Carp bashing on the Internet has been hot fun lately. For an example, and frankly a good laugh check out the comments
here and
here.
Hey man, some people don't dig carp, I get that. I am even cool with it, more room for me at my local hot-spots.
I would, however, argue that most peoples issues with carp are irrational, untrue and derive from nothing more profound than our grand-pappie's palates. Now, I honestly see no point in taking the whole discussion personally and there is no bigger waste of time than arguing with small minded people on the Internet. On the other hand, otherwise open-minded folk might get the wrong idea from these on-line "conversations" and that would be a shame. Therefore, I would like to address the stupidest of these arguments and that is that carp stink. The idea is so ridiculous and lacking in fact that it is easily disproved.
You see, we are lucky enough to have both carp and a few invasive trash-fish rainbow and brown trout in my local carp river. Honestly, I hate that term "trash fish" and use it here only for shock value, but all three species are invasive and the trout have no more "native" claim than the carp.
The point is that this overlap of invasive species gives me the occasional opportunity to do a back to back sniff test which is exactly what I did about a year and a half ago. First the trout:
In a stunning development the trout smelled neither of roses nor potpourri. As a matter of fact the trout smelled just like slightly urbanized river water.
Next the Carp:
Wouldn't you know it, the carp smelled neither of raw sewage nor rotting flesh. Instead it smelled exactly like the trout.
