How To Catch Asian Carp
The easiest Asian carp to catch would be the grass carp. They can be caught by many of the baits and methods popular for catching the common carp. Use a sliding sinker rig with a pack bait and corn. Grass carp are very cautions, so be sure to be stealth and don’t make any sudden movements. Make sure you have good hooks, and the proper line. If you want to learn more about how to catch grass carp, check out the article below.
Difficulty
规模从1到10的10个最difficult to catch, Asian carp score a 9. They are very difficult to catch and most anglers resort to using a bow and arrow rather than try to hook one in the mouth.
Fight
Most big fish like Asian carp can pull hard just by using their body weight. That being said, you’ll get some great drag pulling runs out of Asian carp.
Taste
Americans in general don’t think of carp as eatable fish. However, Asian carp are raised for food throughout the world. They taste alright, but not nearly as good as a salt water fish.
Max Weight
There are 3 main species of Asian carp in the US. The Biggest is the bighead carp which can reach 60 inches long and weigh up to 110 pounds. Silver and grass carp can grow almost as big, but they are usually caught in the 10-20 lb. range.
Max Length
Bighead carp are the biggest of the most common Asian carp in the US. They can grow be 5 feet long. Silver carp grow to about 40 inches, and grass carp grow to around 48 inches long, but it is rare.
Average Lifespan
Grass carp and bighead carp usually live around 5 to 10 years. Silver carp on the other hand have been known to live up to 20 years in the wild under good conditions.
Range:
Asian carp were introduced into the US around the mid 1900s to be used as weed control in farming ponds. They have since escaped and spread throughout the Mississippi river drainage. They can be found in other parts of the country as well. Grass carp in particular are still stocked in ponds and canals to keep the weeds down. However, the grass carp is the least likely to cause damage when compared to the big head and silver carp.
Habitat
Asian carp are generally found in warmer climates where rivers have a lot of vegetation for the carp to feed on. Another common place to find Asian carp is near the base of dams. They prefer slower moving or even still water, and the spillways of dams can stir things up and provide a better feeding environment for the carp.
Diet
While grass carp are mostly plant eaters, bighead and silver carp are filter feeders. They swim through the water with their mouths open filtering out any insects, worms, or plankton.
Fishing Tackle For Asian Carp
Hooks
The best hooks for catching grass carp are J-hooks in size 8 to 2. The smaller hook will be better if the carp are wary and unwilling to bite. Click the link for an in depth article!
Line
All types of fishing line work for catching grass carp. If you are using fluoro or mono, then use around 10 lb. test. If your are using braid, use anywhere from 20 to 60 lb. test. Click the link for an in depth article!
Rigs
Although you can catch grass carp with a bobber, it is usually better to use a sliding sinker rig. Use a big enough sinker to keep your bait on the bottom. Usually around 1 to 2 oz. Click the link for an in depth article!
Bait
Grass carp eat mainly vegetation. Corn makes a good bait, especially when used along with a pack bait. Bread is also a very good bait, but can be difficult to use. Click the link for an in depth article!
Lures
因为亚洲鲤鱼是滤食动物,或者蔬菜etarians, it is very unlikely they will hit a lure. However, if laws permit, you can use lures to snag Asian carp. Luke Nichols from the Catfish and Carp YouTube channel, tried catching Asian carp on lures, but just ended up snagging them.
Rod And Reel
Most medium sized fishing rods and reels will be good enough to catch Asian carp. However, the optimal rod would be around 8 feet long and have a medium action.
Net
Landing nets are very helpful when catching Asian carp. These fish can grow quite large and the best way to get them out of the water for a picture is by using a net. I recommend a rubber net because your hooks won’t get tangled in it.
Rod Holder
Since you will most likely be bait fishing to catch Asian carp, expect there to be some waiting time. This is where it’s nice to have a rod holder, and a chair to kick back in. I also recommend clipping a bell to your rod tip to let you know when you get a bite.
Additional Information
Here is a link to information about the Asian carp invasion from theNational Park Service