# Flood water Grass Carp



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

When the Ohio comes up and floods the fields it usually brings the grass carp in. There are a few spots I check that usually have a few grassies when the river gets above 40 ft. We went out Sunday night and I got 4 in the boat...Then we went back Monday day and we got 6 in the boat. Sunday night weights were 42,38,33,23. I can't recall the weights of all the monday day fish but the biggest was 43. These fish we just full of fresh greens they had been gorging on in the flood.
Here are the sunday night fish.









Here is the monday 43#









And here is Greg and I with our monday total. We had 3 others pull off the arrow also.


----------



## Bowjo (May 27, 2006)

Great PIcs..I have never tried the river when it was up.Do you just go to the flooded backwaters?Was this the Ohio or another smaller river?.....Joe


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Yeah...but there are alot of variables that come into play to make it good. One is that you need rising or steady water levels...Once it starts dropping fast the fish pull out, you also need to find a area that has clean water due to a cleaner tributary, ditch or whatever. The fish are usually there somewhere but they aren't always easy to find...I've gotten skunked alot of times before...Anymore I just wait till conditions look almost ideal before I even bother going when its flooded.


----------



## Mean Morone (Apr 12, 2004)

Those are some beasts. Not trying to stir anything up, but what do you do with them? Can you eat them?


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't eat the carp and buffalo. I do eat the gar and in KY we shoot catfish and spoonbill which we eat or give to someone who wants em. I have a few people who take carp and buffs to eat.
This time of yr alot of people want em for fertilizer. There is a exotic animal rescue down here that has been taking fish also. These fish got turned into raccoon food though.


----------



## kyfisherman (Jun 14, 2005)

And how is feeding these fish to the raccons a good thing? I dont get it.


----------



## bgrapala (Nov 1, 2008)

kyfisherman said:


> And how is feeding these fish to the raccons a good thing? I dont get it.


Racoons need to eat too!!


----------



## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

kyfisherman said:


> And how is feeding these fish to the raccons a good thing? I dont get it.


How is it bad? I don't get your reason for asking.
Looks like a fun day Carpn. How did they get into the Ohio in the first place? Flooded ponds?


----------



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Nice work getting those things out of the Ohio. Some real hogs!


----------



## CarpCommander (Jun 20, 2007)

M.Magis said:


> How is it bad? I don't get your reason for asking.
> Looks like a fun day Carpn. How did they get into the Ohio in the first place? Flooded ponds?


Awww come on now, we all know the reason for asking.

Nice grassies Jake!


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

We see alot of em in the Ohio at times. I think its a combination of farm pond escapees as well as fish moving up from from the mississippi river system. I've seen a wide range of sizes also from about 14" long on up to the mid 40's which makes me suspect there is some succesful spawning taking place. One thing is for sure....High water brings em out of hiding bigtime.


----------



## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

kill em' all!

they ruin lakes, don't know why the state got the bright idea to stock them.


----------



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

That looks like another couple of good nights for you Jake. Those are some huge fish.


----------



## Mean Morone (Apr 12, 2004)

Are you seeing many bigheads and silvers? I think those things are getting more common in the Ohio River. I saw a small trib just explode with fish for hundreds of feet in either direction once. It had to be silvers. I've never seen anything like it in all the years i've fished the Ohio River.


----------



## kyfisherman (Jun 14, 2005)

I think if the raccoon is hungry for a grass carp, he needs to get his a*s in the water and kill and eat one himself. 

So educate me on this bowhunting thing. Is that what you do? Shoot the fish and just leave them to die. Not trying to be a cynic - but i have never heard of such a thing.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

We've been seeing a few here and there but not in any great numbers. We first started seeing them around here about 5 yrs ago. We still travel to the other side of Louisville or go down to the KY lake/Barkley lake tailwaters when we want to target bigheads and silvers. I might try and target them a little more this summer u this way though. They are a weird fish to go after and its usually all or nothing when you go after bigheads. The nature of how they feed and where they are in the water column usually means you have to just go after them and no other fish so it can get boring quick if you aren't seeing or hearing any.
I would be interested in knowing what creek you where in when you saw them blow up around you.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

kyfisherman said:


> I think if the raccoon is hungry for a grass carp, he needs to get his a*s in the water and kill and eat one himself.
> 
> So educate me on this bowhunting thing. Is that what you do? Shoot the fish and just leave them to die. Not trying to be a cynic - but i have never heard of such a thing.


No, we usually shoot the fish then fight them into the boat. Once in the boat we wack em on the heads to kill them. If you truely want more info on bowfishing then I'll answer any questions you have. It isn't as common in Ohio as it is in states such as KY, MI, and about all the southern states but there are a few of us around here who would rather pursue and shoot fish than set around a watch a bobber.
.If your just wanting to argue then your on your own.


----------



## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Congrats looks like a great trip


----------



## fishknife (Apr 13, 2004)

Great response on the argument issue.


----------



## CarpCommander (Jun 20, 2007)

fishknife said:


> great response on the argument issue.


+1 !!! 

:d


----------



## cadyshac (Dec 9, 2005)

+2 on the argument thing, give me a break. Not native, not protected etc.


----------



## longhaulpointer (Mar 12, 2009)

don't really want to stir the pot, but i agree with kyfisherman. I really know nothing bout bowfishing. Are you fishing or hunting? If your fishin it seems silly to just kill everything you catch if you don't plan on eating it. If your hunting, thats like shooting a huge buck, taking a pic w it, then leaving it for the yotes "after all they have to eat". ???? ohh well like i said don't know anything about bowfishing, and from many of these posts it seems better that way.


----------



## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

WOW! That is a helluva day! Thanks for sharing the pics, very cool.


