We had a serious issue, investation of about 40% of the lake) with millfoil in a 25 acre east texas lake. We stocked 5 per acre with no success. We then treated with Sonar, but it was too expensive and the millfoil was back the next year. We added 5 more per acre and the millfoil is all gone. In hind site we should added 2 or 3 more per acre. Now, we are afraid of the effects of too many grass Carp. The first group of Grass carp were added 3 years ago.

Other than the total elimination of vegatation and stirring up the bottom of the lake, what are the other downfalls?

What is the best REALISTIC way to begin removal?

Electrofishing or bowfishing.

Hey Salex here in the Carolinas grass carp are everywhere...for some reason people hate milfoil? First let me say that even though I understand that Eurasian is a non-native invasive species...so? the fish don't know. Example ther is 20+ acre covenant pond close to me that I fish. Tons of milfoil and absolutely crawling with fish! Then the HOA decided to spray something and kill it all and lots of carp added. Well for the first year or two the residents were able to harvest fish at an astounding rate because they could fish their old school country bumpkin methods with ease plus the fish had suddenly no where to hide. Well starting that third summer things petered out quick. The fine folks that lived there had managed to fish themselves out of fish. I do have a point to this ramble trust me. Anyway I got myself invited to one of their HOA meetings and explained to them that having a sustainalble fishery was probably in their better interest than a two year glut of fish. Also taught them a little about how to effectively fish that milfoil with more modern techniques etc. So to finally answer your question during the next couple of years we had some fun getting those carp out. You can harvest them with bread balls, bow and arrow(my fav) among others (google it). There are some ponds I fish that I would love to see 40% milfoil coverage. Milfoil gives off oxygen-provides beautiful nursery habitat for fish fry-shade and perfect holding cover for predators to fatten up on the aforementioned fry and avoid their own predation. As far as muddying up the water...nah.. they will create a brief puff of mud when you spook them but until they eat everything down to the ground like a goat...they don't just waller and root around on the bottom like a hog.

FFF, I'd much rather have a different plant in the pond than milfoil. It grows quick, will make bank fishing impossible, and it'll grow from cut parts of the plant. I'd much rather fish a BOW that has pondweed in it. While it's better than no cover at all, it't not the route that I'd take for a pond plant.

Agreed..just saying if you can't fight it work with it.

Salex, the major problem with the grass carp that I overstocked is the brownish, greenish water that resulted when all the weeds were gone. In addition, the size and numbers of other species of fish has declined. They are extremely difficult to get rid of. Here is a link to my very first post expressing my frustration. http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...6651#Post146651

They wont stir up a 25 acre lake. But they will breed and grow. And once they get huge thier worthless, but kinda cool to see every once in a while.. As far as removal Bow and bread works good. Also electrofishing would be the best

Grass carp do not breed/reproduce in lakes or ponds even if they are fertile diploid fish. I am not aware of any state that allows the use of fertile diploid fish. The grass carp being stocked must be triploid infertile fish so that if they wash out of the pond/lake they don't start reproducing in the wild and destroy the native vegetation.

Most grass carp are raised at fish farms are pellet trained, so you could utilize pellet immitations to catch them. I personally like bow fishing though.

Thanks for the replys. Bread balls and Bows.

Salex, do you know if you bought the diploid or triploid grass carp (the triploids would have cost extra)? There is a difference in lifespan between the two. Diploids live a long time, while triploids are shorter-lived. For diploids, you probably do need to take action to remove some of them.

I think you can get diploids in Arkansas.



Only triploids are allowed in Texas.

Salex, beware! The youngest of my certified triploid GC are now 22 yrs. old! I estimate that I still have about 20 of them (I'll have to wait until the ice melts to make a 2011 estimate). I'm aware of the science that asserts triploids will live only 10-15 yrs., but my own anecdotal evidence says otherwise. Here is a photo of my water in August. Before the GC it used to be three times clearer, albiet much weedier. I wish I had never stocked them.

Thanks, Mr. Sandman, for that report. That's the value of this forum!

Good info Mr. Sandman. I've always questioned the purported life-span of grasscarp, and wondered how statistics were actually collected.
Of course, down here on the Gulf Coast, I suspect the grass carp mortality-rate is fairly high - especially for those that choose to ignore any "scale-covered logs" that are slowing swimming toward them.

MrSandman,

Your water is not more muddy because of your GC in general. It is more stained looking because of the lack of weeds to help filter your pond. I am sure you knew that, just wanted to make sure Salex understood that. Salex GC don't make a mess, but now that all your weeds are gone you will have some of the same issue MrSandman is having. It's a catch 22 really. More weeds clearer water, but harder to fish?? Less weeds easy to fish, but not as nice looking water? I have a once acre pond and I have put a total of 7 GC in it and have yet to really notice a big change in my Chara problem. I am hoping they will handle more of it this year.

The nutrients in the pond that were utilized by the weeds are now feeding an algae bloom. Catch 22 situation. Like RC51 said, take your pick, weeds or algae if the excess nutrients aren't dealt with.

If GC need to be removed and are eating fish pellets, they are easy to remove with a shotgun.

Dave, "if...eating fish pellets" in my novice opinion is the huge trick. If you can persuade my GC to do that, I'll pay for your services to fly up here to Ohio. I can't imagine trying to get them to come to the dock to eat floating pellets. In my pond on most days you can't locate any GC. When they do pop their heads up it's often in the late Spring to eat the floating cottonwood seeds. On those occasions, they swirl away in a cloud of mud if they detect the slightest motion.

I had a hired gun try to shoot them for 4 weekends in a row, and he came up empty handed. He said he saw them but couldn't get a shot off. We also tried floating jugs and tying lines to the tree branches baited with cherry tomatoes, celery, lettuce, corn, and you name it. Nothing. I tried planting water lilies to re-establish some plants, I thought for a couple of weeks that I had found the solution. Then suddenly one morning, the lilies were gone.

My advice to Salex or to anyone contemplating adding more GC to a pond is don't.

Yeah, that's why I said AND eating pellets. They don't mess with them for me either. However, a lot of people gripe about their bad habits.