What happens when carp spawn?
Apart from the obvious, exactly what does happen when carp get a little frisky?
It’s early to mid-summer: the fishing’s slow but it doesn’t matter: you’re sat back, soaking up the sun’s rays and then you hear some thrashing and splashing going on down the margin to your left. Yep, it’s that time of year: the carp in your lake are having their annual bonk. But what exactly’s happening? We’ve roped in Diggerlakes in Devon owner, Ben Gratwicke to explain all…
What temperature does the water have to be for the carp to spawn?
“18şC and above for successful continued spawning, although if the water drops once spawning has begun a carp will continue.”
Do carp spawn more than once a year?
“A female could potentially spawn three to four times if they’re lucky and obviously this is weather dependent. And that same healthy young female, as a rule of thumb, will lay 100,000 eggs per kilo of body.”
What actually happens when carp begin to spawn?
“Ovulation occurs when all the different parameters fall into place and this causes the eggs to hydrate. As the female is stimulated by the presence of a male, she will release her eggs onto the weed and at the same time the male will swim closely behind releasing the milt (sperm) which covers the eggs and fertilises them.”
How long does the process take?
“The spawning process for a female can last a long time, but an the exact length is governed by many parameters: fish size, age, fitness of the fish, temperature of water and many more.”
Do carp eat the spawn?
Yes, most definitely. After a hard spawn they see the eggs as a quick protein fix. More often than not, other smaller fish will follow behind the carp as they spawn and eat the eggs as they are laid – a feast for all!”
How many of those eggs will survive?
“In the majority of lakes and ponds in England – zero. In rare lakes where the conditions are perfect then the recruitment can be quite high but these are rare.”
Is there anything we can do to help the carp as they spawn?
Yes: reel in and leave them to it. Fishing whilst carp are spawning is just wrong and unfair.”