----------



## Diver Down (Jan 22, 2009)

Looks like a good time....


----------



## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

Looks like you guys had a blast. Nice job guys


----------



## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

I like to carp fish but I really dont have a problem with bowfishing. I don't expect anyone who bowfishes to eat a 30lb carp. If they wanna use them for fertilizer, feed animals, etc. I could care less. You are legally allowed to bowfish in Ohio and a long as they are legal, I am fine with it. The only thing I dont like is when they are killed and just thrown in the weeds. Its more because of the stink, than anything else. There are a lot of carp in the Ohio River. The carp that bowfisherman take doesn't even make a scratch in their population and grass carp are escapees into the river from other places. They buy a fishing license just like the rest of us and the ODNR says you can take carp, suckers, gar, etc with a bow. Those are some nice grassers BTW. 

Jake


----------



## CHEFSKIP (Jul 25, 2006)

You eat gar? I have been asked by friends how to cook and clean them and I havent heard of anyone eating them.?
How is the meat? What do they clean out like?
Being a Chef makes me very curious! Please give up your secret recipe!!!!


----------



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I have shot maybe 20 groundhogs so far off my place and have left every one of them lay. I don't like the taste of them and they don't grind up very well in the garden. There you go Jake I guess I can share some of the load. 

Everyone needs to keep this in perspective. These bowfishermen are not going out and "killing everything" as was mentioned. They are shooting species which are obviously extremely densely populated and I think most would argue that they are overpopulated. Not to mention that they are an invasive species. My point above was made a bit tongue in cheek but the principle is the same. I don't hear all of the bleeding hearts trying to save all of the groundhogs. Jake and his group has been doing this long enough that I am sure they have heard all of the criticisms that can be tossed around. His post here was not to "stir the pot" but was merely to share his results. I think many enjoyed his post. Since he is not up for a debate and the thread was not for that purpose we can live without the negative posts.


----------



## bozz (Sep 2, 2004)

Fish G3 said:


> Looks like you guys had a blast. Nice job guys


Thanks, it was a great shoot in only about 3 hrs. out on the water. We spooked maybe 5 and lost 3, I would guess there may have been close to 15 or so grassies out there all in one area for the most part sweet honey hole and good find. Jake glad you found your phone thats amazing that it still works and that boat pic of the big one came out great I think that is the best pic I have ever took or seen... n/j . Good times indeed......>>>> Greg :Banane29::Banane29:


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

CHEFSKIP said:


> You eat gar? I have been asked by friends how to cook and clean them and I havent heard of anyone eating them.?
> How is the meat? What do they clean out like?
> Being a Chef makes me very curious! Please give up your secret recipe!!!!


 


Thanks for the support guys. I don't expect everyone to agree with bowfishing so it doesn't bother me when someone takes offense. Every person is entitled to their opinion. I think alot of people who have a problem with us shooting fish don't understand what and how we do it. 

Now onto the gar....You need to get decent sized gar to clean them.Take a pair of tin snips and make a cut up the middle of the back from the dorsal fin to the head. Then use a filet knife and make a vertical cut from the back down to the belly...You'll hafta find a seam between the scales cause you aren't gonna cu thru them. Now filet the skin off the side of the fish and open it up. Once the skin is opened then filet the meat off the fish. Like any other fish if there is some red meat along the lateral line make sure and trim it off.. It is a white pale meat that is mild tasting. Texture is somewhere between chicken and fish but the flavor is as good as anything else. I chunk it up and, roll it in a wash, and bread it and fry it like any other fish. 
A wash I've been using lately is equal part Brown mustard and hot sauce with a egg or two and a splash of milk.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

here is another pic of me cleaning the same gator gar. Longnose gar like we have in the Ohio are really good eating also.


----------



## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

bkr43050 said:


> I have shot maybe 20 groundhogs so far off my place and have left every one of them lay. I don't like the taste of them and they don't grind up very well in the garden. There you go Jake I guess I can share some of the load.
> 
> Everyone needs to keep this in perspective. These bowfishermen are not going out and "killing everything" as was mentioned. They are shooting species which are obviously extremely densely populated and I think most would argue that they are overpopulated. Not to mention that they are an invasive species. My point above was made a bit tongue in cheek but the principle is the same. I don't hear all of the bleeding hearts trying to save all of the groundhogs. Jake and his group has been doing this long enough that I am sure they have heard all of the criticisms that can be tossed around. His post here was not to "stir the pot" but was merely to share his results. I think many enjoyed his post. Since he is not up for a debate and the thread was not for that purpose we can live without the negative posts.


Good point Brian and lets not leave out the yotes that ppl shoot,when was the last time u heard of someone eating them ?


----------



## FSHNERIE (Mar 5, 2005)

Very nice..The New Richmond area would be great hunting ground.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

New richmond area does have some nice grassies around...It gets good around there when the river drops to summer pools and clears out..They move around that area alot though...We had one night last summer near new richmond where we prob saw 20-25 grass carp in one night...


----------



## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I have never done that before and looks cool what lb test do you guys use cause i can imagine the fight one put up after being hit by an arrow.Nice fish also


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

There are a few different lines that are used when using spincast reels bowfishing. The most common is 200# Fast Flight line. Some guys use 150, 200, or 250 power pro. I've been using 150# muzzy tournament line this yr and liking it so far. The extra heavy line isn't as much for the fish retrieval as it is for arrow retrieval afetr a missed shot. Arrow get buring in roots mud, tires..etc and sometimes they are hard to retrieve. We usually shoot somewhere in the low 30's for draw weight just to keep our arrows from gettin stuck to bad.


----------

