Go Behind the Scenes of Carp Madness with “Kentucky Afield” TV this Weekend
People from coast to coast are talking about the country’s first freshwater tournament for commercial fishermen.
This weekend, “Kentucky Afield” television puts viewers in the Carp Madness Tournament from start to finish during a half hour special airing on Kentucky Educational Television (KET).
“This is a reality show – ‘Kentucky Afield’ style,” said Executive Producer Scott “Bama” Moore. “We didn’t tell anyone what to do or say. We didn’t ask anyone to cuss or fight. We just followed the fishermen and let them tell their own stories.”
The reality documentary shows the amazing 41 tons of Asian carp brought to the ramp at Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park after being netted from Kentucky and Barkley lakes during the March 12-13 tournament. The show, however, is more than about the tournament itself.
“We’re also focusing on the commercial fishermen, their personalities and how hard they work,” Moore said. “We found that during this tournament, sport fishermen started to look at the commercial fishermen in a different light. They began understanding the role and importance of commercial fishermen in doing something about the Asian carp problem in these lakes.”
Kentucky Fisheries Director Ron Brooks said he’s fielded media inquires about the tournament from outlets as far away as Seattle, Florida and Canada. “I was surprised by the amount of passion that people have for this issue, even in areas where Asian carp are not a problem,” he said. “We even had a volunteer come from Maine to work the tournament.”
For those who couldn’t attend the tournament or want to know more about it, there is “Kentucky Afield.”
“Kentucky Afield” airs Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (Eastern)/7:30 p.m. (Central) on KET. The show has a repeat airing Sundays at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern)/3:30 p.m. (Central).
Moore said the Carp Madness Tournament show will appear on the “Kentucky Afield” TV channel on YouTube beginning Monday, March 25.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, is responsible for the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and for boating projects in the state. A commissioner appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission heads the department. The commission, which is responsible for department policy, is a nine member bipartisan body appointed by the governor from a list of candidates voted upon by sportsmen's organizations in each of nine districts.
