Common carp Cyprinus carpio

How they feed

• Water52–86°F, best near 72°
• TideEither, as long as it moves
• MoonEither
• DepthUsually 1–15 ft

Scored against their own temperature range and tide preference first, then wind, weather and warnings. Solunar periods only break ties. How the score works

Season by state

• MarylandApr–Oct
• ColoradoMay–Oct
• VirginiaApr–Oct
• New YorkMay–Oct
• PennsylvaniaMay–Oct
• South CarolinaMar–Nov
• TexasFeb–Dec
• AlabamaApr–Nov
• MichiganMay–Oct
• MinnesotaMay–Oct
• TennesseeApr–Nov
• ArizonaFeb–Dec
• CaliforniaApr–Nov
• IllinoisApr–Oct
• North CarolinaApr–Nov
• ArkansasApr–Nov
• GeorgiaMar–Nov
• IowaMay–Oct
• KansasApr–Oct
• MissouriApr–Oct
• NebraskaMay–Oct
• OhioMay–Oct
• South DakotaMay–Oct
• WisconsinMay–Oct
• KentuckyApr–Nov
• MontanaMay–Oct
• North DakotaMay–Oct
• New MexicoApr–Nov
• OklahomaApr–Nov
• UtahApr–Oct
• VermontMay–Oct
• WyomingMay–Oct
• DelawareApr–Oct
• IndianaApr–Oct
• MaineJun–Sep
• NevadaFeb–Dec
• West VirginiaMay–Oct

The Maryland, Delaware and Virginia months are the Chesapeake-region season. Everywhere else it is carried over by water temperature: a month counts at a spot when its usual water is in the range that marks the mid-Atlantic season (56°F and warmer), from the spot’s own gauge where it has one and an estimate from air temperature where it doesn’t. Each state lists the months that hold at half or more of its spots. Where the water temperatures come from.

