Why do Carp jump out of the water ?

Post by **Anton88** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:32 pm

..they don't feed on insects like other fish,.. so what could it be ?

Post by **Wallyboss** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:49 pm

I think I heard that it was to get rid of parasites???? Or was that sturgeons.

Post by **joco** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:52 pm

i gues it could be for a couple off thing.

ride off parasite like wallyboss said.

dont think about the insect thing..but hey we never no.

i do no they sher jump more in spawning season.

joco.

Post by **pappy** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:02 pm

because they eat like pigs off the bottom they collect lots of debris and junk in there gill area so they jump to get rid of it....

Post by **Anton88** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:19 pm

Wallyboss wrote:I think I heard that it was to get rid of parasites???? Or was that sturgeons.

I think it's because they don't like the way the water smells...
This happens mostly in places where there's high concentration of E-coli bacteria... such as Petrie Island ..

Post by **Mitch24** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:33 pm

I don't know who told you Carp didn't eat insects because they do, they eat pretty much anything presented to them. So, I think its fair to say they ARE picking insects off the surface, and that's probably the main reason they are jumping. Other then that, it might be due to them feeding off the bottom in shallow water. Most of the Crap...I mean Carp don't realize their own size and they end up sticking their tails out. For that matter, they could be feeding just under the surface for debris and such, and their bodies might flap out and seem like a jump.

Now, sometimes they do jump straight out of the water, and I mean straight up. And if this is the case, I dont know why...

Post by **Anton88** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:42 pm

Mitch24 wrote:I don't know who told you Carp didn't eat insects because quite a bit of their diet are just that. So, I think its fair to say they ARE picking insects off the surface, and that's probably the main reason they are jumping. Other then that, it might be due to them feeding off the bottom in shallow water. Most of the Crap...I mean Carp don't realize their own size and they end up sticking their tails out. For that matter, they could be feeding just under the surface for debris and such, and their bodies might flap out and seem like a jump.

Now, sometimes they do jump straight out of the water, and I mean straight up. And if this is the case, I dont know why...

They are bottom feeders, and eat plant material, aquatic vegetation and of course larvae and bottom insects... but they don't jump to catch flying insects on the surface like Trout do for example.
Their mouths are pointing downwards.. They are not meant for that.
So I don't believe that when a Carp jumps and lands sideways with a big splash..he does it to get an insect.. very doubtfull.. I think there must be some other explenation

Post by **Mitch24** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:58 pm

They do eat insects on the surface, but like I said when they jump straight out of the water I don't know what their goal is. And think about a carps thought process, it sees a buggy life form on the surface of the water and decides to jump at it in hopes of eating it. But because of its size and mouth it misses. Also, I have seen carp jump during insect hatches, particularly flying ant hatches. The ants are all over the surface and the carp will be jumping, I don't know why but this is a possibility.

Post by **Anton88** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:19 pm

Mitch24 wrote:They do eat insects on the surface, but like I said when they jump straight out of the water I don't know what their goal is. And think about a carps thought process, it sees a buggy life form on the surface of the water and decides to jump at it in hopes of eating it. But because of its size and mouth it misses. Also, I have seen carp jump during insect hatches, particularly flying ant hatches. The ants are all over the surface and the carp will be jumping, I don't know why but this is a possibility.

Have you seen on Youtube the "asian carp" invasion of the Illinois river? Huge Carp that jump like crazy, land in the boat, hit people and cause injuries... you got to see that video man.. Hundreads of fish just jumping like crazy. I think they are considered a threat and are being 'isolated' so they dont get into other lakes and reservoirs..

see here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IothH-kxOd8

Post by **Mitch24** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:24 pm

I know those fish are ridiculous. If they got into the great lakes we would be so screwed. They reproduce like mad and they are no good for fishing (but im sure one day, when they have taken over the world we wont have much choice!!

And the reason for them jumping, noooo clue!

Post by **Anton88** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:33 pm

Mitch24 wrote:I know those fish are ridiculous. If they got into the great lakes we would be so screwed. They reproduce like mad and they are no good for fishing (but im sure one day, when they have taken over the world we wont have much choice!!

And the reason for them jumping, noooo clue!

Some guy says they are relly good to eat and he's got his fridge stocked with them. I wouln't mind fishing for them.. but like you said, i dont wanna see them in Canada, or in the great lakes..

==> see this vid-
its amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ChwJiKK ... re=related

Post by **Mitch24** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:35 pm

Man that's so nuts, the boat driver has a small net covering him from the side of the boat! Im sure catching them would be fun, you know all the jumping and all! But I dont know if I could summon up the courage to touch one...they creep me out, check it out:

http://www.biology.duke.edu/bio217/2005 ... 0carp1.jpg

It looks like the monster character in that old movie, The Goonies!

Post by **Mr. T.** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:37 pm

I found this on a bass forum.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishin ... 0841912/10

"the following informatin was passed on to me by the Carp Anglers Group.

As carp are primarily bottom feeders and as you know all fish gather food by sucking in that which is in front of them.

along with the food particles are large quantities of bottom debris which is passed on through the gill rakers while the food items are swallowed to the stomach.

over time, some of the bottom sediment particles get stuck on the gill rakers and interfere with the flow of water for respiration. the carp sense this and the jumping is a method of back flushing the gills to remove the accumulated trash."

Do you think this could be true? I have a bottom feeding fish in my fish tank that does something similar where it darts straight up to the surface and then down again.

Post by **pappy** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:30 am

thats what i was trying to get at earlier in the post....100% the reason they jump is to clear the debris from there gills. Mitch if youd like to catch some serious carp PM me for details

Post by **Chewie** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:27 am

I have kept goldfish all of my life and being cousins to the carp I can honestly say that my goldfish can become "playfull" with each other from time to time. They are not breeding as the males of the Carassius auratus (goldfish) and Cyprinus carpio ( common carp) develope little pimple like growths on there heads in breeding season. They like to chase each other around sometimes and the only thing I can figure is that they are having "fun". I'ts great to watch my goldfish do this as I also love to see the carp jumping.

I would also agree with Mr. T that the carp are backflushing thier gills, and others who say that they are feeding on insects. All valid in my books.

Fish-Hawk.Net

Why do Carp jump out of the water ?

Why do Carp jump out of the water ?

Jumping Carp