I put 10 carp in 2 years ago to help control FA. I had a big FA bloom this year and used Cutrine to try and kill it. anyway, it is gone. Not sure if it was a combination of the carp and Cutrine or what.

There was some pond weed growing after the FA died but it looks like it is getting scarcer. I wonder if the carp are now a detriment to the pond? Should I even worry about them? They have gotten huge. Can 10 carp hurt a 2 acre pond? The fish population is very good and healthy right now.

The jury is out on whether or not Grass Carp eat FA or not.

They will eat pond weed ("pond weed" is a general term, so I shouldn't say that for sure).

I don't think ten in a 2 acre pond is way over the top.

In the past, you used hear crazy stocking numbers like 20-30 per acre and such. Much of this was directed to 'immediate' solutions to ponds overrun with weeds.

At least on the forum, we seem to have gone to saying just a few per acre, but don't expect immediate results; give them a chance to work. Or, stock a few per acre before you have a weed problem.

It is correct though that they dont bother spawning fish or otherwise hurt a gamefish population if they run short on plants to eat?

No absolutes, but if they run out of plants to eat, I'm not sure what they'll do for food. Normal carp root around the bottom to stir up things to eat, but I don't know if grass carp will do the same when forced to find food.

They do eat fish pellets.

Mark, do you have much vegetation left in the pond? Some plants in a pond are vital for oxygenation and habitat (protection for young fish, etc). You don't want a pond devoid of plant life.

If you are worried about excess carpage (highly technical scientific term) you could fish out a few, you know Carp-a-diem.

Excess carpage? That was good. They look like torpedo's in the water. I was happy to see pond weeds growing and FA gone. How big will GC get and how long will they live?

They get roughly the size of an Army surplus jeep. I'm kidding, of course, but not by much. Somebody had a photo on here recently of one he caught from his pond that was over forty pounds, over three feet long. I recently had one take a cricket I was fishing for bluegill, and subsequently played it for close to two hours before it pulled off (I was using six-pound-test and six-pound-test did little more than annoy it); it was at least four feet long and eight inches or better across its back. As to their lifespan, I think they're like those cedar trees that were alive in the time of Jesus; they seem not to die on any reasonable timeline, if at all. I would suggest inviting a bowfisherman out one day at feeding time, or perhaps just take a .22 pondside at said time.

I am still trying to figure out if they played a role in the FA disappearance before I judge and commend them a death sentence. They are a spooky fish the way they appear and disappear like submarines.

47 pounds

If anything, maybe remove 3 or 4, but really, they are not a bad fish to have around. If you do feed, you will lessen their denuding of the pond.

One other thing I would mention is that the infestation of weeds each year can be by different weeds from year to year. In my experience with only one pond over 11 years, the weed species are not always the same.

I have a bow fishing rig and would be glad to remove a few via arrow... HAHA

They are way to spooky for that I'm afraid. I did reduce the geese by 3 this morning. The fish got some food for a change.

Yay, Mark! One for the home team! Maybe the other geese will be severely traumatized and find another pond.

If you did decide you wanted some of the jeeps out of the pond, Mark, CJ would probably be able to get one or two at night, am I right, CJ? With the help of a light?

I shot 6 times and only killed 3 so they had so they had their chance. The first bunch caught me off guard as i was putting out the dekes so I got jumpy and tried to flock shoot. The next bunch weren't as fortunate.

It's a good thing that there is Purina fish chow in the feeder. If the game warden accuses me of baiting i guess these posts about feeding fish and the geese stealing the food would make a good defense.

The code section says you can do normal agricultural activities and they will not be considered baiting. Feeding fish in your pond is what I would consider normal agricultural activities, so I think the game wardens would leave you alone. The game wardens in our our have a lot more to worry about than guys baiting in resident flocks of geese. HAHA If anything they'd probably turn the blind eye if you were baiting them on purpose. How's the dove hunting been?

If you can see the grass carp swimming around and want some removed, I should be able to shoot a few with the bow... Particularly if they're coming in to hog your fish food.

I'm not to worried about them accusing me of baiting geese. WE mowed some sorghum Sunday and it did not bust up very well. Not ripe enough. Havent seen enough doves flying yrt to make hunting worthwhile. How about you?

I've been so busy getting my food plot in Pennsylvania done and had to work this past weekend I haven't gotten a chance to even get out and look for doves. Now it's pouring rain, not the best of hunting conditions for doves... Glad to hear you got a crack at a few geese though!

I can verify that grass carp will eat FA. I have seen the six I have moving into the mats and working them pretty good. The bloom occurred about a month ago. 80% of it has been removed or torn into small clumps.

The GC have moved onto the FA only because a lack of other more preferable food sources. They have also become pellet hogs, but I guess I can't blame them. I will re-assess the situation next year, but at least one or two of them will probably come out.

These fish were added in April and have grown 6-10" and doubled in weight. I have also seen these fish eat water lilies and curly leaf pondweed so they aren't too picky.

I had lots of FA and only two GC. Both died of starvation last year. My white amur would'nt touch the stuff. Perhaps it is not FA, especially if your water has warmed.

I think the GC have become pellet hogs now that I have driven the geese off. The bullheads that i did not stock are also hammering the pellets. I think it is time for corrective measures.

It was definitely FA but it's gone now.

Bullheads are a pain in the butt when it comes to hogging fish feed, for sure.

Let me know if you want help trapping them or netting them... I have some large seines and traps I can help you with.

