Carp rods

Types and characteristics of rods for carp fishing

A carp rod is a strong and reliable tackle with which you can cast bait and fish for carp. Today the range of such fishing rods is quite wide . But since this purchase is not for one day, you need to make a good choice and make a good choice.

Main categories of carp rods

Rods for any type of fishing are divided into telescopic and plug-in. Telescopic tackle is not suitable for carp fishing, as it does not have the necessary power, which is necessary for forceful casting of heavy weights.

Plug rods, known for more than ten years, perform quite well:

Compound Taper is a carp tackle for short casts, which at the end of the rod perfectly absorbs all jerks of the fish. When used correctly, you can prevent the line from slipping and breaking. No failures during casting or loose ends even with heavy loads. You can choose Bruce&Walker Expert and IMX Hutchinson.
Fast Taper is a carp rod with a hard tip action. It is used for long casts. The disadvantage of such a tool is that when fishing from the shore, there is a high probability of the line breaking.
The Composite Progressive Taper is a carp tackle that is a cross between a CT and a FT. We made such a rod in order to eliminate all the shortcomings of previous gear, and this was completely successful. Its high reliability is ensured by the thick lower part. At lower loads, the effect of the end part is more pronounced. If the pressure increases, the carbon fiber and Kevlar combination will cause the rod to yield all the way down to the handle. The most famous SPTs are Century Armalite, KEV2000 and Sportex KEVCarp.

Choosing a fishing rod for its intended purpose

Which design test to choose depends on the fishing conditions:

For fishing in a body of water where there are no algae and snags, there is no point in purchasing something powerful. It will be enough to opt for gear with a test of 3 pounds. However, such a rod is only suitable for short distances. For long distances you will need to choose something more powerful. For example, for distances greater than 120 yards, it is recommended to select a 3.75 pound test design.
When fishing for carp near snags and algae, you will need the power of the blank, so you should choose a rod with a large cast. If the fish decides to hide in the snags and needs to be turned around, then a tackle with a test of 3.25 to 3.5 pounds will help with this.
If you want to buy a rod that is too hard or too soft, you can pay attention to a design with not a fast action, but a slow action one. Many people do not like rigid and powerful fast-action tackle, the bend of which occurs at the tip. A slow action rod, even one with a large test, will have a bend from the butt to the tip.

The choice of carp tackle also depends on the size of the reservoir. In small bodies of water, there are most often no large carp, so you can choose a design for catching them with a small test. If the reservoir is large and you need to throw PVA bags or fish over long distances, then the choice of test will depend on the fishing distance.

Tips from experienced anglers

Fishing for carp differs from hunting for other types of fish, first of all, in that this fish is quite cunning, so catching it is not very easy. Carp, due to their weight and habits, can break a fishing rod .

Therefore, it is necessary to purchase special equipment to catch this fish. You can find it in stores without any problems. But you need to remember that carp rods and reels, as well as other components, must be balanced with each other .

Due to the fact that carp fishing rods are purchased for a long period of use, it is necessary to approach the choice of this equipment with the utmost seriousness. In this case, fishing will be more effective. The fisherman will not encounter any difficulties when catching carp and will be able to ensure a good catch for himself while on the pond.

Rod length

This gear parameter should be selected depending on the height of the person who will use it. If the fisherman is up to 175 centimeters tall, the length of the rod should be from 3.5 to 3.7 meters or from 11 to 12 feet . If the fishing enthusiast is taller, then the recommended length is from 3.7 to 4 meters or from 12 to 13 pounds. Such designs have a greater distance between the reel seat and the handle, which is very convenient for a tall fisherman.

With the help of longer carp tackle, you can control the fishing process, which is very important when fishing in rivers or in hard-to-reach places, where the rod must be raised up. It is much harder for a carp to bend a long structure, and this gives an advantage to the fisherman.

Another positive feature of carp gear is that most often it consists of two parts. Thanks to this, even the longest product can be transported in a car or public transport.

Reviews from fishermen

Sergey, Mozhga:

I purchased a carp rod from an online store. The Shimano model showed itself to be very good. Despite the many trophy carp that were caught in the local river, the rod never failed. I recommend it to everyone.

Andrey, Krasnogorsk:

I decided to take up carp fishing quite recently; before that I was only involved in trolling predatory fish. At first, the activity seemed incredibly boring, but after I managed to catch a “hog” weighing 36 kg, I became seriously “ill” with carp fishing. In order to find out from my own experience the correlation between the price and quality of fishing rods, I purchased several poles of different price categories from the famous Japanese company “Shimano”.

All forms are of excellent quality and the higher the price of the form, the more convenient it is to handle while fishing.

Nikolay, Moscow:

For carp fishing, I purchased several telescopic rods from Salmo. Despite the fact that such sticks are slightly inferior in quality to plug-in options, they take up much less space during transportation, which was the determining factor for me.

