Grass Carp

[sam vimes]

Grass Carp are not a species that loom large on local horizons. Naturally, I've read a bit about them and seen plenty of photos. I don't recall ever seeing one in the flesh, in the water or on the bank. What do the damned things actually eat? All the reports I see is of people catching them by accident rather than design. I understand that they will take a variety of normal baits at times, but this doesn't seem to be their normal form of sustenance. Is this the case, or are they just damned cagey eaters? Does anyone out there actually fish specifically for grass carp?

 

[associatedmatt]

i believe they was stocked into lakes to help with the weed problem but they have known to go to floaters boilies corn etc from what i have seen

 

[theartist]

I fish the same lake KeithM was referring to in the the other thread and whilst my Mullet reference was in jest there is quite a lot of similarities between the two. Not sure if they technically are filter feeders but they do love munching on weed and algae, they are taken on boilies and other baits every now and then but like mullet they are partial to a bit of bread.

 

[peter crabtree]

I recall seeing Matt Hayes catching a big one on floating crust on one of the shows.

 

[barbelboi]

Some very large ones used to come out occasionally from Horton Boat Pool in the RMC/CEMEX days, usually caught on normal carp baits both on the surface from the bottom. I believe that it's only the young fish that are prolific plant eaters.............

 

[thecrow]

As others have said they take both boilies and surface baits although they can be exasperating when trying to catch them from the surface. both myself and my son watched a group taking dead leaves from the surface once why I have absolutely no idea.

This is one my lad had and for those that reckon they don't fight they didn't see the way that this did, they are not a hardy species and need careful handling.


free screenshot software

 

[tigger]

I believe that it's only the young fish that are prolific plant eaters.............

Yeah, your right bb, they eat weed when small but then when they start to grow they seem eat most stuff.
I've never fished for one or caught one but have seen them on a very clear flowing canal, they looked quite large and when I threw in some bits of bread they just sucked it down. They would have been very easy to catch at that time.

 

[theartist]

As others have said they take both boilies and surface baits although they can be exasperating when trying to catch them from the surface. both myself and my son watched a group taking dead leaves from the surface once why I have absolutely no idea.

This is one my lad had and for those that reckon they don't fight they didn't see the way that this did, they are not a hardy species and need careful handling.


free screenshot software

Not surprising that one went well Crow that's an absolute beast!

 

[robtherake]

I had my one and only grass carp on a two-inch chunk of spicy sausage. It was a babby of about 6lbs, so it would seem they're pretty much omnivorous by that stage.

 

[Philip]

I've had a few, including one from a local river that was quite a rare capture, its the only one I have seen from any of the rivers I fish anyway.

That one took a sinking dog biscuit and for a moment as it neared the net I thought I had the mother of all Chub on the end. I have had others on bolies & they certainly like particles. One lake I fished that had a few it was a sure fire way to catch Grass Carp if you spodded out mixed particles like pigeon mix and I think in the past people fishing Carp matches at places like Raduta also used to try and target the grassies (which counted as "Carp") by using allot of particles. They are also very partial to floaters and really "slap" the surface when they are on the feed. They have very small mouths so things have to be scaled down accordingly.

Finally the real battle with a Grassy usually begins AFTER you have landed it ! ...unbelievable fighters on the bank & nightmare to get good pictures with plus as someone else mentioned they are fragile too so not a good combination & a fish that needs careful handling.

 

[geoffmaynard]

They take normal carp baits at any size but the smaller ones seem to fight harder on the bank than in the water. This one took a floater:

View image in gallery​

 

[john step]

There are a few in a couple of waters I fish. I have caught them on bread flake but a mate found them to munch on a particular bankside plant leaf that was cut into bite size bits and scattered to float.
After this I found they would take corn flakes on the surface and the best bait was peas!!

 

[terry m]

I've had them to low 20lbers whilst normal carp fishing using boilies on the bottom.

They remind me of giant bronze chub!

 

[thecrow]

but a mate found them to munch on a particular bankside plant leaf that was cut into bite size bits and scattered to float.

That's interesting John as my lad and I both watched some eating leaves from the surface, we just thought it was something strange that the fish in that water did.

 

[john step]

That's interesting John as my lad and I both watched some eating leaves from the surface, we just thought it was something strange that the fish in that water did.

Crow, I havnt a clue as to the plants name. Just has fleshy thick leaves that float.
If you have the patience a hook superglue between two pieces of cornflake and lowered on the surface to intercept cruising grassies does the business.

I have done this a couple of times but lifes too short to bother againmg:

 

[lakhyaman]

They are extensively stocked in fishing ponds here (Bangladesh). Standard bait is bread paste flavoured with banana essence. They will take all sorts of other baits as well e.g. Corn, peas, etc. As well as a dough made of chick pea flour (more like a method mix in texture and effective on a flatbed feeder with a hook baited with a tinned chick pea).

All the best

Lakhyaman.

 

[chub_on_the_block]

I wonder if they would like brussel sprouts?

Hair-rigged sprout at range could be the killer method. It might be like using an oversized boilie but appeal to their vegetarian tendencies.

It would be difficult to apply this method without cracking up though

 

[dorsetandchub]

I have caught a common on sprout, my brother and I often challenge each other at Christmas to achieve something at our respective sports the following year. Fuelled by festive plonk, this often descended into the absurd - resulting over the years, in my case, to catching on one of those silly 12 inch pocket rod things, catching on chips at Wareham Quayside and catching on Christmas dinner sprouts. Oh God, did I type this out loud? mg:

 

[john step]

I have caught a common on sprout, my brother and I often challenge each other at Christmas to achieve something at our respective sports the following year. Fuelled by festive plonk, this often descended into the absurd - resulting over the years, in my case, to catching on one of those silly 12 inch pocket rod things, catching on chips at Wareham Quayside and catching on Christmas dinner sprouts. Oh God, did I type this out loud? mg:

Its mad antics like these that add a lot of spice to life

 

[dorsetandchub]

Thanks John,


It's just a silly thing that spiralled but it's been fun and, like you say, it adds to the varities of life

---------- Post added at 18:30 ---------- Previous post was at 18:29 ----------

PS: I found hair rigging a boiled sprout the best presentation.