OK. Thanks. The BH concern me the most. I just havent had the time to trap or trot lune them. I might check with Angler Enviromental to see what they would charge to electro shock it.

Electrofishing isn't the catch-every-fish device that most people think it is. It does a good job at collecting a representative sample (small portion) of most fish species in a pond. It is better at getting some species than others and is better in certain waters than others due to conductivity. Water clarity also plays a role - if you can't see it, you can't scoop it.

If your goal is bullhead removal, your money would be better spent on buying a fyke net or two rather than paying someone to electrofish the pond. This method assumes you have the time and means (a boat on the pond) to set and check the traps. Consistent use of the fyke net will do a much, much better job of bullhead removal in the long run.

The fyke nets won't likely catch the grass carp. Grass carp can be electrofished, but they seem to be much better at avoiding the boat and "shooting" through the electrical field before they get stunned than most fish.

good info csteffen. thanks

I agree with the fyke net idea as well... One quality fyke net could do some real damage on the BH population! As far as the grass carp, if they are coming into feed, I could easily whack a few with my bow fishing gear. The rest should get the message to leave the feed alone, if they don't I'll whack them too! HAHA

Did you have Angler Environmental consult on/build your pond?

I put seven GC in when I bought this place, as far as I can tell they eat nothing except the pellet food I throw out. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. I caught one about a month ago on a worm so now I have six, I don't know anything about bowfishing, and it's just another expense but if I could get them all out; it would be fine with me.

If you lived closer than Kansas City, I'd gladly come whack a few for you...

I like the fyke net idea. It would also let me see how the CC are doing since I cant catch any. Tried to catch some today with hot dogs, Can you believe that all i caught were LMB- on a piece of hot dog! Then, when I wasn't looking my lab ate my bait and so ended another attempt to catch the mysterious CC. Had to laugh. Should have known better than leave a hot dog any where near where my "chow hound" could find it.

Have you tried chicken liver, Mark? It's one of the best baits for CC. Put a big piece on a #2 circle hook, throw it out with no weight so it sinks slowly, and if you're in an area of the pond that has CC, you should get one.

Yes I have. I also tried fresh goose liver last weekend from one I shot. Guess what? I caught 2 LMB and a big BH. Have you ever?. I am 53 years old and have been catfishing since I was 6 or 7, if not younger and have NEVER caught anything cut cats on liver. My bass are crazy.

I have heard of bass taking chicken liver, but it's certainly not common - has never happened to me. I've caught some big bluegill on liver fishing near automatic feeders.

Liver i can see-but hot dogs?

Catching bass on liver and hot dogs seems more common than I originally thought.

Maybe it's smaller ponds where the bass eat strangely. Now, when fishing for cats in my pond, I don't let them run at all with the bait as I never know what's on the end; I HATE deep hooking a bass.

I overstocked my pond with the darn things...they did the job on the Chara for sure...its gone. But getting rid of GC is not easy for me. I have confirmed kills on 5 with a .22 but its darn hard to sneak on them in shallows and I have yet to figure point of aim broadside...all my success is with a head on shot...i think its the refraction thing thats messing with me.

They dont pay attention to pellet food becuase my CC's are so aggressive and get it all before they get there.

I need to kill 10 more, ill just keep stalking.

I am not positive my GC are a real problem. All I know is FA grows and does not disappear until I spray it with Cutrine.Maybe the GC help with the demise of FA but i wonder what they subsist on with no FA? The fact that they may be eating pellets or beneficial plants is what troubles me because they are getting huge.

I hate to kill them without being sure.

Are you ever at the pond when the feeder goes off, Mark? If so, you won't have to guess whether the carp are eating the food - they're not subtle. If you see wallowing and splashing like a juvenile hippopatomus has found its way to your pond, those would be the GC happily enjoying the pellets you intended for bluegill. Although it could be CC, or a combination of both.

If you wear polarized sunglasses you should be able to see the fish eating the food, whether they be GC, CC, or bullhead.

If I were a Vegas oddsmaker, I'd put the odds at about 1,000,000 to 1 that the GC aren't eating your pellet food.

When my GC eat pellet food, they are very calm and do not scare the other fish away. The wildest I've seen them act is sometimes shooting small water spouts out, but I'm not even sure that's when they're eating pellets.

In my pond, they just slow-cruise and take a pellet in without any splash or disturbance of the water.

If I were a sadist, I take those odds for $100.

Sunil, I wish mine were the same but the ones I have are not so calm and they're smart...real smart. When they see my arm move to throw the food out, they (6 of them) will make a huge splash at the surface before the food even hits, I'm assuming this is to scare the others away so they can feast on the pellets alone. They make these splashes randomly during the feeding.

After 3 months or so of feeding there is very little action around the feeder when it goes off. i am seriously surprised by the lack of fish feeding. maybe the geese have ruined it but even when no geese are present there is very little fish activity.

i tried to catch cats again using shrimp but all i caught were LMB. I broke down and ordered a trap to set to see if there are any cats in there.

SK, if you will catch a couple on pellet flies and release them, they will leave the pellets alone.
They become pellet shy fast.
My experience anyway.

My experience matches george's -- two GC hooked on Stubby Steves and one landed produced over a month of MUCH less pellet feeding.

That's interesting. I hate to ask- what is a Stubby Steve?

Stubby Steve's Fish Food lures - look and taste just like an Aquamax 600 pellet. "Match the hatch" for artificially fed fish.

http://www.stubbysteve.com/