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let me know if you are looking for more representation on the Conservation Council as well...

Some states do have a higher tag fee for say trophy elk, so maybe that's where CT is getting ideas. After all they're legalizing sports betting. Does that mean Pete Rose gets into the Hall of Fame?

The DEEP rep said that "Common Carp are one of CT's largest freshwater fish and over the years CT has become a destination fishery for these incredibly large fish (worldwide). Protecting the largest of these fish is providing a super unique fishery for many."

Great, and if true CT has grown to become a carp destination fishery right along side of bow fishing. If bow fishing is so detrimental to carp, how did CT become a destination fishery in the first place?

These people are morons.

You have a resource that people like and pastimes (bow fishing and fly fishing) that seem to be growing organically and the state thinks that regulating the F*ck out of it is going to make it better.

It is just so typical.

If golfers were limited to playing one hole per outing, not many people are going to invest in clubs.

You take away the volume you take away the point of the activity. That is a ban.

The state could lower the take limits on crows to one annually. Would that be a ban on crow hunting? For all realistic purposes, yes.

When they put a 5 trout limit out there, did guys complain that they were banning trout fishing?

CT is in trouble. We are broke, overtaxed, over regulated and a lot of people are leaving. DEEP along with the other CT agencies have likely been tasked to sell CT whenever they can.

Look at the language they are using - "destination fishery", "super unique fishery". Only marketing people talk like that.

I bet someone at DEEP saw an opportunity to market CT as a trophy carp fly fishing destination and these ridiculous regulations help justify it, because as we all know if the government isn't regulating it, it can't possibly be legit.

All they did was screw up a good thing.

That said, I find it hard to believe there are only 4 waters in state that are suitable for bowfishing that are now effectively closed.

The bottom line is from what I can tell, this decision was made without studies and without public comments. I would guess there are far more guys chasing Carp with bows than with rods. I haven't heard of anyone seeing less Carp on their trips than they did years ago. Carp populations are in no danger of crashing.

Lightning I believe

Please, some people have tolerated you. Many have been polite to you, because that’s what you’re supposed to do. You contribute nothing positive here related to bowhunting.

Pat has done more for us in CT than you can imagine. He’s passionate about potentially losing a resource that he and many others enjoy.

And there was a post a while ago about game camera pictures where you bragged and posted pictures of eagles and other critters eating two whole deer that you told everyone you killed with your rifle. So please don’t worry about a lousy carp being thrown away or used for fertilizer or whatever else a carp fisherman wants to do with it. You offer nothing.

And I do remember the pictures of dead deer being left to rot at the hand of DAD. At least he's not a bow hunter so he won't be associated with the rest of us.

And some of us who received higher degrees don't demand that others call us Doctor, unless of course you have no friends and it's the only way to have complete strangers not refer to you as "Hi dumbass"

This was put in at the request/ insistence of one guy who thinks CT can be a Trophy Carp Fishing destination. When people act in their own self interest and fail to take into account an entire group who has been contributing to the economy in a fairly substantial way, their elected representatives can help bring about reasonable solutions that are equitable to all stakeholders.

We’re all ears.

Does anyone think that there has ever been one fisherman who has purchased and outfitted a boat solely or primarily to fish for Carp by hook and line? There are several right here on this thread who have done just that for the purposes of Bowfishing. After buying the boat, and a motor and a trailer and lights, they pay to register that boat, buy gas for that boat, and contribute to the economy in a much more substantial way than the guy fishing with dough balls from the banks of a river. He buys a license, and maybe a loaf of wonderbread.

deep probably has seen the last couple of years all the guys catching carp on light tackle on the naugy in ansonia behind bj's and figured theres gold in dar fish....

A destination for carp, thats funny..kinda like when they drained Beardsley pond to make it a small mouth destination..that didnt pan out so they loaded it with catfish in hopes itll be on the catfish circut..

How many on this thread eat it? I've always thought carp were invasive, therefor no limits were in place. I don't even know anyone that intentionally fishes for them, except for bow-fishers. Seems akin to putting a regulation on starlings, sparrows or pigeons.

Brian has a point. No one here has said what they do with carp after arrowing them. Dead rotting carp are super tough to catch on a breadball fly...

State A and B have equally good carp fishing.

State A has no regulations governing the taking of Carp.

State B has designated Carp a "Trophy Fish", decided to start calling places where they live as "super unique fisheries" and backed up their marketing campaign with idiotic regulations to demonstrate how serious they are about selling carp.

State B thinks it has now created an advantage over State A because of their campaign and regulations to attract anglers/money.

That and I am pretty sure the state hates hunters. Fly fishing is much more politically correct.

What this absolutely nothing to do with is habitat, science or the health of carp as species. Otherwise they would be showing studies backing up how un regulated bow fishing is wiping out the carp populations or somehow damaging the environment.