My Name is Mike Doran and I got into carp fishing from a with rod n reel around October 2015. I have been fishing Northlakes pond in Denton TX where I caught the 79 pound Flathead catfish by hand. Funny so far the biggest Common Carp I caught was my first at 19 pounds and 35 inches long. Since mid October I broke it off with my long time GF and went on fishing frenzy with no one to yell at me when I come home stinking of fish! From Oct.11th 2015 to Dec. 5th 2015 I have caught and released well over 500 common carp from a single pond in Denton. I have been targeting the carp specifically for there great fight and fine looks. They are beautiful fish and should be respected. The average Carp I catch at Norhtlakes is around 12 pounds and at least 30 inches. I also catch 15 to 18 lb carp on a weekly basis. Along with all these carp I have caught dozens of catfish some over 8 pounds using the technique below. Now I will teach you the cheap easy and VERY effective way to catch carp with Rod N reel. I use a size 6 baitholder hook with 3 to 4 pieces of cheap sweet golden corn from Walmart for .68 cents a can. Hook is tied to about 18 inches of 30 pound braided line tied to a swivel. Behind the swivel sliding free goes a half once egg shaped weight. For mine main line I prefer a around 20 pound test mono so the wieght can slide easier when the fish takes off. I will upload some pics of my line set up. Really any working pole or will do as long as the drag system works well. Cheap full setup with line can be baught at walmart for around $35 that works great! Ok so the next thing you will need is a 5 gallon bucket to mix up your pack bait or (chum). The pack bait is packed tightly around your weight using your hands and casted out it will slowy fall apart all around your bait and hook drawing in the Carp! The pack bait consists of 2 main ingredients. I large tall can of oats to one can sweet cream corn. 3rd ingredient is optional but seems to help. Get any kind of flavor extract that is cheap. They seem to like the Strawberry or vanilla. But I have also used banana, pineapple and many others that seemed to worked well. I usually add about 3 or 4 table spoons or what I call a "decent splash" of extract from the bottle. All this is just mixed by hand in the bucket until it can be packed tightly into a ball. If pack bait gets too dry and falls apart just add a "splash" of water and mix any time it dries up. Can of oats $2.48, cream corn .68 cents, flavor extract $2.25, and Whole golden sweet corn for bait on hook .68 cents. So like $7 or less to get all your bait for a few days of fishing and it keeps well. So now take about a golf balls to billiard ball size hand full of your pack bait from bucket and form a ball using both hands around the weight and pack it on tightly so it does not fall apart when you cast it. On size 6 hook just use 3 or 4 pieces of corn. You really need the small hook since carp have small sensitive mouths. Sometimes even smaller works better but this pond has most large mature carp. Cast out several lines to increase your odds. Set your drag to zero so line comes off with ease and wait and wait. Keep rods pointed straight out as opposed to up with rod holders and just leave slack in your line. When the carp strikes is will pull off a bunch of line so be sitting close by. Slowly pick up your rod and tighten the drag slowly. This alone should set the hook. Give the fish some drag so it does not break yor line and slowly work the fish to the shore. Be prepared for the fish to fight! Often they come all the way in and then take off peeling out 100 feet of line. This is fine. Just let the fish do the work and wear it out slowly. You can catch a 15 pound carp on 4 lb test if you take your time. Be sure to have a good sized net ready to scoop them up! If you have any questions or would like to come fish with me and catch a trophy size carp over 30 inches I will do it for free. You just pay for the corn and oats! I dont to Facebook but I do make many Youtube videos. Just search Mike Doran carp or catfish on Youtube.





utube. 36 inch carp Lake Record Carp Lesson 1st time fishing!

Nice pics!

Nice fish. Nice post!

ok, now tell the story of the cat caught by hand...AND...what kind of carp is that one that looks 2 have no scales???...and biga$$ fins...never saw 1 like that!!!???~~~

That carp was caught in same pond and is a very rare hybrid between a mirror carp and a butterfly koi. I have also seen ghost koi and large gold fish caught out of northlakes. Recently I caught a strange solid gold carp. I I will upload pics tonight. To see the story and more pics on the catfish search Mike doran catfish on youtube.

18 pounder a few days ago.

I grew up fishing for carp as a kid, they are a blast to catch, easy to catch and most European and Asian cultures consider them a delicacy. I caught some in Korea when I was stationed there. Google carp fishing tournaments and look at the prize money, https://www.facebook.com/worldcarpmasters My favorite technique was to feed the ducks with bread until the carp showed up, then add a hook to a floating slice of bread. I also caught some under a mulberry bush as they ate the mulberry's that fell in the water.

Enjoy catching them, I only used 6-8 lb line so it was always a blast...

Dude that catfish is freaking incredible.

In that little North Lake Pond non the less!

Clearly someone planted him there. Wonder how long its been in there?

Looks like you've found a new love Mike! That butterfly is special,nice job and great to see new angler's getting"hooked " on Carp.The world's greatest sport fish.

Yes I will be a carp angler for life now. They really are the best world wide fresh water sportfish.

This is a strange Golden Carp with some brown on its face an along the top of its back. Does not have the typical reddish orange tail. Just golden brown tail and fins. First one like that I have seeen. I let him go like all the others and hope to see him again one day. Fish was rather small at 6 pounds even. Smallest I have caught is 3.5 lbs so far. But never one with colors or lack there of liek this "Goldy".

Well that's a good write up. I'm glad you think carp should be respected and are a pretty fish. If that's how you feel then why hold them with lip grippers and weigh them like that? Not to criticize you but if your really this passionate about carp fishing then you should invest in a unhooking mat and a proper weigh sling, net and weigh station. It makes me cringe seeing a fantail carp or mirror carp being held by the gills or lips with grippers. There is a post at the top of the page that explains everything we use to protect these fish and return them back without major harm.

Nice catches Mike. But we need to teach you how to hold and weigh the carp so they won't be harmed.We respect the fish we catch and do our best to release them without doing more damage than the hook does.And thanks for trying to give advice on catching the way you do, however most of use started off old school style like that.
Good write up and again nice catching.

I am making a fold out fish bag tonight actually. I saw a youtube video on how to make your own. Very good point though. Definitely don't like poking hole in there lip. I weigh and measure all the carp I catch and want to do it the right way and completely agree with your comment.

.... I
cant see the picture ...Did you delete it ? would have been interesting to see