Bowfishing.

I know it is not my water or my land or my secrete spot, but just little frustrated when I see carp being killed in a spill way pond. I throw bugs at carp and drum there and then release them. No telling howmany were killed and left for birds. Just a little rant. I hunt so I get it. They were just doing what they enjoyed. As I get older I find myself trying to leave stuff better than I found it or being thankful for all the small things God has given me. If I am blessed with catching a fish, I thank God and turn it lose if I am not eating it. But that is me, and we live in a place where you ain't gotta be me and I don't have the right NOT TO BE OFFENDED. So we go on and find more adventure. It's the journey not the destination.

We've got goats where I live, and it sucks, but if a dog or yodel dog gets inside the fence, it's killed. Not pretty but it has to be done. Carp breed faster than rabbits and have destroyed fishing habitat so as a protection they have to be killed.

I have no issues with bow fishing but I don't see the point of killing an animal just to leave it lay. Most places common carp aren't considered an invasive species so what's the point of killing something and not finding a use for it, at least use it for bait or throw it in a garden....

This will not turn out well, bowfishing threads never do. Please contact TPWD for information on the laws concerning killing animals and leaving the carcasses.

Also, it might be informative to do some research on the facts concerning carp as an invasive species, whether or not they actually do destroy habitats.

You got that right RRhyne!

I'm with you on that as well RRhyne!
Know the facts!

Just go bass fishing!

Common carp have been introduced to most continents and some 59 countries. In abscense of natural predators or commercial fishing they may extensively alter their environments due to their reproductive rate and their feeding habit of grubbing through bottom sediments for food. In feeding, they may destroy, uproot, disturb and eat submerged vegetation, causing serious damage to native duck, such as canvasbacks, and fish populations.[19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_carp

They can turn an area (spawning flat) great than a football field into a muddy mess. Bass eggs can not survive the churning of water. Nor can any other eggs....besides their own.

Bass fisherman are taught not to Troll across bass beds and destroy the eggs and bed....but carp don't care. They don't have etiquette.

that's where the term shooting fish in a barrel comes from

If you want to see a lake they ruined go to lake Austin. Winning weights went from 25 lbs to 7lbs. They are worse than cactus and need to be eradicated. Maybe with that herpes stuff I saw on a post. They aren't fit to eat aren't nice to look at aren't a native species and unfortunately I doubt you could even put a dent in them with a bowfishing tournament every weekend. Hey buzzards got to eat too!!! Chunk them suckers!

From the Texas Annual Fishing Regulations:

Waste of fish

It is unlawful to leave edible fish or bait fish taken from the public waters of the state to die without the intent to retain the fish for consumption or bait.

From the Bowfishing Rules of Texas -
Any fish that is edible or can be used for bait (includes all gar species, common carp and buffalo) may not be released back into the water after being taken with lawful archery equipment.

Basically they can be used for fertilizer, dogfood (I admit my dog actually enjoys carp), food for the neighbors (yes, gar and carp are actually eaten by some).....just don't leave them on the bank or in the lake. Both of those rules had to be written in the last few years due to the excessive pollution of dead and rotting fish at boat ramps. As with all sports...there are people who will ruin it for all.

It used to be Wanton Waste, and it had to be a game fish/animal to be classified under that.

I have as much right to be offended by the needless killing as the Bow "Fishermen" have to thrill kill.
I live on a Lake that has been utterly destroyed by Grass Carp...its not the carp's fault but the TPWD, City of Austin et al...I still cant bring myself to simply kill 1
Yes it may/may not be legal, but just leaving your "trophies" laying around stinking up the place is just pure trashy.

What's this got to do with fly fishing?

I think that everything has been said that needs to be said on this topic.