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Help with grass carp!

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I have a small pond on my farm around 3/4 of an acre. My dad stocked 2 grass carp in there around 4 years ago and they are still alive and kicking. They are either both the same sex or have no success in reproducing because I only see these two in there. Both are at least 30 lbs if not more and now my dad doesn't want them in there so I am totally up for the challenge of getting them out of there. One problem. I have no idea where to start. I have read that wonder bread and sweet corn chum could attract them but I'm lost from there. If anybody has tips, tricks, or ideas for me to finally catch these awesome fish I would love to hear it! 

  • Super User

my best luck has been with canned corn, put directly on the hook. cheap, stays on the hook, and catches them.

they are probably triploid or whatever they call them and sterile. They keep the pond cleaner. Maybe try mulberries or deadstick a small very green topwater lure and pray.

37 minutes ago, Looch said:

they are probably triploid or whatever they call them and sterile

Most likely this is the case and is why you only have the original 2 that were stocked.  

 

Fish a live night crawler off the bottom about a foot behind a small egg sinker with a barrel swivel in between.  Fishing at night will improve your chances.

 

Another possibility, if you have the gear or know someone that does, is to arrow them with archery equipment set up with a reel.  I'm suggesting this option only because you indicated that your goal was to eliminate them from the pond.

 

Good luck in completing this mission.

Bowfishing will be the quickest and most effective way to get them out. The first one will be easy to get out if you hit it, the second may take a few times of going out because it will be skiddish after you shoot the first time. 

  • Global Moderator

Your odds of catching one on a hook out of a pond are almost zero unless there is next to no food for them in it. I'd blowfish them or snag them. I've removed them from ponds for several people and those are the best and fastest ways to get them out.

I have a dissenting view on grass carp. The older ones are very persnickety, but the 15”- 30” class are very easy to catch. Get some whole grain, seedy bread and roll a large jawbreaker sized ball. Next, mix it in your hand with some mulberrry flavored commercial carp dough. They are available at BPS and others fishing outfits. Check the catfish aisle. I call this PB&J

 

The mulberry dough will adhere the bread roll together into your Eagle Claw size 2 baitholder hook. Without that “glue” your bread will likely fall off during the cast, especially on a Carolina rig. I’ve evolved these days to fish for em with a slip bobber rig. This is the secret to the finicky mature mommas who are line shy and super finicky. They do not feel resistance of any weight on that initial take when you master the slip bobber rig . Food for thought. 

 

When you want to take it to the pinnacle for grasses, fly fish for em! My buddy living in Colorado tied custom floating algae flies for the canals here. They take surface flies like manatees.  Good luck keep at it! 

  • Global Moderator
4 hours ago, Dorado said:

When you want to take it to the pinnacle for grasses, fly fish for em! My buddy living in Colorado tied custom floating algae flies for the canals here. They take surface flies like manatees.  Good luck keep at it! 

An egg fly works during a berry hatch.

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  • Super User
On 5/19/2018 at 11:54 AM, Isaac Schrock said:

I have a small pond on my farm around 3/4 of an acre. My dad stocked 2 grass carp in there around 4 years ago and they are still alive and kicking. They are either both the same sex or have no success in reproducing because I only see these two in there. Both are at least 30 lbs if not more and now my dad doesn't want them in there so I am totally up for the challenge of getting them out of there. One problem. I have no idea where to start. I have read that wonder bread and sweet corn chum could attract them but I'm lost from there. If anybody has tips, tricks, or ideas for me to finally catch these awesome fish I would love to hear it! 

I catch most of my carp on 8-12 pound test line, a size 2-6 hook, and for bait I use bread, ficus berries, or corn. It's a fun fight on light tackle and I sometimes use a little 2 foot ice rod to catch big carp for fun.

Nightcrawler won't work If there are bluegill in the pond.. 

 

Ive targeted them in a similar scenario , always got them to come in with the corn chum but could never get em to bite. My grandfather caught them on mini doughballs. The exact carp in bluebassers photo. He is no longer around and not sure what he used to make them . 

 

Over in Europe they are nuts about carp fishing and have some pretty sweet set ups and rigs/tactics. Watch some videos on YouTube. 

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