Carp rods: choosing the best models || Carp rod or feeder

Classification of rods for carp fishing

Carp fishing rods can be divided into several classes; if we take the main ones, then we can distinguish three of them. Fishing rods are classified according to their action. Let's take a closer look at them:

• The first class is universal rods for carp fishing; they are characterized by a medium action. These rods are great for fishing both on the lake and on the river. Using such rods in combination with loads of 100 - 150 grams, you can deliver tackle over a distance of up to 140 meters. Buying such a carp rod will be the best solution for people who collect only one (universal) set of gear. Such rods can consist of several legs, namely from 2 to 6, and their length is about 3.6 -3.9 meters;
• The next class is telescopic carp rods with a parabolic action; anglers often call them parabolics. They are not suitable for fishing in the current; the ideal place for fishing with such rods would be a lake with a clean bottom. The maximum distance to which I delivered the tackle with such a rod was about 120 meters, maybe you can do more. The length of such rods is the same as the previous ones. The test weight of such rods is 50 – 100 grams;
• Third class – carp rods for long-distance casting. They allow you to deliver tackle over a distance of 140 meters when using sinkers weighing 150-200 grams. The maximum casting distance using this rod is 274 meters, and this is a registered world record. Carp fishermen use such sticks for fishing in fast currents and long distances, for example in reservoirs or large rivers.

The second class of fishing rods is highly specialized. Telescopic fishing rods for carp can also be divided into three categories:

• The first is short carp rods (1.8–2.7 meters long). These rods are designed for catching carp in hard-to-reach places where it would be impossible to fish with long rods, for example, near reed beds or coastal bushes. Often such fishing rods consist of two legs and have an average test. Some anglers use them to catch carp from a boat;
• The second is rods that are designed for fishing on the surface of the water using floating baits. Often these are rods with two legs and a medium action. Using floats for long-distance casting, you can cast the equipment at a distance of 60 or 70 meters;
• Third, these are lightweight carp rods from Barbel, Avon, and Specialist, which are suitable for catching small carp on a float or feeder. Often such rods are equipped with a replaceable upper bend. Their test is no more than 100 grams.

Branded carp fishing rods

There are a lot of manufacturers of carp rods, some make good gear, and some not so much. But for a long time only a few companies that produce high-quality equipment have remained leaders in the market, these are:

• Mikado;
• Fox;
• Salmo;
• Daiwa;
• Jaxon;
• Volzhanka.

If you carefully study the model range of these manufacturers, you will notice both inexpensive carp rods and high-end sticks in the corresponding price category.

Which carp rod to buy

For beginner fishermen, it would be best to buy a rod 3.5 - 4 meters long. These fishing rods are best suited for long and medium distance fishing. If you cast correctly and choose the right set of gear, you can easily deliver bait to a distance of 120-125 m. Such rods are very popular among fishermen.

Prices for carp rods

One of the key parameters when choosing a carp rod is its price. And here the choice baffles even experienced fishermen, let alone beginners. You can find a fishing rod for $20, or for $300, and sometimes even more. As practice shows, most often the price corresponds to the quality of the fishing rod. But don’t immediately grab the most expensive fishing rod. Beginner fishermen are advised to buy rods that cost between $50 and $100.

Test in LB

Before choosing a carp rod, you need to determine its LB test. This parameter indicates the mass of the sinker, which, in a suspended position, can bend the end of the fishing rod by 90 degrees.

1 LB is equal to 28.35 g. The British determine the optimal weight of the equipment using the formula they created. For example, if the specified test on a rod is 3.25 LB, then you need to add 1 LB to it.

So 3.25 x 1 LB (28.35) 1 LB. As a result, the optimal weight of the gear will be 120.48 g. Using a rod with a test of 3.5 LB, you can cast gear weighing no more than 127.57 g. The rod test for catching large and medium-sized specimens is from 2.5 to 3, 5 LB.

Due to the fact that many novice fishermen prefer gear with the highest test indicators and heavy weights, when fishing for large fish, the entire load is transferred from a rod that is too hard and powerful to the line.

As a result, it often cannot stand it and breaks. It is better for a beginner to give preference to a fishing rod whose optimal test is 3 LB.

The best budget fishing rods for carp fishing

Let's look at the rating of the best and inexpensive rods for carp fishing. I decided to compile it so that you don’t overpay more, and sometimes some people simply don’t have such an opportunity. So let's look at the most budget fishing rod models.

