IT’S PERSONAL
By Justin Onslow
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ONSLOW
For Lance Freeman,
the Asian carp crisis
hit home – and he’s
hitting back
APRIL-MAY 2020 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | FLWFISHING.COM
A
sk any angler about their favorite lake, river
or pond, and they’ll likely tell you some-
thing similar. In most cases, it’s the body of
water they grew up fishing. It’s where a
family member or friend taught them how
to spool a reel and soak a worm. It’s home.
For many in western Kentucky and Tennessee,
that body of water – or bodies of water – is
Kentucky Lake and neighboring Lake Barkley.
The sister reservoirs created by damming the
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, respectively,
are home for countless anglers and a booming
source of industry in the region, from tourism and
boating to commercial and sport fishing.
They’re also home to countless fish that aren’t
supposed to be there.
The Asian carp crisis is well-documented by
now, but perhaps it’s not documented as well as
it should be considering how strong a foothold
the invasive carp species have gotten in U.S.
waterways. Bighead carp and silver carp – the
two main targets of widespread efforts for control
and eradication – were introduced into the
Mississippi River system by mistake and have
migrated into the Ohio, Tennessee and other
major rivers.
It’s a mistake that everyone is now paying for.
It’s a mistake Lance Freeman wants to remedy,
thousands of pounds at a time.
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