[need2bnTX]

I went out today to Ft. Eustis across from the gohst fleet and caugt what i think was a carp, but i didn't think they were in salt water. It was about 7-9lbs, gray with larg scales, an underslung mouth and two wiskers. What was this thing. It hit on a berkley swing shad.

 

[BLOOD NOT]

coulda beeeen a black drum

 

[fishwagon]

It could have been a carp if it was at the idle fleet, It's brackish. salinity is low because of all the rain. the thing is, stanard "james river immigrant" carp don't eat minnow imitations, unless it was a new exotic out of some kids aquarium 7 years ago. Any chance it was a sturgeon?

 

[Digger]

Hard to tell with out a pick. Carp is not out of the question. Sturgeon the scales appear more like armour plate with a longish snout.

 

[CajunBass]

It was probally a carp. I've caught plenty of them on artificial baits while fishing for bass. They'll feed on anything on the bottom. I would thing generally the water would be too salty down there at the ghost fleet, but with all the rain, it's not out of the question. Fish can adapt to different levels of salt. We see it all the time in dry weather when the salt pushes up the river. A black drum is next most likely culprit. The scales on a drum are really large I understand. If you go to the websites for the Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries Comission. (http://www.dgif.state.va.us/) You can probally find a picture of a carp. The Virginia Marine Resources Comission web site will probally have one of a drum. Sorry. I don't have their address handy.

 

[need2bnTX]

thanks everybody, i think it was a carp. Next time get the camera.

 

[fishwagon]

It could have been my ex-wife, but she would'nt have hit the berkley swing shad.

 

[Stingray101]

it might have been a saltwater sturgeon. i've only seen two of them in my life around here. they can easily get to be 7-9 lbs and will eat whatever they find. but you don't want to keep thos. they'll get you a fine bigger than 14 parking tickets!