1. Daiwa Black Widow Carp is the best combination of price and quality among fishing rods. The power of the rod blank is quite large and amounts to 3.75 pounds. The characteristics make it easy to use the rod for long casting.
2. DAIWA Windcast Carp – this rod has very good characteristics and belongs to the middle price category.
3. Fox Warrior is a whole series of rods for carp fishing, belonging to the middle price class. The range is quite wide and includes marker and spod rods.
4. The Jaxon Cantara Carp is a three-piece fishing rod that falls into the middle price class. Thanks to the use of composite materials in production, Jaxon was able to obtain a high quality product at a low price.
5. Salmo Diamond CARP 3PCS 3.6 m – the Latvian company Salmo pleases fishermen with an excellent carp model of a three-piece rod. The price of such pleasure is quite low and even novice fishermen can afford it.
6. Salmo Taifun Tele CARP 3.3 is one of the best telescopic rods for carp fishing, with a medium action. Thanks to the use of fiberglass in production, the rod is very light, about 300 grams, and can be easily balanced by choosing a powerful reel.
7. Mikado Amberlite Medium Carp is a Mikado rod that attracts fishermen with its price. The fishing rod is quite powerful, has a durable blank and a sensitive tip. High-quality composite materials are used in production.
8. Volzhanka Sazan is a series of carp rods from a well-known Russian manufacturer. Excellent for fishing from the shore using heavy weights and feeders. The rod is quite easy to transport, as it folds into three parts.

Marker carp rods

Marker carp rods are used to study the characteristics of the bottom of a reservoir. Experienced fishermen, using a marker rod, can easily determine the depth and relief in the fishing area, and then can choose the most promising places and bait them.

The main feature of marker rods is the good transmission of vibration to the carp angler’s hand. If you have even the slightest practice, then you can replace the marker rod with any other rod with a test weight of 80-100 grams. This weight is usually enough to deliver the float to the required distance and quickly sink to the bottom. But this way you can only determine the depth, but to study the terrain you simply cannot do without a special fishing rod with a sensitive tip.

It is almost impossible to distinguish a marker rod from a regular carp rod; it has a length of about 3.5 m and a test value of about 2.75 Lbs. To study the features of the bottom, you will have to use rods with large parameters. For example, a fishing rod with a test weight of 4 Lbs (100-140 grams) and a length of about 4 meters will allow even a beginner to deliver a marker to a distance of more than 140 meters.

Marker rods are usually marked with feet. This allows you to release the line from the reel and count its length until the float appears on the surface. This technique allows you to determine the depth at the fishing spot.

How to choose a feeder rod and tackle for catching crucian carp

For novice anglers, it is necessary to understand what a feeder rod looks like and what parts it consists of.

Firstly, this is gear designed for catching fish at the bottom of a reservoir and equipped with a feeder.

In other words, this is bottom tackle. It consists of a fishing rod (the main cone-shaped part of the fishing rod), as well as a flexible nod. The reel, as a rule, is inertialess, and the equipment is a sinker, which is also a feeder. You can distinguish a feeder from other gear by the number of rings: there are many more of them than on others.

The feeder is more massive. This rod is the longest and strongest of any spinning rod. Such characteristics make it possible to cast long distances without damaging the equipment.

Existing varieties: hard, soft, combined. In a hard one, the tip of the rod bends, and then the knee. The soft type allows all knees to bend, as well as the tips. Combined - during low loads, not the entire rod is used, but only part of it. But when the load increases, all parts of the rod come into play.

In addition to types, feeder rods have their own classification, which determines the length of the rod. The length ranges from two to five meters and test loads from 10 to 300 g.

Our task is to help you, dear visitors of our site, choose the most effective fishing rod and tackle.

How should a feeder rod intended for carp be equipped?

It is known that carps are the largest and strongest fish; therefore, the tackle for catching it must be chosen carefully. The most primitive equipment is the paternoster, or Gardner loop. It consists of 2 loops with a feeder, a leash, and hooks attached to them.

