Carp Classic removes more than 3/4 ton of invasive fish from Moses Lake
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 4 weeks AGO
Twenty-three boats, with 55 bow fishers, set out from Connelly Park for the annual Carp Classic Saturday morning.
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.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | May 20, 2026 3:00 AM
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.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
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BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
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