The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking anglers to monitor their live bait purchases and watch for juvenile Asian carp when fishing.

Being able to identify juvenile Asian carp is important since they can be confused with common baitfish such as gizzard shad, emerald shiner, spottail shiner or golden shiner.

Bait is often transported across state lines, including from areas with Asian carp, making it possible for juvenile Asian carp to make their way into the bait supply.

Five characteristics to identify juvenile Asian carp (bighead and silver) from common baitfish are:

  • Body color.
  • Scale pattern, shape and size.
  • Eye size and location on the head.
  • Mouth shape and location.
  • Presence or absence of keels on the bottom side of the fish.

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