For carp, a feeder rod of the following class is most suitable:

• Ligh (rod length 3 – 3.6 – 4.0 m, test – 10 – 40 g), or “Medium” (length – no more than 3.6 m with test 80 – 100 g). Also suitable are the “heavy” and “extra heavy” classes with dough up to 120 g (for long casts). In the store you can find special gear for carp, which differ in the reel: its reel holder is extended, and the handle is shorter than others.
• The reel is a spinning reel, has a rear friction brake, the spool size is from 3000 to 4000. If you are willing to spend money, then buy a carp reel with a baitrunner (“running attachment”), which allows you to freely drop the line if the bites start. This is an additional braking system that provides momentary weakening of the friction brake. This way you won’t break the tackle when large specimens bite.
• The fishing line is monofilament, having a diameter of 0.3-0.35 mm, dark in color. Due to its stretch, such a line allows you to dampen the violent jerks of the “big fish”: the load on the rod and reel is significantly reduced. If you intend to catch carp weighing more than 10 kg, then the most suitable line size is 0.35. For small specimens (up to 4 kg), a 0.14 - 0.16 mm fishing line is suitable.
• The length of the leashes can vary from 0.2 to 0.6 m (but it can be 10 or 80 m. Depends on the size of the fish). The leash can be a fishing line, 0.18 - 0.28 mm thick, made of fluorocarbon. It will not be superfluous if the spare line on the reel is at least 130 - 150 meters.
• The hook is a special hook for carp, characterized by high strength. It should also be sharp enough (experienced fishermen prefer Japanese-made hooks).
• Feeder - “Method”, the essence of which lies in its original form. There are 4 types of such feeders, but preference is given to the one where the bait is hidden inside the feed. Fishermen make it with a viscous consistency and the size of such a lump is usually larger than the feeder itself. The hook along with the bait is not pressed very deeply.
• The bait can be any mixture consisting of corn, barley, dough, peas, as well as worms, maggots, bloodworms with additives in different variations.

Also interesting: Kukan

Let's talk about feeder gear for crucian carp

Crucian carp is a very cautious fish that rarely approaches the shores. Even if he notices the bait on the float rod, there is no guarantee that he will attack it. Therefore, fishing for crucian carp with a feeder in standing reservoirs with a muddy bottom is quite common. And despite the fact that crucian carp is very careful, catching it on a feeder using the right equipment will not be difficult and very exciting.

• “Light” rod (rod length 3 – 3.6 m, and “Medium” rod (length – no more than 3.6 m, with test values ​​40 – 80 g. The most durable materials for such a rod are carbon or composite.
• The fishing line is monofilament (0.2-0.25), or “braided” with a thickness of 0.1 – 0.13. There is no big difference in these lines. The main thing here is to choose a fishing line that can withstand the load when fishing for large crucian carp.
• For a leash, mono fishing line is most suitable, diameter 0.14 - 0.16. But some anglers prefer flurabone line, which is designed to carry the same load as the main line. Flucarbon is invisible in water, but is twice as weak when breaking. So draw your own conclusions and make your own decisions, as they say.
• Cargo feeder – from 40 to 70 g.

Feeder rig for crucian carp fishing

Since we decided to catch crucian carp in a muddy pond, we need to choose the equipment that does not allow the feeder to sink into the mud. It should give you the ability to subtly feel the degree of bites through the tip of the rod.

• The equipment is a paternoster (for a muddy bottom), or an anti-twist is knitted. The most sensitive loop is the symmetrical one. She can transmit even the slightest bite.
• Reel – it should be the most reliable and large. Optimally – “Dive” 3000 – 4000. The brake is friction – either rear or front (your choice, whichever is more convenient). The baitrunner reel mentioned above works very effectively.
• The leash is thin, long and quite soft. It can be made of fluorocarbon with a thickness of 0.07 to 0.09 mm. The color of the fishing line should not stand out against the background of the bottom, and the length of the leash ranges from 15 to 32 cm.
• Hooks are small and thin with numbers 20 – 16 (international classification). The principle works here: the smaller the hooks, the more active the bites. For large bait, the hook number is small. For example, for a worm, the most suitable hook would be number 16 with a short shank. Bloodworm - hook No. 20, but with a longer shank, and for maggots No. 17, 18.
• Feeder. Besides the fact that crucian carp is a cautious fish, it is also lazy. Therefore, if the “dining table” is small and compact, the greater the chance of detaining this lump at the feeding trough. You can buy a plastic feeder that has minimal perforation. This type of feeder will not allow you to lose a lot of food, and will create the appearance of a large and appetizing feeding “table”. In addition, such a feeder begins to work only at the moment it touches the bottom, and will not erode the food as it sinks. The feeder is attached to the main line and equipped with a weight (during currents and in deep places).
• Bait - either homemade or purchased in specialized stores. But if you decide to cook it yourself, then remember that crucian carp is a lover of pearl barley porridge. As a rule, flavorings are added to porridges, but there is no need to get carried away with them. You can diversify the porridge bait with a natural protein additive: maggots, chopped worms, bloodworms. But you shouldn’t overdo it with these ingredients, since the task of our bait is to attract and retain crucian carp, and not to feed it to its fullest. The fish should remain half hungry. If the bait turns out to be light, then you can add soil from the bottom of the reservoir in which you will catch crucian carp. Tip: dark bait is the most catchy.

