My pond has grass carp. The former owner stocked them, and he was a firm believer in "more is better." He stocked eight grass carp in a 1/4 acre pond. Yes, that's right, 8 in a 1/4 acre pond. They're all still alive; all over 30"; and all skittish as all get out.
But what do they eat? I haven't a clue! My pond would be literally covered in chara by mid-July every year if I didn't use colorants and/or Cutrine or some other algaecide or aquatic herbicide. Large grass carp sure don't seem to like chara... or filamentous algae, for that matter.
My only hunch about the grass carps' diet? I think they may be rooting up cattails to get at the root, or newly emergent growth.
I would not stock them if I had the choice. I really don't think this species was all that thoroughly researched by the Federal government (when? back in the 60's/70's?) before their widespread use was okayed. I think perhaps the States that balked at okaying them were on the right track. After all, this is a fish that can live 50+ years in the wild, right? Maybe this is one of those rare cases when the sceintific types would be right if they had said: "More research is needed."
Okay, I'll say one good thing about my grass carp: I foul-hooked one on my fly rod a year ago February. What a wild fight! Alas, 30" grass carp and 5x tippet materials aren't well matched. The carp won easily after about three minutes. Been hoping for a rematch ever since!
