Can't afford all those new gadgets...this is what I use...
7 ft. Medium Ugly Stik spinning rod
Zebco6 Cardinal (Saltwater) spinning reel with large capacity spool
Berkly XT 17 lb. test mono.
20 inch horshoe pitching steel stake
36 inch (2 inch outside diameter) pvc pipe
Hammer stake firmly into ground on a slight angle towards area you are going to fish, slip pvc pipe over stake, cast out then insert handle of rod into pipe, take all slack out of line until the rod bends slightly,make sure drag is set a bit on the loose side, sit back and keep an eye on rod tip, let carp run with bait before lifting rod out of holder...most times it will set the hook itself...Haven't lost a rod to the carp gods since using this method...Crappieperchhunter's wife got a good laugh outta him and I jumping down a bank chasing after my rod before I started using this holder...
As mentioned earlier...this doesn't work very well on cement piers and Big Cliff doesn't like me to hammer stakes into his dock...