Wanted: The Fish, not the man!

Wanted: Dead, not alive. It's that time of year where recreational anglers in NSW train their sites on Carp, in an attempt to reduce their population. Contrary to the usual affair, when it comes to the pest species of fish, there are no bag limits. In fact, Carp are considered such pests that it is recommended to NOT return fish to the water when caught. Brother to the Gold Fish you might have had as a child, Carp grow up to 10kg, usually in the 5kg range however, and are great fish to catch. As such, fishing competitions targeting the species exclusively have popped up, like the one this weekend in Casino. The Casino RSM Social Fishing Club are holding their annual Carp Muster, and the rules are simple. Catch carp. Keep Carp. He or she who has the most Carp wins a share in $4000 worth of prizes.

Yes, you can eat carp too. The trick is, the fish needs to come straight out of the water and go into the ice bucket. If it stays warm for too long, the 'muddy' taste of the fish becomes stronger, and it's not nice! As for cooking, stick with the classics. Salt, flour and pepper in a bag - coat the fillet and drop it into a pan full of oil. A little lemon, some salad and a few chips - yummo! If you're around the area this weekend, and want to experience a fishing contest with a difference - head to Casino and bag yourself a Carp (or three).