Super User Goose52 Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 So I'm in the canoe today and start cranking the approaches to a small cove. I'm tossing a Norman Deep Little N on a 7'6" medium-power Crankin' Stick with a Shimano CTE-100DC with 10lb YZ line. BAM - hook-up. Drag pulled. Big bass I'm thinking. Drag pulled twice more. REALLY BIG bass I'm thinking. Then line starts peeling off the reel, the drag is singing, and I realize...not a bass. Then I think, REALLY BIG catfish. The fish pulls the canoe around 180 degrees as it heads for deep water. I enjoy the boat ride for a while - letting the fish fight the drag.I'm getting towed at a pretty good clip right out of the cove, around a point, then starting to go into another cove. THEN, I see the fish breach and come half-way out of the water, roll, then back down deep.............and I realize it's a big honkin' grass carp. At this point, I could see I had way too much line out (over 50 yards) so I start to chase the fish down with the boat. I get close to the fish and every time I get it close to the boat it makes another run. The fish is foul-hooked in the tail so I have to tire the fish enough so I can get it on top, parallel to the hull of the canoe, so I have access to the mouth and can grab it with a "fish grip" tool. Each time I get the fish close, another short run. Finally, after about four tries, I got the mouth near the boat, lock on the fish grip, and pull it into the boat. 21 minutes from hook-up to landing.43 inches, 38.5 pounds. Not the biggest grass carp I've caught...but they're ALWAYS fun to catch.After I get the length, weight, and photo, it's time to get it back in the water. Last look is the tiny mouth and beady eyes.. Release the fish grip and away she goes. Thanks for the fight ! 7 Quote
Super User Jigfishn10 Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Holy mackerel, wait that doesn't work...holy cow...wait...Holy Grass Carp Goose52, that's nice catch! Great story too, I really enjoyed ready that. I can honestly say, I never caught one. They sound like they got amazing power if they were pulling you around in the canoe. Congrats my friend. 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted October 1, 2014 Super User Posted October 1, 2014 Nice Job ~ Besides the nice fight & the scenic grass carp sleigh ride, each time that evolution ends with a successful catch, it's a great test of your tackle & knots. When they hold up, it provides confidence so that when Mama Moose does show up - you are ready. A-Jay Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 2, 2014 Nice Job ~ Besides the nice fight & the scenic grass carp sleigh ride, each time that evolution ends with a successful catch, it's a great test of your tackle & knots. When they hold up, it provides confidence so that when Mama Moose does show up - you are ready. A-Jay Thanks Andy! Good point on the tackle, line, and knots. Just before hooking the grass carp, I had been fishing a lipless crank across the grass on the point with a reel that had 15lb Big Game on it. When I had the carp on, my first thought was that I was still fishing with the 15 BG line and started to feel a bit more comfortable. Then I remembered, I switched to a cranking rod just a few casts before hooking the carp. While watching the action on the water, I felt the line with my fingers and immediately knew that I didn't have 15lb line. I glanced down and saw that pale green color of Yo-Zuri Ultrasoft - that meant 10lb line. So, I backed the drag off a bit (to protect the line and the hookup) and then had to trust the line and the last knot I tied (three bass before). Looks like tackle, line, knots, and angler made it through OK... 1 Quote
gramps50 Posted October 2, 2014 Posted October 2, 2014 Great story and an exciting 21 minutes, not to mention the free boat ride. Nice catch Goose. Quote
chris55552 Posted October 2, 2014 Posted October 2, 2014 Now that you mention it, Monday I hung a 10lb striped bass and that's just too much fish for me. That thing pulled me, my boat, my drag and then it ripped my heart out when I realized it wasn't a largemouth and just another dose of my mistake luck!!! Beautiful fish, I just laughed and released the thing!!!! Good ole spinnerbaits... You can catch anything on em. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted October 2, 2014 Global Moderator Posted October 2, 2014 21 minutes is pretty dang impressive for a nearly 40lb grassie in a canoe with 10lb test! You seem to have the touch for snagging those big grass carp Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 2, 2014 Thanks guys - it was a fun fish! 21 minutes is pretty dang impressive for a nearly 40lb grassie in a canoe with 10lb test! You seem to have the touch for snagging those big grass carp Thanks! This is actually the first grass carp that I've snagged from the boat, and the first on a lipped crank. I always thought a lipped crank would deflect off the fish but this one had a solid snag in the tail fin. I've caught quite a few of these from the bank - all on lipless cranks over grass - you've probably seen the photos I've posted over the past few years. Even on 10lb test, I can usually get them back to the bank within 20-25 minutes...but then what? Don't have a net big enough and I don't carry a fish grip when bank fishing. So, it takes more time to tire the fish to the point where I can drag it into shallow enough water to be able to wade out and grab it by the gill plate. Usually, when the fish sees it's getting that shallow, it makes another run. Sometimes it can take quite a while to land these guys. I caught two grass carp on the same day (April 26 2012) and one (44lbs) took 1hr 9 minutes to land, the other (48lbs) took 53 minutes. Over two hours of "fish-fighting" in one day! I think this fish was more comfortable letting me get the boat close enough to grab it with the fish grip as it was still in about 20 fow and didn't start to freak out by getting dragged into skinny water like when I'm fishing from the bank. AND, the fish grip was the key to get it into the boat. NOW, how the heck do YOU manage to land those monster catfish from the bank? I've seen one of your photos holding a monster cat and always wondered how you land those things. Do you use the noodling method... Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted October 2, 2014 Global Moderator Posted October 2, 2014 Thanks guys - it was a fun fish! Thanks! This is actually the first grass carp that I've snagged from the boat, and the first on a lipped crank. I always thought a lipped crank would deflect off the fish but this one had a solid snag in the tail fin. I've caught quite a few of these from the bank - all on lipless cranks over grass - you've probably seen the photos I've posted over the past few years. Even on 10lb test, I can usually get them back to the bank within 20-25 minutes...but then what? Don't have a net big enough and I don't carry a fish grip when bank fishing. So, it takes more time to tire the fish to the point where I can drag it into shallow enough water to be able to wade out and grab it by the gill plate. Usually, when the fish sees it's getting that shallow, it makes another run. Sometimes it can take quite a while to land these guys. I caught two grass carp on the same day (April 26 2012) and one (44lbs) took 1hr 9 minutes to land, the other (48lbs) took 53 minutes. Over two hours of "fish-fighting" in one day! I think this fish was more comfortable letting me get the boat close enough to grab it with the fish grip as it was still in about 20 fow and didn't start to freak out by getting dragged into skinny water like when I'm fishing from the bank. AND, the fish grip was the key to get it into the boat. NOW, how the heck do YOU manage to land those monster catfish from the bank? I've seen one of your photos holding a monster cat and always wondered how you land those things. Do you use the noodling method... I use to noodle, not so much anymore. Big catfish are easy, just grab them by the lower jaw. The key there is just like noodling, don't let go unless you absolutely have to and don't try to yank your hand out of their mouth if they bite down. The hardest part is getting the camera set up and getting the fish in position before the 10 second timer goes off I agree totally about the grass carp in shallow water. The monster that t boned my S waver last year took me over 20 minutes to land on a heavy swimbait rod and 25lb copolymer and it did just like you said, every time I got it shallow enough that it laid over on it's side and I tried to drag it up so I could reach it she would shoot off again. Since that fish had the bait crossways in her mouth I had no real way to grip her. I ended up wading out about knee deep so I could get behind her and ended up just shoving her up into the shallows and pinning her down so I could take the hooks out to pick her up. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted October 2, 2014 Super User Posted October 2, 2014 Those are some big fish! Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted October 2, 2014 Super User Posted October 2, 2014 If your tackle can stand up to snagged 30-40 lb grass carp there isn't a largemouth swimming anywhere that can out pull one of those. I nominate Goose as the grass carp king. 1 Quote
Fisher-O-men Posted October 2, 2014 Posted October 2, 2014 Very nice! Those are not nearly as ugly as most carp. Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 2, 2014 Thanks again guys! If your tackle can stand up to snagged 30-40 lb grass carp there isn't a largemouth swimming anywhere that can out pull one of those. I nominate Goose as the grass carp king. Thanks Dwight - don't know if I'm the king now but I felt like it back in April 2012 when I caught two monsters the same day - two hours of drag slipping, fish fighting fun. I ended up landing five grass carp that year. Speaking of tackle, this is actually the first grass carp that I've brought in using a Shimano reel (CTE-100DC). All the other grass carp I've landed have been with BPS PQ reels... :lol: Yes, I know, I perform the impossible all the time - landing 35-50 pound fish using a PQ with 10lb line and the well-known pitiful factory drag... 1 Quote
guitarglynn1 Posted October 3, 2014 Posted October 3, 2014 Wow that fish is a true monster! I couldn't imagine getting towed around by that thing? I have snagged much smaller carp and they were tough to get in and you gotta have skills to get that beast into your boat. Great job! I am going to set up a pole for carp tomorrow and I was really excited about maybe catching one already but this thread might have me dreaming about carp tonight lol Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted October 3, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 3, 2014 Wow that fish is a true monster! I couldn't imagine getting towed around by that thing? I have snagged much smaller carp and they were tough to get in and you gotta have skills to get that beast into your boat. Great job! I am going to set up a pole for carp tomorrow and I was really excited about maybe catching one already but this thread might have me dreaming about carp tonight lol Good luck - I hope you catch a big one! This IS a bass fishing board so bass have to be considered as the preferred species...BUT, while I target bass, I'm always open to anything else that wants to tug the end of my line. This ONE grass carp probably pulled more drag than all the bass that I will catch for the rest of my life... Quote
Super User kickerfish1 Posted October 6, 2014 Super User Posted October 6, 2014 The big uglies, the offensive line of the fish community! Nice catches fellas! Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted October 6, 2014 Author Super User Posted October 6, 2014 Thanks! They're always fun... Quote
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