Grass Carp

There's a lake that I like to fish that is great for rainbow trout, but it also has a hidden gem of a species that nobody seems to chase: grass carp. I tried a few times last year to land one of these beasts to no avail. I will say this: grass carp are not an easy fish to target. Their diet is weird, their eyesight is amazing, and their lateral line, the sensory organ that detects vibrations and changes in pressure, is incredibly sensitive. I've dropped flies just a hair too close, which puts them down. A cast that lands over a fish can cause the whole pod to explode in fear. Sloppy wading, the wrong fly, a tippet that's too heavy, tippet that's too light, there are hundreds of things that can screw up your shot at a grass carp. Not to mention that if you hook one, they can bend your hook like it's a wet noodle or snap your tippet with very little effort.

Sometimes, however, the stars align and you can get hooked up to one of these beasts, and when that happens you better hold on tight! I was lucky enough to stick a grass carp recently; it took me on quite a ride through some cattails, up and down the shoreline, and out into the middle of the lake. Once in hand, they are a beautiful fish, with huge scales and an incredible iridescent sheen. Take a look:

This was a good fish, but far from the largest in that lake; I don't know how I'd handle a fight with a bigger one!

A Quigley Cripple on the surface was the fly that finally worked.

Some people call carp (of all sorts) trash fish; I could not disagree more. This was one of the best fights I've had on a fly rod, and simply getting one hooked was a trial of patience, persistence, skill and luck that few other fish I've tangled with can compare to.  

So if you have the opportunity to target grassies (legally, make sure you check the regs), I say go for it, just don't forget to treat them with the respect they deserve. I also say good luck; you're going to need it!