what you have there is a grass carp
good job

that a big Grasser!

did not know grassers would take a fly

Maybe thats why it took 4 days of fishing them

What type of fly did you get it on?

Olive beadhead woolly on a Sage Bluegill rod.

What do you do with them after you catch them?
Eat them? or throw them away? My Grandmother used
to to pressure cook those nasty things. Man, those
fish are boney for sure.

Well white amure, if the lake has a permit for them you have to release it. But if it does not have a permit your supossed to kill it. But thats only for white amure aka grass carp. If that was a common carp or buffalo you cant just throw it away to die as that is against the law. You have to ethier eat it or use it as compost since these fish are eatable.

Helluva Grasser! I'd estimate it to be around 32#3oz.

Chad

Beastly fish, must have been interesting on the fly rod!

That is a really nice one. I have fished for grass carp quite a bit. I was fishing a lake here in east Texas and had been catching three or four on every trip. I wasn't sure about how to handle the fish once I caught them. Sometimes if someone was near me when I caught it they would ask for it so they could take it home and eat it. So one day I stopped off at the park office and asked the lady if I had to kill the fish when I caught them. She said "Are you going to eat it?" I said no but had heard that some lakes you have to kill them. She said in a very smug voice "Sir we don't want you killing our fish." So when I turned to leave I said well I had read in the manual you have to kill them at some lakes. She looked at me puzzled got on the phone and asked the question and turned to me and almost in the very same smug voice said "Sir if catch those fish you have to kill them".

Anyway, when I left the office a warden was pulling up and he asked if I was the one asking about the grass carp. I told him I was and he said this is the rule/law on them. If the lake had a permit yes I have to put it back, however, if they don't I don't have to kill the fish, but if I was going to leave the lake with it then I have to kill it. It was my choice, I could either kill it or put it back but what they didn't want was a live fish leaving the lake because then the chance of putting it in another public water.

Don't know if he knew exactly what he was talking about but that was the information he gave me.

I'd rather pay the fine than kill a trophy fish like that. Unless the ranger is standing over you with a camera and witnesses, I don't see how they could prove it anyway.

"Sir, you are supposed to kill grass carp on this lake."
"This ain't no grasser, Mr Ranger. This is an undernourished common." Splash!

Well, It was a nice fish. lol

It was 38lbs 3oz. 47 inch.
1 hour fight.