Carp roundup

[MoCarp]

14 minutes ago, Gavin said:

They do take flies. Some friend's used to chase them with fly rods below the Rend Lake spillway in Illinois. Guess the thrill of catching big stinky fish wore off because I haven't heard anything about it in several years. I'm sure the fish are still there if anyone wants to catch them with a fly rod.

I have scoured the net and have found "0" pics of fly caught bighead or silver carp, grass carp perhaps.... commons yes......kinda like muskie fishing with crappie jigs, or catching gizzard shad on a dry fly...sure it happens but...well just saying prob just snagging

[fishinwrench]

It's debatable whether they actually chase and eat the flys, or whether they just suck it in along with other bits of flotsam.   I have sat and watched them on several occasions and I don't ever remember seeing one turn to specifically "take in" anything.  They just sit in a current seam and continuously gulp in what drifts into their mouths.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I saw this coming.  If they were all snagged or flossed why would only certain colors snag or floss them???

[fishinwrench]

30 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I saw this coming.  If they were all snagged or flossed why would only certain colors snag or floss them???

Because you have an overactive imagination.  You probably fished that color more than any other.  

They might possibly avoid certain color objects (like large bright orange, or flourecent pink things) but my money is on the odds that they won't turn to take, or specifically chase, anything, regardless of the action or what color it is.  They just aren't programmed to feed that way.  

Where the Katy trail crosses the Loutre river you can stand on the bank and sight fish to them all day long from April to November.  If you stand on the bridge above someone fishing you'll see that not a single one will move unless you spook it.  They just set there and repeatedly gulp the water in front of them all day and all night.  The ones below Bagnell do the same thing.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I saw this coming.  When they are spawning we would stand side by side and they would prefer one color over another.    I argued this before so I'll concede that you are right and it was me and my buddies imagination for 3 years straight.  Carry on.

[fishinwrench]

Hey you obviously have more experience fishing for water balloons full of snot, so I won't discount what you say.   I'm just saying that if I was to place a bet on it I'd bet that any caught were the result of a well placed (lucky) cast rather than a skilled retrieve and calculated fly choice. 

[Quillback]

4 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I saw this coming.  When they are spawning we would stand side by side and they would prefer one color over another.    I argued this before so I'll concede that you are right and it was me and my buddies imagination for 3 years straight.  Carry on.

Maybe a defend the spawning ground kind of thing?  Similar to salmon when they are spawning?  Do they take a fly when they are not spawning?

[fishinwrench]

I don't even know when and how they spawn.     What is the typical spawning behavior ?   

[snagged in outlet 3]

They run up rivers to spawn.  I never tried for them outside of the spawn.  I assume it is a defense thing like salmon.  We had fish turn and eat flies.  That's all I can tell you.

I can show this spring if you like.

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

We had fish turn and eat flies.  That's all I can tell you.

I can show this spring if you like.

That would almost make it a worthwhile activity.   What do y'all do with them, throw them up on the bank or bash their head in and kick them back in the river?