grass carp confusion??

[LincolnLunger]

so I fish a lake that has a few Big grass carp in it, I really want to catch a grass carp... I just have to idea how to catch em will they hit corn like regular common carp? has anyone every caughten these other than with an arrow? if anyone can clue me in on any specific techniques or baits that work well for grass carp that would be

[friggidy]

Snagging in the shallows is always fun!!!

Use a treble hook with no weight and just toss it out when you see them.

With corn, the best is either frozen, it sticks better or let it sit in some stinky stuff then use a glove, put it on and go to town. There's an older guy in South Sioux City who fishes off the dock and has his own recipe for nasty corn. He catches more carp than I've ever seen. Just a sigle hook with a couple pieces of split shot about a foot above it and just drops it in.

[bwese]

they bite on barbed arrows fairly well but other than that catching them the conventional way is a whole lot of luck, them running into the hook, for they are basically a vegetation eater

[LincolnLunger]

isn't it illegal to snag fish in nebraska waters? or is it just game fish that you cannot snag? if so im assuming grass carp are not game fish, therefore you can snag them? im still confused?

[Mako]

Yes, you may only legally snag fish in the Missouri river.

[friggidy]

I may have mis-read, if so wont do that again! But I thought it was legal with grass carp because you can spearfish and bowfish for them year round? Definately let me know if I'm wrong!

[Mako]

Originally Posted by friggidy

I may have mis-read, if so wont do that again! But I thought it was legal with grass carp because you can spearfish and bowfish for them year round? Definately let me know if I'm wrong!

Only in the Missouri River. "Snagging of paddlefish and nongame fish is permitted from the Gavins Point Dam downstream to the mouth of the Big Sioux River at mile marker 734 except for a closed area that extends downstream from Gavins Point Dam to a line that extends from the east end of the south cement wall of the discharge channel northwest to the east end of the chalk point." p 20 of the 2009 Fishing Guide.

Bowfishing/spearfishing and snagging are not the same thing. "Nongame fish may be taken by archery or surface spear statewide from sunrise to sunset between Sept. 1 and March 31, and 24 hours a day from April 1 through Aug. 31." Also, "Game fish may be taken by bow and arrow from July 1 through Dec. 31 from sunrise to sunset, statewide. Game fish may not be taken with surface spears." p 18 of the 2009 Fishing Guide.

[friggidy]

Haven't fished for carp in '09 yet. The mizz is the only place I go for them anyways up by the Jackson chute "home town is up that way". You can't discharge a bow at city lakes so I do all of my carp fishing in the mizz.

Thanks Mako, I appreciate the feedback.

[Mako]

The only thing I've ever caught a grass carp on have been rapalas. Of course, I wasn't targeting them.

[1tohuntandfish]

I have never tried this, but I heard a cherry tomato on a hook will work. I would guess some blueberries or mulberries might work also. Just shooting some ideas. good luck.

[LincolnLunger]

this pond is only about an acre big, finding them will be the easy part, cathing them will not! I think I am just gonna give corn a whirl. I went out the the same pond tonight and stumbled upon a grass carp that was in the low 30" range, would have loved to catch him before it died.

[Mako]

I would think corn would be a good start. You can chum the area with a bit too.

[Hooligan]

Grass carp are filter feeders, therefore extremely hard to target with typical methods. I've never heard of one being caught purposefully on conventional tackle.

Let me rephrase it: They eat vegetation, unlike common carp. They're sort of "grazers" they feed in similar fashion to a filter feeder on aquatic vegetation.

[Nelly206]

Originally Posted by friggidy

With corn, the best is either frozen, it sticks better or let it sit in some stinky stuff then use a glove, put it on and go to town. There's an older guy in South Sioux City who fishes off the dock and has his own recipe for nasty corn. He catches more carp than I've ever seen. Just a sigle hook with a couple pieces of split shot about a foot above it and just drops it in.

Ah yes, good ol Fred. He does well on the stinky stuff! He soaks his corn in a 55 gal drum and adds milo that gives it an extra touch of stink as it spoils. Even the flys stay away from that nasty _____!

[thedarkarcher]

Here is the best method I have heard. Chum an area heavily with corn for a few days. Then put a cherry tomato on a hook with no weight and toss it in the middle of the chummed area. I believe I read this in In-Fisherman years ago. I've never tried it.

[obert]

Put some grass on the end of your hook and wait.

[Sam825]

Grass Carp can be caught with hook and bait, as common carp.

Here in Japan, there are bunch of people who targets them for fun, we even have grass carp fishing club.

How can they be caught?

Again, not so much differ than common carp.

What would be the bait typically used here in Japan?

GRASS

No, I am not kidding. A guy whom I know from work told me about it as he used this tech a lot. There are many resources about it, unfortunately, they are written in Japanese.

check this web for example, you find how to hook grass on hook.
http://www.daiwaseiko.co.jp/fishing/fish/rever/sogyo1.html
ƒ\ƒEƒMƒ‡‹äŠy•”
You see some photos on hook/grass system.

Okay, so this is how they catch them here in Japan.

As for my experiences, which is far less quality than those who target the fish here in japan, I would say again, try NOT to think too complicated. Hook and bait, that is all you need....simpler, the better.

The rig is almost the same as common carp. Only difference, IF you want to make difference, is the bait.

You can use juicy fruit as a bait. Pear (especially Asian pear: you can find them occassionally at some grocary store in Lincoln) is one of the best I would say. This bait, actually I learned from Japan, and tried at Salt Creek near Ashland, and caught several grass carp.

Corn is good, but powdering corn with cinnamon powder is even better.

Another bait of my favorite is....BREAD. Cinnammon (sp?) bread is always my favorite bait for me for grass carp as well as common carp.

If the grass caro population is high and veg abundance is relatively low, you may give a shot with grass as bait. If not, you need to attract them, and thos bait which I describe above may do the work for you. Chumming helps as well.

Sam

[Mako]

Sam, the forum ** out the URL a bit.

Page ga mitsukarimasen.

Edit: You changed it.

[Sam825]

Thanks, Mako, yes I correct it.

For grass, by the way, the best grass to use as a bait is any leaves from gramineous plant. Leaves from corn is good.

Also, forgot to mention one another bait...d-ball made from sweet potato.

Sam

[LincolnLunger]

Why do you think they are called "grass carp"?

Grass carp eat rooted aquatic vegetation. No, they are NOT filter feeders. They graze on aquatic vegetation. I have seen grass carp literally eliminate rooted aquatic vegetation from small waters and then start eating grass off of the banks or even eating grass clippings floating on the water.

If you want advice on fishing for grass carp, listen to "Sam825". He knows exactly what he is talking about!

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
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