Carp Blitz returns in 2023 to remove dozens of pests from the rivers

Hundreds of pro and amateur anglers headed down to the Macquarie River to catch carp and redfin, two pest fish species that the Bathurst RSL Fishing Club is trying to cull the numbers of.

Committee member Eddie Allman said carp and redfin are a threat to the native fish population, which is why the annual blitz aims to get as many of them out of the river as possible.

"They (carp) breed prolifically, and what they do is suck all the banks, so when the native fish lay eggs, they go along and suck them all up, so it kills the natives," he said.

"They are an introduced species and they're a pain; they just breed too quick, same as the redfin."

The money the Carp Blitz raises is then used to restock the river with native fish.

READ MORE: Bathurst RSL Fishing Club release native fingerlings into Macquarie

While the main purpose of the Carp Blitz is about helping the waterways, it's also a family-friendly day out for the community.

There's also a little friendly competition at play.

Prizes are available for the juniors and seniors who catch the biggest carp, and even the person who gets the smallest fish of the day receives a prize, as does the youngest angler.

Among those vying for a prize was 10-year-old Ralph Lawson, who bagged one of the biggest fish of the day.

He said it was "really hard" to reel in the carp and he needed a hand to get it out of the water and up to the weigh-in area.

Harry Lawson, 13, recounted the story of the catch.

"He hooked onto it and the rod was bending and all that," he said.

"Then he got it and the rod was as stiff as anything, and then [the carp] kept moving everywhere, and he finally reeled it in close and it zoomed off again, so he had to reel it in again.

"Then we had to pull it out and it started wriggling everywhere."

Ralph added: "It nearly went back in."

While he did hook a huge carp, it wasn't quite enough to best the other junior anglers.

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The heaviest carp was caught by Georgina Baillie, who reeled in one weighing 4.21 kilograms.

When it came to the senior anglers, it was Adrian Constable who had the catch of the day. His carp weighed in at a whopping 6.84kg.

There were 124 carp and 10 redfin caught throughout the one-day blitz, weighing a total of 195kg and 2kg respectively.

Approximately 160 people had registered to participate.

Mr Allman said it was good to see so many people out there enjoying the day.

"It gives you a good feeling to see all the families out and about fishing," he said.

"You see grandfathers out here fishing with their granddaughters. It's just a good, family day."

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