Is carp good to eat?

"If you catch a walleye in August in the Minnesota River, which is the most polluted river in the state, it's not going to taste good," said Dixon. "Carp from the Minnesota won't taste good, either." Carp from the Upper Mississippi River are very good to eat, Dickson said. read more

Carp is a good food fish if it is from clean water. That can be said about all wild fish with rare exception. Industrial pollution and heavy metals that are fat soluble concentrate in most fish but apex predators have the highest levels. read more

Carp deservedly have a bad name for the environmental damage they cause to Australian rivers and waterways. The introduced species competes with native fish and is thought to reduce water quality and cause erosion. Carp also get a bad rap for their taste, with a commonly held opinion that carp taste pretty much like mud. read more

The “Ontario Guide to Eating Sport Fish” allows 16 meals per month of carp in the 18 to 22-inch range taken from the Grand River for the average adult. Carp are omnivorous, but feed mostly on insects and vegetation, although being opportunistic feeders they will eat whatever is available to them. read more