Grass carp are a type of fish that is highly plentiful and ubiquitous around the world, including the United States. It is believed that the fish are native to Asia, and it is still there that the majority of these individuals can be found; they are frequently utilized as weed control in aquaculture due to their voracious hunger for plants.
Various methods are used to catch grass carp, including bowfishing grass carp is a possibility if the technique is permitted in the area where it is being practiced. The following tutorial is devoted to grass carp fishing techniques that may be used everywhere and at any time when you’re in the mood to capture some grass carp.
These fish are great whether baked, fried, or steamed, so you have a variety of alternatives when it comes to preparing them. You will become much more proficient at bringing home as many of this species as possible if you follow the information provided in the following section on how to catch grass carp fish:
Essential tips for catching grass carp
When fishing for this species of fish, there are a number of considerations that must be taken into consideration. While the species is plentiful and you will return home with a large amount of fish ready to cook, this does not imply that you will always have an easy time catching fish. Better more, the more you know about the right procedures for catching this particular fish species, the better off you will be.
Rod length and action
In order to become a great grass carp catcher, one of the first things you must learn is how to select the appropriate sort of rod. A rod with a length of 7 feet is ideal for this species of fish. Because grass carp are known to be tough fighters, a medium-sized model with powerful action is the most appropriate choice for catching them.
Do not make the mistake of underestimating what these fish are capable of. When a carp takes a bite, the tension on the line will be intense. In order to do so, you should also use a 20-pound line in conjunction with the rod. This manner, you can be confident that you will be able to successfully remove the fish from the water without the risk of breaking the line.
Hooks
It is equally important to know what sort of hooks to use for grass carp. This species can struggle a lot, once hooked, which means that there is a possibility of accidents. Treble hooks are a definite no-no, as a result, because they can cause serious bruises on the carp’s delicate mouth.
Your choice should be circle hooks. These hooks will not risk hurting the carp, and you will not have to struggle with the hook to take it out. For nice looking prey that you can snap a few pictures of, consider your choice of hooks before any fishing trip.
Choice of bait
Grass carp are famous for being able to munch through important amounts of vegetation, which is why they were introduced for weed control in aquaculture. Tested and tried methods employed by other anglers show that these fish can be quite in love with a type of bait you might not have thought about.
These fish appreciate cherry tomatoes more than anything else in the world. This simple information means one thing: that you will be able to catch a lot of grass carp if you use this type of bait. Take one small cherry tomato, cut it in half, and hook it. It is highly recommended to use smaller tomatoes, as much as possible, as the fish might just take a bite and then run, as soon as the hook is detected.
Choice of chum
Making the grass carp flock to the area where you want to cast your line is not exactly an easy task if you don’t know what to do. That brings up to one of the most important grass carp fishing tips you have to learn: your choice of chum.
Spreading a chum mixture over the water will make the grass carp come to where you want to fish. Make a blend of fresh grass and corn; throw it in the water a few hours before you start fishing. Let it soak in the water and spread its fragrance that will begin to draw in the grass carp. The fish will feed for a little while and become more confident, while you get ready to cast your line.
Baiting technique
Even though grass carp are not the sharpest fish in the pool, they are also not the easiest to catch in the process of catching them. That is why there is a specific baiting technique that you must learn and master. In order to avoid disturbing the water surface while casting the line and letting the hook sink, you will need to take precautions.
Your bait should be plunged into the water with your hook. You can also let it float a little loosely on the surface of the water. At least half of it should be submerged in water, in order to catch the fish’s attention. It is possible to ensure that the fish will be brought to the bait in order to consume it in this manner.
Line technique
Maintain the tightest possible line tension while fishing. When grass carp are feeding on the bait, they can be extremely delicate, and it is possible that you will not be able to detect if the fish has begun to bite or not. A tight line will indicate that the bait is being attacked almost immediately. If you are still unable to detect any indicators, it is recommended that you place your finger on the line in order to pick up even the smallest vibrations.
This should be done on a regular basis to keep an eye on the fish. Allow the carp to engage in feeding for a short period of time, while making sure to turn quickly as soon as the rod tip is lifted. Following that, the hook will enter the carp’s mouth, allowing you to easily take it out of the water.
Drag release
As previously stated, it is important to remember that grass carp are large and powerful fish that will put up a fight if they are caught. Here is a technique for fishing for grass carp that will be of use to you. As soon as the fish bites, make sure to loosen the drag a little bit.
