Two fertile grass carp were caught in Ontario’s Welland River. How worried should anglers be, and what do those captures actually tell us?
This week on Outdoor Journal Radio, Ang and Pete welcome back Fisheries and Oceans Canada aquatic biologist Trisiah Tugade to get the facts on grass carp in Canadian waters. Trisiah breaks down the confirmed captures, explains the difference between fertile and sterile fish, and clarifies why finding individual fish doesn’t mean an established population has taken hold.
The conversation covers spawning conditions, DNA detections, the threat to aquatic vegetation, and how DFO decides where to look. The boys also ask what grass carp could mean for Ontario’s weed-filled lakes, where these fish might be coming from, and what anglers can do to help.
Before Trisiah joins, Ang and Pete debate the rise of the ChatterBait, question how much lure popularity comes down to marketing, revisit a Rice Lake tournament that sparked a run on Culprit worms, and share some memorable fish-identification mistakes.
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The Invasive Species Centre: Protecting Canada’s land and water from invasive species
https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/
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J&B Cycle and Marine: Your home for all things powersports, boats and equipment
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Freedom Cruise Canada: Rent the boat. Own the memories.
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Learn about invasive carp:
https://invasivecarp.ca/
Report suspected invasive species in Ontario:
1-800-563-7711
