UTAH COUNTY, Utah — Enough is enough when it comes to a certain fish that is aggressively destroying Utah Lake, and now state officials are channeling their inner-Bob Barkers to get help in removing them.
The Great Carp Hunt will run through all of 2025, with thousands of dollars being handed out to the teams that catch as many of the non-native species that have been decimating the lake as possible.
An annual prize of $5,000 will be offered to the team of five anglers that removes the most carp during the year, with a $1,000 award being given out each month.
Since they were introduced into the lake back in the 1880s, carp have destroyed ponderweed on the lake's surface and plant life on the lake floor, according to event organizers. Over the last 15 years, about 75 percent of the carp have been removed, but the threat remains.
“We see this as a fun way for people to help remove a non-native species that has made negative impacts on the lake and the native fish,” said Luke Peterson, Executive Director of the Utah Lake Authority
In addition to the prizes for the most carp caught, prizes will also be offered for other categories such as longest, heaviest and smallest carp.
