Missouri
Missouri Angler Lands Monster Invasive Carp, Buries It
When George Chance caught a potential world-record fish in March, he didn’t do a lot of celebrating.
It wasn’t like he caught a highly sought-after bass, crappie or catfish. Instead, he landed a 97-pound bighead carp, an invasive species that is scorned by fisheries biologists in Missouri and surrounding states.
Yes, it was a gigantic catch, the biggest freshwater fish Chance had ever reeled in. But instead of rushing to the taxidermist, Chance buried his fish in his garden to serve as fertilizer.
“I didn’t want that big ugly thing hanging on my wall,” said Chance, 78, who was fishing in a slough off the Mississippi River near his hometown of Festus, Missouri. “I’ve already planted a couple of rows of tomatoes over the spot where I buried it.”
Chance won’t forget the fight the giant fish put up. He was casting for big flathead catfish when the carp hit the crankbait he was retrieving.
“I caught flatheads weighing 45 and 35 pounds three days before that,” Chance said. “I thought I had another one.”
Instead, he had one of the rough fish Midwest fisheries biologists label Public Enemy No. 1 — an invasive carp.
Four species go under that heading — silver, bighead, black and grass.
All made their way from Asia into Midwestern rivers after being inadvertently released from aquaculture operations. Some of those fish farms raised the carp for fish food, fish oil, fertilizer or even human consumption.
The carp made their way into major riverways during floods. And it was like Frankenstein had been released.
The invasives thrived in their new home, overpopulating rivers such as the Mississippi and the Missouri. By the early 2000s, it was obvious that Missouri, Kansas and surrounding states had a problem.
That problem has only gotten worse with time.
“Silver carp are highly, highly abundant in just about every river they get into,” said Joe McMullen, big river specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “They’re a real threat to our native species.”
How? The invasive carp are filter feeders, meaning they feed heavily on plankton. The fry of native species also rely on plankton, meaning they compete for the same food source. Adult species such as paddlefish, buffalo and gizzard shad also rely on plankton.
Simply put, there are concerns that the invasive carp will take up too much biomass. That is especially a concern if the invasive fish get into smaller bodies of water.
Jumping Fish
If you doubt the silver carp’s abundance, try running your boat through a side channel off of the Missouri or Mississippi rivers.
Dozens of startled fish jump out of the water, like kernels of popcorn in a pan.
“They spook very easily,” said Kasey Whiteman, a fisheries researcher for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “Because they’re filter feeders, they look for that warm, slower-moving water.
“They can gather in those areas in impressive numbers.”
The silver carp brings a new mean to the fisherman’s saying, “They were jumping into the boat.”
A Plague on Missouri Waterways
Anglers have been injured when they have been clobbered by the flying fish. Reports of anglers being knocked out or absorbing blows to the chest or legs aren’t uncommon.
Silver carp are by far the most abundant of the invasive species. They don’t grow nearly as large as the bighead or grass carp. But there is strength in numbers.
Massive schools of two- to five-pound fish have been reported in the major river systems. As for size, there are exceptions to the rule.
Whiteman remembers sampling one silver carp that weighed almost 60 pounds.
“It had a head as big as a football helmet,” he said.
Culling the Herd
Fisheries officials have declared war on the invasive species.
Large-scale programs in which state and federal agencies collaborate to remove large numbers of carp have found success.
Last October, the Missouri Department of Conservation joined with Illinois and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide more financial incentives to commercial fishermen to harvest the invasive carp and get them out of the Mississippi River.
A staggering 1 million pounds of carp, mostly silvers, have been harvested in that short amount of time.
“If we can make harvesting of these invasive carp economically viable for commercial fishermen, maybe we can make a dent in populations,” McMullen said.
Other removal projects have also found success. Whiteman led a program to reduce populations of silver carp in the Grand River near where it joins the Missouri River.
Research showed that silver carp were abundant in the Missouri River, but they were hard to target because of the river’s size. So, Whiteman and his crew shifted their attention to the lower six miles of the Grand, which also had a sizeable population of the invasive species.
They closed part of the Grand by putting large nets at both ends of the six-mile stretch and went to work removing the invasive carp.
In September 2022, the Department of Conservation got 25,000 pounds of mostly silver carp out of the river. The crew returned to the same stretch a year later and collected 36,000 pounds.
“We tested for density a week before our removal effort and a week after and we found that the population was significantly lower,” Whiteman said.
“That gives us hope that in these small specific areas we can reduce the population of invasive carp that live there.”
A Tough Battle
Still, containing the invasive carp isn’t easy.
Recreational fishermen aren’t much help. Because the invasive carp feed mostly on plankton, they rarely strike on traditional bait.
Though Chance caught his fish in the lip, fisheries biologists say that seldom happens. They urge anglers not to throw the invasive carp back when they catch one.
They even have programs to show how to clean and prepare the carp for the dinner table.
Meanwhile, officials continue to search for ways to give the carp value and incentivize their removal.
“I think we are making some progress,” McMullen said. “But there’s still a long way to go.”
Brent Frazee is an award-winning writer who freelances for magazines, newspapers and websites. He lives in Parkville with his wife Jana and his two yellow labs, Millie and Maggie.
