Silver Carp
Silver Carp are an invasive Asian species that first arrived in Arkansas in 1973 when a private fish farmer imported them to stock fish farms throughout the state.
By the 1980s, they had escaped into Arkansas's natural waters and later spread to the Mississippi River system.
Scientific Name: Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
- These deep-bodied, laterally compressed fish are silvery when young, fading to greenish on the back and silver on the belly as they age.
- They have characteristic low-set eyes positioned far forward, large upturned mouths without jaw teeth (but with pharyngeal teeth), and tiny scales covering their body except for the scaleless head.
Fishing in Arkansas
Lake Conway
Arkansas River
Fourche LaFave River
Bayou Meto
Greers Ferry Lake
Lake Dardanelle
Petit Jean River
Little Red River
Saline River
Lake Ouachita
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- They prefer lentic habitats including backwaters, tributary streams, main-channel borders, side-channel borders, and slow-flowing river sections where water pools, avoiding main-channel habitat.
Key Locations
- Today they're found in the Arkansas, Mississippi, Red, St.
- Francis, and White Rivers and their tributaries across Arkansas.
- Commercial fishermen caught 166 Silver Carp from seven Arkansas sites in the early 1980s.
Specific Spots
- Focus efforts on backwaters, side channels, and slow-flowing sections of the Arkansas, White, Mississippi, Red, and St.
- Francis Rivers where water pools behind wing dikes.
- The species avoids main-channel habitat, so concentrate efforts in protected areas and tributary mouths.
Silver Carp FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
When is the best time to fish for Silver Carp in Arkansas?
Most effectively targeted during their active feeding periods outside of their May-September spawning season.
How do you catch Silver Carp in Arkansas?
Commercial harvest techniques are more effective than traditional angling methods since Silver Carp are filter-feeders focused on plankton. Active fishing methods work well due to their low hourly movement rates and high occupancy of lentic habitats.
What do Silver Carp eat?
Silver Carp are aggressive filter-feeders capable of consuming up to half their body weight daily, feeding primarily on phytoplankton but also ingesting zooplankton, bacteria, and detritus.
Where do Silver Carp live in Arkansas?
They prefer lentic habitats including backwaters, tributary streams, main-channel borders, side-channel borders, and slow-flowing river sections where water pools, avoiding main-channel habitat.
Fish smarter with real-time insights
Whether you're en route and conditions shift or you're looking for the best spot based on current flows, we enable you to make informed decisions on the fly.
See it in the app
Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Silver Carp.
- 01 · Species map filter
Map every Silver Carp water
Pick Silver Carp and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.
- 02 · Waterbody species
Tap any water. See what lives there.
Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.
- 03 · Angler Intelligence
Ask how to catch Silver Carp
Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.
Stop guessing where Silver Carp are.
Open the map, filter by Silver Carp, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.
- Species map filter
- Angler Intelligence
- Fishing journal
Explore other species
Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.
No species information available.
Arkansas licenses and regulations
Explore nearby waters
Explore Arkansas waters
Top fishing waters
Popular Cities
Loading popular cities...
Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.
onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.