Also interesting: Pacifier

Dear site visitors! Believe me, fishing with feeder gear is exciting and perhaps the most interesting type of fishing. At this moment you forget about everything in the world, receiving a certain charge of vivacity, forgetting about all the problems and feeling yourself at the peak of fishing pleasure and happiness! Master a new and interesting type of tackle and, as they say, “not a fish, not a flake”!

Category: Fishing tackle

Feeder carp rods

Many fishermen prefer to use feeder carp rods, which, in addition to the equipment itself, are also equipped with feeders. Choosing a feeder rod for carp is not an easy task, since this fish is very strong and the rod must be powerful and also quite reliable. The feeder rod must have a medium or fast action in order to force the carp to go to the shore, and not drag the equipment into the snags.

A feeder rod is considered universal, as it allows you to catch carp in any body of water. It performs equally well on a reservoir, river or overgrown lake. But do not forget about the fishing ban; during the spawning period, it is prohibited to catch carp on a feeder.

Due to the characteristics of carp, namely because it looks for food at the bottom, it is very good to catch it with bottom gear. For such purposes, special rods have been developed for bottom fishing for carp. A special feature of such fishing rods is a big test, because carp fishing involves the use of very heavy loads.

The difference between a feeder rod and a carp rod is an obvious but not strict fact

Unlike carp rods, feeders are slightly more aesthetically pleasing. They are considered to be more suitable for beginners in fishing, especially when it comes to telescopic feeders. They have a fairly thin blank, shorter elbows, greater length, and pass rings are placed on high footrests. Feeder rods are not designed for particularly intense muscle work and are generally somewhat more fragile than carp fishing rods, but they are also well suited for catching active bottom fish - crucian carp, bream, rudd and even carp. Almost always, the feeder rod comes with an attached signaling head, often painted with bright fluorescent paint. There may be several of them, designed for different weights of the feeder. Typically, such rods are made in a three-piece form (carp rods are most often two-piece). They are more designed for catching a wide range of white fish, primarily bream. In addition, there are various forms of devices and improvements that orient the feeder for catching such difficult fish as barbel and carp - stronger and more rigid signaling tips, wide and voluminous feeders, fast action. This is the difference between a feeder rod and a carp rod. One of the representatives of the top feeders is the three-part Preston Absolute 12′ SuperFeeder with a length of 360 centimeters. Along with a pleasant design, the manufacturer has given it excellent characteristics that are superior even to some budget models of heavy carp rods.

What is the difference between a carp rod and a feeder?

The main difference between a carp rod and a feeder rod is its power. It is designed for using heavier gear and landing strong, large fish. And the structure of a carp rod is completely different; it is completely devoid of the elegance that is inherent in a feeder rod.

Carp rods are considered strictly functional and their main task is to catch trophy specimens. All components have increased strength, starting from a powerful and strong handle, ending with reinforced guide rings.

Often, carp fishing rods do not exceed 4 meters in length, although they allow long casts. Probably, this is where we can complete the list of criteria and indicators on the topic of how a carp rod differs from a feeder rod.

A typical and beloved representative of this class of rods is the Salmo Taifun TeleCarp. Its test is 100 grams, about 3 meters long and is made from high quality materials. Such parameters allow you to fight with strong fish in rivers and lakes with complete confidence. With this rod you can catch carp, grass carp and silver carp without worrying about reliability.

Getting to know the tackle

Today, carp fishing has become very popular.
Special gear and accessories are produced for this type of fish. Among the huge assortment of well-known brands, there are also fakes. Since the rod is used as the main element when fishing for carp, its choice should be approached responsibly.

There are both plug-in and telescopic fishing rods on the shelves. Judging by consumer reviews, plug-in ones are considered the best.

The second version of gear has less power for effective power casting with heavy baits.