The shocking recognition of carp fishing in Texas

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Siobhan Fairchild forms a handful of pink oatmeal into a ball, sticks a thumb-sized hook into the fragrant bait, and hurls it into Austin’s Lady Bird Lake with a 12-foot rod.

Fairchild, an Austin school teacher, loves carp fishing. She and her friend Lee Fenner spend hours on the shores of the Texas Lakes fishing for the large, often maligned bottom-eaters that some affectionately refer to as “suburban salmon.”

As it turns out, Austin is a hotspot for carp fishing. Fairchild credits social media (follow @austincarpangler) with the spread of the sport – that and the size of the fish. A 6 pound fish is big in the bass world; That’s small for a carp. The state record was a 43.75 pounder pulled out of Lady Bird Lake. Other popular carp fisheries include Lake Walter E. Long east of Austin, Lake Fork near Dallas, Canyon Lake near San Antonio, and Buchanan Lake and Lake Travis in the Hill Country.

Europeans, with a long history of the sport, brought the fish to the United States in the 19th century. They loved the fight of the fish. The Europeans also ate them for dinner.

In Austin, the US Fish Commission set up a carp hatchery near Barton Springs in 1881. However, some mistakenly believed that carp were a threat to native species, and the commission was abolished four years later, according to Aaron Reed’s book Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas.

Today, non-native carp are ubiquitous in lakes and rivers across the state, and carp fishing is growing in popularity. Experts consider Lady Bird Lake to be one of the best carp fisheries in the world and attract anglers from all over the world.

Both Fairchild and Fenner, who work as fishing guides, practice so-called euro-style carp fishing. They throw homemade bait balls 50 or 60 feet into the lake where they slowly dissolve and attract carp.

“I like it because the fish are really big and there is so much detail in how to fish them instead of just sitting on a dock with a pole,” says Fairchild. “I’ve lived here all my life and I had no idea these fish were here.”

In Texas, some people learn to fish for carp by crumbling bread between their hands and throwing it in with a hook. Real aficionados make their own bait using everything from corn, oats, and jell-o-mix to mini wheat and big red. Lucky anglers are rewarded with a fight some compare to that of a redfish.

Fairchild and Fenner bring a portable awning to protect them from the elements while fishing, and a camping stove to heat water and make espresso while they wait for the fish to bite.

“Bass fishing is fun, but I like catching big fish,” says Fenner.

Carp also make great food. They are popular in Europe, but less so in the US, where some complain of a muddy taste. Fenner and Fairchild share what they catch, but once you decide to eat carp, it will take a little patience to pick out the tiny bones. If you’re looking for a guide, reach out to Austin Carp Angler, whose members can show you the basics.

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