Carp Rods

The carp rods I've personally used are Daiwa, Shimano, Chub, Harrison and Century rods and I'd recommend any of them they've all been great rods. If I had to choose it would be my old faithful Century carp rods but I love the new Chub rods even if they are a bit tarty. If you're having trouble choosing and it's a hard job nowadays with each manufacturer saying they're using the latest carbon and kevlar technology and the lightest blanks then ask around and see what the dudes on the banks are fishing with, most carp anglers will be more than happy to talk about their rods!

The test curve of the rod is another important factor and something you need to take into consideration when choosing the best carp rods for the job at hand. The higher the test curve i.e. 3lb then the stiffer the rod will be and the more weight it will be able to cast. On the other hand the rod will be stiff and more likely to bump the fish off the hook when playing it in the margin. So a good balance is needed which depends on the type of fishing that you are doing. If you are fishing at medium to close range then choose a rod between 2.25lb (2 1/4lb) test curve and 2.75lb (2 3/4lb) test curve. Rods in this range of test curve are softer when playing fish but take into consideration that you won't be able to cast as far.

Generally a 12ft carp rod will handle most situations but if you need to cast extreme long range then you can go for a 13 foot rod. A 11 foot rod is great for margin and floater fishing. If you are stalking then a 10 foot rod is a good choice for creeping around with.

Fast action or tip action rods bend mainly at the tip of the rod they're good for casting long range but not so good when playing the fish. If you don't have to cast long range then a through action rod is recommended, the rod will bend throughout the length of the rod and will make playing the fish a nicer experience and less chance of bumping it off the hook.

Carp rods are generally made from carbon fibre. The more money you spend the higher quality the carbon fibre will be. Some of the more expensive carp rods also employ a carbon kevlar material which strengthens the rod. My Daiwa whisker kevlar rods are great rods but a bit on the stiff side for my liking, awesome at casting long range though. I lost a beautiful golden koi in the margins because of one of these rods! Although it could have been my fault but it's easy to blame the rod.

If you're after a nice set of reels to go with your carp rods check out our other site dedicated to carp reels. The ultimate carp reel is the Shimano Aero Technium XT 10000, these reels are amazing and have every feature you could dream of, although a bit pricy!

Baffling as it is, carp fishing is awesome. Carp are extremely adept at sucking in and blowing out suspect baits. It’s such an exhilaration to see the whole action in a fraction of a second as you hang on for dear life while the baitrunner is spinning out line and the buzzers are screaming out.

Carp jubilantly devour on the surface as long as you keep the pellets, biscuits, chic peas, bread, and re-hydrated corn coming in, and these are inexpensive baits as well. Just attach them to the hooks, most preferably the bread. Have the biscuits softened by dipping it in the water for about 2 minutes, then, place them in a sealed sandwich bag for about an hour. Since different brands have different textures, just experiment to know which is firm enough to cast. Another way to hook baits is super gluing the pellet into the shank.

Once they get into feeding, let them feel comfortable around the bait. This gives more opportunity for the fisherman since they begin to not feel picky. This tactic can be useful for zig rigs.

As soon as they’re feeding, cast the bait but make sure not to drop the bait directly onto the feeding carp. Cast away from the feeding area then slowly draw it in position. While the bait is till hanging, keep the food coming in so as to keep the carp from going away.

• Use a hair rig to increase your chance of catching. As carp taste food first, if they don’t like the taste, they won’t come near it.

• You may also use a Spider Line, 50 lbs test, then use a leader material that fits the situation.

• Thread the bait on the baiting needle and hook the hair loop. You may also use foam dipped in a flavor as this enhances the attractiveness of the bait.

• Also make a baiting needle by just straightening a long shank hook. Slide the bait on the shank, then slide the bait from the needle onto the hair.

• Using a float is also an advantage because it adds weight for further distancing and the location is easily identified.

• Don’t forget the controller float rig. A leader can be used which is attached to the swivel to its mainline of at least 3 feet length with a 10lbs Drennan double strength. A low diameter mono will do just as long as it floats well enough for visibility.

So that's the basic setup for catching carp but there's one thing missing and that's a decent reliable set of bite alarms or buzzers as they're called. You can't beat the sound of buzzers screaming out as the carp heads for cover.

As the pros say, it is not the bait that catches the carp but the method in which the bait is introduced. Pre-bait everyday, in one spot for a few days. This makes the carp think that there is a regular source of food for them and by “word of mouth” there’ll soon be a school of fish around. Just be patient and it will all work out with a fish or two on the bank and a few stories to tell your mates down the pub.