The CARP FISHING GUIDE Saves you Time and Money.
Common Carp
The Common Carp Cyprinius Carpio originated in Europe and Asia and has been imported to waterways world wide, this is the most impressive looking Carp of the Carp family with a growth rate 80lb plus and has a maximum recorded age of 47yrs.
My first 20lb Carp was a 22.5lb Common Carp and my first 30 was a Common Carp too, these Commons seem to be much fitter and stronger they really do put up more of a fight than your average Mirror, leather or liner etc, I put this down to experience of catching these different strains of carp.
Did you know the Common Carp would eat almost anything that ends up in the water? a kind of water pig if you like, these commons are a predatory fish too, when fishing in the South of France I watched a very large common carp preying on a small sun fish, I have also caught these commons on dead baits previous, this fish also will eat water plants, insects and crustaceans like crayfish.
In Australia the common carp has thrived through the Mummy and Darling River systems causing lots of damage to the river ecosystems and is classed as vermin in some places.
The common carp is used as a human food source world wide, the time I was fishing in Bulgaria the park ranger cooked for us every day and the first meal on the table was fish, I didn't know the fish would be carp, It didn't taste too bad, very bony and a bit earthy but plenty of meat, the carp ended up on the table a few more times that week, I can't believe anyone could kill such a magnificent fish what a waste.