Keep or release

• Alabamano daily limitAlabama lists carp as a commercial or non-game fish (Rule 220-2-.45). Carp are not named in the statewide creel and size table (Rule 220-2-.35), so no daily or size limit applies, and seasons for commercial fish are open year-round.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Arizonano daily limitArizona: common carp fall under "All Other Species", which are unlimited. Grass carp (white amur) have a 30" minimum and a limit of 1 a day.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Arkansasno daily limitArkansas treats common carp as a rough fish. Its statewide length and daily limits do not include carp.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Californiano daily limitCalifornia sets no bag or size limit for common carp, since only species named in the regulations are limited. Grass carp are protected: none may be taken or possessed, so release any you hook at once.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Colorado non-tidalno daily limitColorado: species not on the statewide limits chart, including carp, have no bag or possession limit. Some waters set their own rules.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Delaware tidalno daily limitDelaware: common carp have no size limit and no daily limit, and the season is open year-round.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Georgiano daily limitGeorgia allows any non-game fish, common carp included, to be taken without a creel or size limit unless a specific rule says otherwise.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Illinoisno daily limitIllinois sets no harvest or size limit on common carp, Lake Michigan included. Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Illinoisno daily limitIllinois sets no statewide harvest or size limit on common carp; the digest lists "Common Carp – no harvest limit." Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Indianano daily limitIndiana sets no bag or size limit on common carp in Lake Michigan, where carp may also be taken with a bow and arrow.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Indianano daily limitIndiana's statewide size and bag table does not include common carp, so no limit applies. Carp may be bowfished year-round at any time of day. Bighead, silver and black carp may not be possessed alive.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Iowa non-tidalno daily limitIowa: "All Other Fish", common carp included, have a continuous season, no length limit and no daily or possession limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Kansas non-tidalno daily limitKansas: carp fall under "all other legal species" in the statewide creel table, which have no limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Kentuckyno daily limitKentucky: fish not on the statewide size and creel list, carp included, are rough fish. Rough fish have no size or creel limits unless a special regulation applies.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Maine non-tidalno daily limitMaine general law: inland species not listed in the statewide table, carp included, have no bag limit and no length limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Maryland non-tidal15 a dayMaryland non-tidal waters: no minimum size, open year-round, 15 a day and 30 in possession.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Maryland non-tidal15 a dayMaryland non-tidal waters: no minimum size, open year-round, 15 a day and 30 in possession. Trout-water gear and bait rules still apply.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Maryland tidalno daily limitMaryland's tidal Chesapeake rules list no carp limit, size or season. The 15-a-day carp limit applies only to non-tidal waters above the tidal line.Tidal bay waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Michiganno daily limitMichigan: "All others", carp included, have no size limit, no possession limit and are open all year. Live carp may not be used as bait. Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Michiganno daily limitMichigan: "All others", carp included, have no size limit, no possession limit and are open all year. Live carp may not be used as bait.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Minnesotano daily limitMinnesota: carp have a continuous season and no limit. Carp may not be taken by spear, archery or dip net in designated trout lakes and streams.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Missourino daily limitMissouri: common, grass, bighead and silver carp may be kept in any number and do not count toward the nongame daily or possession limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Montana Central Districtno daily limitMontana Central District: species not listed in the district limits table, carp included, have no limit on the number taken or possessed.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Montana Eastern Districtno daily limitMontana Eastern District: species not listed in the district limits table, carp included, have no limit on the number taken or possessed.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Nebraska non-tidalno daily limitNebraska sets no size, bag or possession limit on nongame fish such as common carp. Nongame fish may be taken by archery or surface spear statewide, 24 hours a day, year-round.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Nevada non-tidalno daily limitNevada's daily limits apply only to game fish. Common carp are unprotected, so they have no limit and may also be taken by bow or spear where allowed.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• New Mexico non-tidalno daily limitNew Mexico sets bag limits only for game fish. Common carp are a nongame species with no bag or size limit, and dead carp are approved cut bait statewide.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• New Yorkno daily limitNew York statewide rule, Great Lakes included: carp are open all year, any size, any number.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• New Yorkno daily limitNew York statewide: carp are open all year, any size, any number.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• North Carolinano daily limitNorth Carolina: nongame fish, carp included, may be taken at any time with no size or creel limit. Under 15A NCAC 10C .0419, grass carp are protected on Lake Gaston, Roanoke Rapids Reservoir, Lake Norman and Kerr Reservoir (scientific permit only), and are limited to 1 a day by archery on Lake James, Lookout Shoals, Mountain Island and Lake Wylie.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• North Dakota non-tidalno daily limitNorth Dakota: nongame fish, carp included, have no daily or possession limit. Live nongame fish other than legal baitfish may not be used as bait.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Ohiono daily limitOhio classes common carp as a forage fish. Neither the statewide nor the Lake Erie limit table sets a carp limit or size, and forage fish may be taken by most methods, bowfishing included.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Oklahomano daily limitOklahoma: common carp and other nonnative invasive fish are excluded from the nongame aggregate limit and may be taken without limit. Bowfished fish may not be released.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Pennsylvania50 a dayPennsylvania Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay: no minimum, open year-round, 50 a day combined with sunfish, crappie, catfish, rock bass, suckers, eels and white bass.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Pennsylvania50 a dayPennsylvania inland waters: no minimum, open year-round, 50 a day combined with sunfish, yellow perch, crappie, catfish, rock bass, suckers and white bass.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Pennsylvania50 a dayPennsylvania inland waters: no minimum, open year-round, 50 a day in the combined panfish group. Stocked-trout-water rules still apply.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Potomac River Fisheries Commissionno daily limitThe Potomac River Fisheries Commission's recreational limits sheet has no carp rule, so carp on the tidal Potomac main stem have no size limit, creel limit or closed season.Tidal potomac waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• South Carolinano daily limitSouth Carolina's nongame size and possession table does not include common carp, so no limit applies. Grass carp are protected; SCDNR: "It is unlawful to take, harm or kill grass carp in public waters."Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• South Dakota non-tidalno daily limitSouth Dakota: rough fish, carp included, have no limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Tennesseeno daily limitTennessee: nongame species, common carp included, have no creel or length limit. Silver, bighead and black carp may not be possessed or transported alive.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Texasno daily limitTexas sets no statewide bag or length limit for fish not on its list, common carp included. Grass carp are a regulated exotic with special harvest requirements.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Utah non-tidalno daily limitUtah: nongame species, common carp included, have no daily limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Vermont non-tidalno daily limitVermont: carp, suckers and cull fish have no size limit and no daily limit, all year, on rivers, streams, lakes and ponds.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)no daily limitVirginia inland waters: carp may be possessed in unlimited numbers for personal use.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• West Virginiano daily limitWest Virginia: nongame fish not listed in the regulations, carp included, have no daily creel or possession limit, except on the few waters where every nongame fish is protected.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Wisconsinno daily limitWisconsin Great Lakes waters: bullheads and rough fish, common carp included, are open all year with no bag limit and no size limit.Great lakes waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Wisconsin non-tidalno daily limitWisconsin inland waters: rough fish, common carp included, have no daily bag limit and no size limit. Rough fish taken by spear or bow may not be returned to the water.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Wyoming non-tidalno daily limitWyoming: carp are nongame fish, with no creel or possession limit. They may be taken during any season open for game fish.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked

Rules change, and they differ by state and often by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water. Common carp are fished at spots in 37 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.