I think the owner said he went through a thousand pounds a week. He got them from all over the country so I am thinking maybe farm raised - if anyone even does that.
I don’t know if anyone does, but if you can control the diet, you can control the flavor to some extent (or eliminate undesirable flavors).
hehe
Farm raising them ought to be illegal!
They actually taste fine - they were introduced from Europe as fish to eat after all. If they’re out of relative clean water or spring-fed streams or lakes, they’re very good, especially small ones.
It’s the bones that are the problem. They are very good smoked and canned with tomato juice (known locally as ‘Iowa salmon’).
Sometimes gefilte fish from carp commands a premium.