Specification:

• Length:2.1m
• Power: M
• Lure Weight:1/4-5/8oz
• Line Weight:8-14lb
• Section:2

key words : casting fising rod, casting rods , casting rod, carbon fiber fishing rods, fly fishing rods, 

Types of Carp Rods
When choosing carp rods you need to know what type of carp fishing you are going to be doing. You must be aware of
whether you will be margin fishing, stalking, distance casting, float fishing, casting heavy leads or method feeders or maybe
you just want a rod for spodding or as a marker float rod. The reason for this is that carp rods, like all fishing rods, come in
a huge array of lengths, strengths, actions and test curves and are made from different materials. So let's take a look at the
different features of carp rods and what they mean.
Carp Rod Length
The length of a carp rod can vary between 10 feet and 13 feet, but a good all round size is 12 feet. For stalking, where you
may want to be scrambling amongst undergrowth or climbing trees with your rod in hand, a 10 foot rod can be more useful,
and for distance fishing, where a good line pick up is required on a strike, a 13 foot rod will do the job, but the most
common length for all round ledgering tactics will be 12 feet. Remember that unlike other coarse rods, such as match rods,
carp rods tend to be two-piece, and not three-piece, so make sure that you have room in the car for the chosen rod.
Carp Rod Strengths
The strength of a carp rod is known as its test curve. This is the amount of weight which when applied to the rod tip, will
bend the rod at ninety degrees. Therefore if a 2½ lb. weight were to be attached to the tip ring of a rod, and the rod lifted, if
it bent at ninety degrees exactly, the rod would be said to have a 2½ lb. test curve. The test curve determines how easily
the carp rod bends under pressure from a fish and so the bigger the fish you catch and the harder it pulls, the sooner the
rod will reach that ninety degree curve. This does not mean however that the rod stops bending there. As more pressure is
applied, the bend in the rod will transfer further towards the thicker or butt end of the rod, therefore handling more pressure.
Depending on where this transfer begins in the rod's length determines the rods action.
Carp Rod Action
A carp rod said to have a fast or tip action will reach the ninety-degree stage with only the tip of the rod bending to start
with. However a carp rod with an all through action will reach that stage when much more of the rod is curved before
reaching ninety degrees. A composite or all round rod will fall somewhere between the two.
Carp Rod Materials
Most carp rods these days are made from carbon fibre. This has the advantage of being very light and thin in section for its
strength. Some older carp rods were made of hollow fibre glass and you will see the difference in these straight away, being
much thicker and heavier looking. On some of the newer more expensive models, extra strength is added by including
Kevlar in the compound, making an extremely strong but still lightweight material indeed.
Carp Rod Choice
So, with all of these factors to consider, which type should you choose? Well, as I said earlier, it all depends on the type of
carp fishing you intend to do. If you want to travel light and stalk your quarry from a tree branch, then a 10 foot model is for
you, but for most purposes look for a 12 foot carp rod. The test curve will depend on the weight to be applied and a 2½ lb.
test curve is a good all round model. If you are intending fishing mainly in the margins or close in work and the carp you
expect to catch are mostly to be around the 10 pound mark, then anything between 1½ lb. and 2 lb. will be fine. But if you
are intending casting to the sun, maybe with a method feeder attached or 3 ounces of lead, or if you are looking for a rod for
spodding, then look at a 3 lb. test curve. And if you are really serious about casting long distances for 40 lb. plus fish, or
spodding out a few pounds of trout pellet at a time, then maybe go as high as 4 lb.
Let's see action
As far as the action of the carp rod goes, if you want all round fishing then look at a compound taper rod. If however you are
trying to hit the centre of a 20 acre gravel pit with four pounds of groundbait attached to your feeder, then a fast or tip action
is required to really punch it out there. The tip will bend quickly on the cast, but the rest of the rod will hold plenty of reserve
power as your cast follows through. For margin or close in work or floater fishing, an all through action carp rod will give you
that control on the strike and while playing a fish at close range, using the whole length of the rod straight away.
Kevlar
Material wise, well if you can afford the superior Kevlar materials, and want the strength that this provides, then go for it. If
however you just want a good carp rod for general everyday use, then an ordinary carbon fibre rod is fine and is still a very
strong bit of kit. If anyone offers you a second hand fibre glass rod, try it out first. You will find it much heavier and bulkier
and it will be harder to cast due to the extra wind resistance.
Line
As a guide to help you decide, look at the strength of line you expect to be using. If you multiply the test curve of the carp
rod by five, it should determine the required test of the line to suit it. A line strength of 10 lbs therefore would be well suited
to a 2lb test curve carp rod. Remember, choose a carp rod carefully and it will last a lifetime, but the wrong type of rod can
spoil your fishing, be uncomfortable and maybe lose you that fish you have been waiting for.