The Tennessee Wildlife Resources received a report on Jan. 10 that a silver carp was captured on Chickamauga Lake in October. The angler, Dustin Hinkle, said the invasive fish “jumped into the boat as I deployed my trolling motor.” Mr. Hinkle encountered the fish near the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, and stated he “saw 15-20 more fish near the surface” exhibiting a feeding behavior.
“No additional reports have been made since this occurrence.” said Cole Harty, TWRA’s Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator.
“This is an excellent reminder to report carp sightings from East Tennessee, where carp are not already known to be established. We encourage anyone reporting to include photos, location information, and if possible keep a fish frozen to share with TWRA.”
Reports can be made by calling the nearest TWRA regional office, or by emailing ANS.TWRA@tn.gov.
It is likely that these fish traveled up the Tennessee River through navigation locks, ultimately finding their way to Chickamauga Lake. “TWRA has been working with multiple partners to limit the spread and impact of invasive Asian carp in Tennessee,” said Frank Fiss, TWRA Fisheries chief. “This new observation demonstrates the urgency of the issue.”