Sticks are very inexpensive, so you can purchase several different models so that when fishing for carp you can distribute gear along the shoreline, as well as for the convenience of using different baits at the same time. I am very pleased with the quality of the “Salmo” company, I recommend everyone who starts carp fishing to purchase such forms.

Alexey, Kirov:

I have been fishing for carp for about 10 years. I decided to move to a new level of skill and purchase expensive carp gear, including a fishing rod. Prologic Fast Water is one of the most expensive models that could be found in fishing stores in the city.

This stick has been in use for more than a year, during which time carp with a total weight of 350 kg have been caught, and the rod is still in excellent technical condition. I recommend everyone who plans to seriously engage in carp fishing to try Prologic Fast Water. The price of such “pleasure” is $400.

Konstantin, Novocherkassk:

I have been specifically engaged in carp fishing for only 2 months, but during this time I have already managed to gain experience in catching this fish and in the correct selection of parts of a carp fishing rod. For myself, I found the optimal price-quality ratio, which manifests itself most advantageously in Shimano carp fishing rods. To begin with, you should buy an inexpensive fishing rod and test it well in various conditions.

If the stick performs well, then you can buy a more expensive form from the same company and in the store where you purchased the first option. Thus, I was able to choose the highest quality blank from the variety that is presented in modern fishing stores.

Mikhail, Volgodonsk:

I’ve been catching carp for more than 30 years with a homemade spinning rod, and I manage to catch trophies weighing more than 20 kg.

Alexander, Moscow:

I purchased several rods made of composite material, because after the last trip to Lvov Ponds, some “monster” broke all the rods. I always considered myself an experienced fisherman, capable of catching large fish even with insufficiently strong gear, but apparently he overestimated his capabilities. I bought several sticks from Shimano for carp fishing.

I chose the models with the highest tensile strength. Next weekend I’ll go get this “Lion’s Monster”.

Bend test or rod stiffness

The test is a weight that is applied to the tip of the rod, positioned horizontally. The tip should bend at an angle of ninety degrees, so the higher the test, the more impressive the sinker you can throw and not worry about the tackle breaking. The carp rod test ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 Lb (lbs).

However, the test alone is not an indicator of the throwing properties of carp tackle. So, for example, a 2.75 pound test rod with a fast action will cast farther than a 3.5 pound test rod with a slow action.

Carp rod test and length

It is very important to understand the main characteristics that are indicated on modern fishing rods. The test means what weight of lures can be used effectively without overloading the rod.

Construction of a carp rod

There are many tuning options, but for convenience only three are mentioned:

fast;
semi-fast;
slow.

Fast action rods.

With the help of such gear you can cope with carp fishing at long distances. However, to do this you need to be good at casting techniques . The designs perform best when casting heavy feeders, large PVA bags or heavy weights.

Fishing with such gear is not very pleasant, as it looks more like a “stick”. Due to the rigidity of the blank, which affects the casting distance, the likelihood of breakages or slippage of the leash increases. This problem can be solved by using a stretchable fishing line.

Semi-fast action rods

This class includes the most universal carp tackle. With their help, you can easily and accurately throw method feeders, small and medium-sized PVA bags. They perform well in playing.

To achieve good fishing results when using semi-fast rods, you do not need to have any special equipment.

Slow standing rods

These types of gear work best for fishing and do not require constant work with a baitrunner or drag. They do the best job of casting accurately over short distances and allow the use of line. They only work in combination with light loads.

For fishing with PVA bags, a feeder method and for long casts, slow action rods are not suitable.

Choosing a handle, reel and line for carp rods

When choosing gear, you should pay special attention to these main components of the fishing rod.

Lever

A distinctive feature of carp fishing structures is their location and unusual shape.

The location of the handles is related to the technique of casting the tackle, so one of them is located on the butt itself, and the second is placed far forward. They are made from foam or cork. There is no big difference between the materials. You should choose a handle so that it does not slip and fits your hand. Attention must also be paid to the distance between the hand grips . Too large or, on the contrary, small distance will limit the possibility of throwing.

It is recommended to choose gear equipped with a screw lock for the reel. With its help, the reel will not dangle when fishing for carp.

Carp rods - terminology and pricing.

They are quite powerful models that are designed for casting heavy weights over long distances.
Fishing is carried out from the bottom, and the bite is indicated using a special sound alarm. The rods are not used often. But they have a margin of safety during power casts, and also be able to turn around fish, the weight of which can exceed 20 kilograms! In this series, we will look at the basic concepts of carp fishing rods, and also briefly introduce you to the main models that have proven themselves only from the best side, both in our practice and in the practice of our colleagues and other fishermen!

