Carlyle Dam Tailwaters

[Toseythecat]

They are actually great eating if you know how to clean them. 

[Jerry Rapp]

if you say so

[Dutch]

What are they and where is the lake?

[Ham]

Nice Bighead! My understanding is that they occasionally take lures. I don’t think Silvers do.  

[Toseythecat]

Well, I caught most of them on a Mepps spinner. 75% were mouth hooked. I don't know if they were trying to eat it or if it somehow ticked them off but they actually struck pretty hard. 

The mottles ones are Bighead Carp, the silver ones are Silver Carp

This is the tailwaters of Carlyle Lake in Illinois

With bones removed ( lots of Youtube vids on how) the meat is white flaky and delicious. The roe is also excellent eating.

They fight like freight trains and are tons of fun to catch

[Ham]

I hope to get over there one day

[Gavin]

Nice bunch! We were there last year. We stayed at Hazlett State Park and went sailing with our neighbors. I didn't fish right below the spillway, but I caught a couple of crappie in front of our campsite, and some Asian carp about a mile down from the spillway at that old suspension bridge. Hazlett was a pretty nice place. We would camp there again.

 

 

[Toseythecat]

Supposedly near that suspension bridge is a great place for sauger in winter.