivers, posing a serious ecological problem that could destroy reservoirs if boaters use them as bait in lakes.

"It's really important that we try to avoid bait-bucket transfers because we're going to ruin some really good fisheries," Chapman said.

Experts believe the flying fish may have escaped from a fish farm during the 1993 flood. Hubbard said that the fish reproduce quickly and are abundant in the Kansas City area.

[Shermy]

[Shermy]

Ping.

[Shermy]

Video at this site:

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/2388130/detail.html

[Bobby777]

can't these things be ground up for fertilizer or something? ... there have been a lot of stories on the news about them ... I say tow a big barge with a small fence around it and round 'em up ... but I don't see how they're going to get rid of them ... if they introduce a larger predator fish it will probably eat the fish this flying fish has been eating, too ...

[Grampa Dave]

Attack of the killer fish.

[therut]

What they need to do is market this. I know alot of people who would go there to fish just to see this ( and maybe beat a few fish in the head). Hey sounds like a new sport to me!!!!

[Mike Darancette]

f they introduce a larger predator fish it will probably eat the fish this flying fish has been eating, too ...

I didn't know that Carp ate other fish.

I've see Large Mouth Bass exhibit this jumping behavior when the water is low and warm.

[El Gato]

a larger predator fish it will probably eat the fish this flying fish has been eating, too ...

Carp are bottom feeders for the most part. They are not predator fish. Oh, and they do indeed make great fertilizer. When I was a kid and read about the AmerIndian practice of planting a fish with the corn, in mounds rather than rows, I just had to try it with some sweetcorn, and also had a potload of carp handy. Ironically caught using corn for bait. :) It worked great. Those 2nd Americans knew what they were about when it came to growing corn.

[Bobby777]

seemed to me to be the best use for them if they are not edible, which it sounds like ... (I don't eat fish ... LOL) ... toss 'em in a fertilizer machine ...

I thought they said on the news they were preying on fish ... maybe they were saying they fed on the food the other fish would eat ... either way, the other fish were decreasing in population I believe ...

[Finalapproach29er]

Funny, but a serious problem.

[Tom Pain]

Reporter(s)need to talk to Illinois Dept of Conservation. We've had these flying fish since last summer(2002). They are working their way up the Illinois River toward Chicago.

[Revelation 911]

there was video on the news the other night - I can imagine how they would destroy a river system - these things and carp in general are aqua bulldozers - generally stirring the bottom so eggs of other fish dont hatch

I can picture a few of my buddies getting gassed up, cruising down the river standing on the bow with a Louisville slugger, taking bets on who got the best "homer"