Carp Classic removes more than 3/4 ton of invasive fish from Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The weather wasn’t great on Saturday, but the Moses Lake Carp Classic brought out 55 bow fishers in 23 boats, organizer Ty Swartout wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. 

Fishers shot 147 carp totaling 1,587 pounds, Swartout wrote.  

The event was held at Connelly Park at the north end of Moses Lake. Bow fishers prowled the lake looking for the invasive carp. There were prizes for the largest fish, which was 23.6 pounds; the most fish shot, at 23; and the and the total weight of the 10 biggest carp by one shooter, which was 139.6 pounds. 

The event has been going on since 2019, and serves a dual purpose, Swartout told the Columbia Basin Herald in an earlier interview. First, it removes a small percentage of the carp living in the lake, which not only drive away native fish but also feeds the toxic blue-green algae that periodically causes the lake to be closed to boating and swimming. Second, it educates the public about the threat carp pose to the lake’s ecology. 

Twenty-three local businesses sponsored the event, according to the Carp Classic website. Moore Brewing Company of Moses Lake creates a special beer every year and proceeds from the sales of that beer support the event. The Columbia Basin Conservation District donated the use of the park, which is closed to the public, and also printed flyers, Swartout wrote. 

“We are so thankful for the support of our sponsors, volunteers and community members,” he wrote. “We couldn't have pulled off this successful event without you.” 

    The annual Carp Classic is more than just a fishing competition; it removes invasive and harmful fish from Moses Lake and serves to educate the public about the dangers those fish pose.