WHEATLAND, Mo. — It was all Kerry Madsen on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway as the 54-year-old native of Australia, who’s now based in Knoxville, Iowa, picked up his first Interstate Batteries High Limit Sprint racing victory.
Madsen led all 30 laps to earn the $12,000 prize. He outdistanced runner-up Sue Lynch by 2.79 seconds with Tanner Holmes finishing third.
“The car’s been super quick every time we’ve hit the track,” Madsen said, noting several competitive runs in the early portion of the High Limit schedule. “The car’s been quick every night, which gives you a lot of confidence.
“We haven’t drawn well in dashes and had some little stuff going on. We drew a good one (tonight) and the car was good and we got the job done. I’m pretty happy.”
That changed this time as Madsen beat Holmes in the dash, to claim the pole position for the feature.
Madsen said his young crew chief Ty Wolfgang has “done a great job” getting in sync with him. Communication has been a big key.
“I know it sounds weird, but just hanging out together,” Madsen said of the driver-crew chief chemistry. “Dinner and a beer and just talk about racing. You do that and it might be a Wednesday night, but something clicks. He’s been real receptive with that stuff and that’s great.”
Madsen, a former Knoxville Nationals 360 winner, paced the early going after starting from the pole, with Holmes in close pursuit. Action slowed on lap six with Chase Randall and Danny Samms III tangling in turn two for the first and only yellow of the event.
Lynch moved into second on the restart as Madsen opened a 1.5-second lead by lap nine as Holmes dropped to third. Madsen’s margin swelled to nearly two seconds by lap 11 – but Lynch tracked down the leader and cut the deficit to a half-second at the halfway mark on lap 15.
As the race continued until green-flag conditions, Madsen settled into a one-second advantage as Lynch and Holmes tried to keep pace. Madsen poured it on in the late stages, cruising to the checkers by nearly three seconds over Lynch.
“Hopefully we can keep rolling like this all year. Obviously, you can’t win every night, but being quick and running well is going to be awesome,” Madsen said.
Lynch, 28 from Cowansville, Pa., said the team found some steering issues and gave him a fast car. It just was not fast enough to stay with Madsen on Saturday night.
“We were battling steering issue in the dash and it was pretty obvious,” Lynch said. “We just didn’t have time to change it and we just tried to make it the best we could. Really the car was super good. The guys busted their butt all night. It’s a testament to the team. We’re working hard and hopefully one spot better real soon.”
Holmes, a 22-year-old from Jacksonville, Oregon, came home third with Daison Pursley fourth, Hank Davis fifth and Rico Abreu charging from 11th to sixth.
“Our best night of the year,” Holmes said. “We’ve got to race a little bit during a break with High Limit these last few weeks. Some of those nights when we got our teeth kicked in taught us a lot.”
Fast overall qualifier was Sye Lynch at 13.342 seconds out of Group A. Aaron Reutzel led Group B with a lap of 13.469 seconds. Both were well off the track record for 410 Sprints held by Rico Abreu at 12.829 seconds on June 29, 2024.
The finish:
Feature: 1. 55-Kerry Madsen[1]; 2. 42-Sye Lynch[3]; 3. 13-Tanner Holmes[2]; 4. 9-Daison Pursley[4]; 5. 17GP-Hank Davis[5]; 6. 24-Rico Abreu[11]; 7. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[12]; 8. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[6]; 9. 19-Brent Marks[9]; 10. 26-Justin Peck[10]; 11. 88-Tanner Thorson[15]; 12. 21-Brian Brown[14]; 13. 28-Jace Park[23]; 14. 87-Aaron Reutzel[7]; 15. 19JR-Joel Myers Jr[20]; 16. 45X-Rees Moran[21]; 17. 5-Brenham Crouch[19]; 18. 44-Chris Martin[8]; 19. 19H-Kaleb Johnson[22]; 20. 87X-Logan Seavey[17]; 21. 36-Jason Martin[16]; 22. 9R-Chase Randall[18]; 23. 24D-Danny Sams III[13]; 24. 2-Miles Paulus[24]
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 18, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 18 drawing
24-25-39-46-61, Powerball: 01, Power Play: 5
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 18 drawing
Midday: 5-8-2
Midday Wild: 3
Evening: 3-8-5
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 18 drawing
Midday: 0-1-6-1
Midday Wild: 2
Evening: 4-7-6-9
Evening Wild: 5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 18 drawing
Early Bird: 08
Morning: 01
Matinee: 05
Prime Time: 04
Night Owl: 05
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 18 drawing
07-10-21-27-33
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 18 drawing
02-38-45-53-63, Powerball: 21
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 17 drawing
38-43-44-49-62, Mega Ball: 08
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 17 drawing
Midday: 4-8-6
Midday Wild: 2
Evening: 8-8-2
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 17 drawing
Midday: 3-9-4-2
Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 7-3-7-7
Evening Wild: 7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 17 drawing
Early Bird: 07
Morning: 06
Matinee: 08
Prime Time: 05
Night Owl: 07
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 17 drawing
04-06-25-37-39
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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