Basic terminology to help you navigate the carp equipment store!

are three types of tuning If the form begins to bend at the base during shaking - slow action, from the middle - medium, if only the upper part sways - fast. A slow action absorbs jerks better, but casting is not far away. A fast action allows for long casting, but does not dampen jerks when fishing.
Test - Rod test is expressed in pounds (lb). The force that must be applied to bend the tip of the rod at an angle of 90 degrees. To choose the optimal sinker, add 0.5 to the test and find out the weight of the sinker in ounces!
Rings – rings are distributed along the entire length of the rod; the line passes through them when casting. The last, smallest ring is called a “tulip”.
The butt is the back part of the rod.
The reel seat is the mechanism by which the reel is attached to the fishing rod.

How many rods will I need?

Workers - the fishing will be done directly on them. Usually they are used from two to four.
Marker rod - you will use it to explore the structure of the bottom and determine the depth. This is very important to choose the right fishing point.
Spod (bait) rod – designed for feeding the fishing point.

Rod prices?

It's always best to stick to your budget. But remember that carp fishing, like any modern fishing, is not a budget hobby. If you decide to engage in this fishing, then you do not need to initially pursue the most expensive equipment. But you still have to spend money. It’s good that now many leading manufacturers have increased their production capacity so much that they can produce fishing rods that do not bring profit (the lack of profit is compensated by the sale of flagship models), but allow more and more fishermen to join the ranks of carp anglers.

A) Budget class.

Price range: from 4.8 to 12 thousand rubles per rod.

With these rods you can catch fish perfectly at a distance of up to 120 meters. Catching even large specimens will not be difficult. Remember that often the price of fishing rods is determined not only by technical characteristics, but also by the visual component. Various decorations, complex laser engravings and so on are, of course, reflected in the price.

The budget class leader is FOX EOS. It appeared several years ago, conquered the market and became a real outlet for those who cannot afford big expenses. Today, on the wave of success, FOX has expanded its line and now EOS is a real Volkswagen among carp equipment.

Shimano TX-1 is a competitor to EOS, which is also fighting for leadership in the lowest price niche. Currently, Shimano is paying more and more attention to carp fishing. And they started with the TX-1 rod, realizing that the more affordable Shimano quality is for fishermen, the better!

If we move to the upper limit of the budget class, then the choice is already expanding.

We will all remember the legendary Warrior rod, but at the beginning of 2019, FOX has something interesting in store. There is a complete abandonment of halftones and two rods at once join the ranks of the premium Horizon line. The X3 is designed to strip away the excess and help anglers who are looking at the budget class reach the top segment. This rod is already breaking all sales records!

One of the “folk” fishing rods are models from SPORTEX. The Catapult series is loved for its reasonable price tag and good quality. Largely due to its softness. If you are a fan of soft rods that will catch fish, the Sportex Catapult seems to be created for you. But if you prefer more “daring” models, then we advise you to pay attention to another representative of the top level of budget carp fishing rods.

Shimano TX-2! A very, very worthy form, the most powerful varieties of which can even be safely classified as middle class. But this is normal when there are models that flaunt the price border. This rod is made of XT60 carbon, of fairly high quality and is positioned by the manufacturer as an excellent tool for a wide variety of conditions encountered in amateur fishing.

B) Middle class

Price range: from 12 to 20 thousand rubles for one rod.

Middle class is the perfect balance between high quality and moderate money. The fact is that the middle class is not so much worse than the premium class as it is cheaper. And not so much more expensive than the budget one, but better. Unless, of course, we are talking about a really serious manufacturing company.

When you first pick up the Horizon X4, you will understand that it is very difficult to find a more beautiful rod. It fell into our hands like a glove for our Carptoday team. It was as if they were made directly to order. We are sure that you will experience extreme pleasure from catching carp with this model!

carp reel

This equipment must meet high requirements for reliability and strength and consist of a capacious spool and fishing line with a diameter of 0.3 millimeters. It is also advisable to have a spare spool on which you can wind fishing line of a different diameter.

Modern carp reels have many mechanisms and systems that improve the performance of the design, thereby making the fisherman’s task easier. One of such systems is a baitrunner, which can be used to release line when the line guide is closed. This prevents the fish from breaking the line or dragging away the tackle in case of a sudden bite.

Carp rods with a betrunner are not cheap at all. Therefore, if it is absent, you can simply release the friction brake of the reel. This will significantly reduce the load on the structure and line.

Carp fishing line

During carp fishing, the fishing line experiences heavy loads, so you should choose it correctly, without skimping on quality. For those who do not yet have experience in catching large fish, it is recommended to opt for a fishing line of 0.3 millimeters.

When choosing a fishing line, you should definitely pay attention to the breaking force. It is calculated on the nodal connections of the fishing line, which have less strength compared to a smooth section. So, for example, with a fishing line of ten pounds you can remove a carp that weighs more than ten kilograms.

These are, perhaps, all the main points that should be considered when choosing a carp fishing rod. Of course, the final decision depends on personal preferences, however, if there are any doubts about the choice, it is better to consult with specialists in carp fishing.