Work the line in quickly to prevent allowing the fish too much time to begin fighting on the surface. If you don’t, you’ll have to pursue after and tire out the fish, which will require you to exert additional effort with your hands.
Other important information for grass carp fishing
In the last section, we discussed the various strategies and vital equipment that should be brought along while going on a fishing trip with the goal of capturing this particular fish species. You should be aware that these are not the only things you need to be aware of. Several other suggestions are available to help you become an expert at capturing grass carp, and they are listed below.
How to find the right location
In aquaculture, grass carp were first introduced as a technique of controlling the growth of weeds because they regard the natural vegetation that grows in lakes and ponds to be their primary source of nutrition. The good news is that this species of fish can be found practically anywhere, which is a welcome relief.
The bad news is that most of these lakes and ponds where grass carp are prevalent are located on private property owned by farmers and other landowners, making them difficult to access. In order to avoid future problems, it is advisable to contact the property owner in advance and request permission to fish for grass carp on their property. Due to the extensive distribution of this species, some people may allow you to fish in their bodies of water.
Bear in mind that you are up against a fighter
Grass carp might be vegetarian, but they are fighters by definition. They weigh enough to put up a struggle, and that means that you have to be properly armed for this fight. A strong tackle is the only thing that will help you. Consider getting a heavy action rod, as indicated before, and a strong line, to go with it.
A medium size spinning wheel with an open face should be part of the tackle you are going to use to catch grass carp. All in all, your tackle should be of the right size and strength to make sure that your prey will not get away from you.
Avoid noise at all costs
All anglers know very well that fish should not be disturbed, as a general rule. But grass carp, in particular, can be easy to scare away if you are not stealthy while approaching the body of water and casting your line.
These fish can easily get annoyed with noise and other types of disturbance, and they will quickly disappear into the underwater brush, making it impossible for you to catch any of them. When that happens, it can take a lot of time for them to resurface again.
Baiting the area
Grass carp will not just come when you want them to come. That means that you need to take some measures to ensure that you will not be casting your line without chances of success. A good method to do that is by baiting the area you will use for fishing.
Some anglers say that baiting an area can take only a few hours to begin attracting grass carp, while others say that you can count on this to work only if you leave it for at least a few days. You can bait the area with canned corn, a treat that this fish species seems to enjoy a lot.
Picking the right bait
It was already mentioned before that the bait these fish like best must be close to what they like to eat in the wild. They are quite enthusiastic about treats they do not usually feed on, like cherry tomatoes, but you may not always have such bait at your disposal. By taking into consideration the herbivore diet these fish like, you can choose from a broad variety of bait options.
Some fishermen swear by combining corn and dough, and that seems to work like a charm especially after properly baiting the area with canned corn. But you will not be wrong if you decide to choose other tasty treats, like watermelon pieces, lime beans, green beans and even grass. While it is true that this carp species is not crazy about animal-based treats, worms could work just as well.
Following all the steps to the letter
Another important consideration is to make certain that you complete all of the processes necessary to catch grass carp without forgetting anything important. Let’s go over the process again to understand how fishermen should go about catching this type of delicious fish.
The first and most important step is to approach the water as quietly as possible while moving very slowly and without creating any noise. You should already have the line with the bait in the hook ready to go when you start fishing. Please keep in mind that you must use the right equipment, or else this powerful fish may wind up escaping rather than being caught by a good angler.
A nice suggestion would be to tie a little weight to the end of the line in order to keep the bait inside the water while fishing. The bait must be able to be detected by the fish, which may not be possible if it is not adequately submerged beneath the surface of the water surface. However, avoid tying the bait too tightly to the rig since the grass carp will pull at it and, as soon as they feel any restriction, they will drop the bait and run away from you.
To avoid this from occurring, it is recommended that you allow the bait line to become slightly slack. – When the carp bite, they will have a little more freedom, and they will not be aware that something is wrong with their environment.
The hook should be set after you have stretched the line as far as you want it to go. Reel in the slack line and then slowly lower the hook into the water to catch the fish. Always keep in mind who you’re up against in this situation. Grass carp are a large, powerful fish with a lot of strength, which means you must be prepared to put up a good battle with them.
It goes without saying that the best course of action would be to avoid any such conflicts in the first place. In order to accomplish this, you should follow the instructions made earlier in this text. It will be easier to reel in the line and catch the fish if the drag is not tight since the fish will understand that something has happened. Make sure you don’t let your guard down; this carp species is well-known for its ability to elude even the most experienced fisherman.