are most people using 10ft a 9ft rods now I fished a big pit with 10fts it just didn't feel right does anyone feel the same
would you rather use 12or 13 fts or is it just me I suppose I feel under gunned so I am thinking of buying some 12fts but before I do i wanted to ask on here
I see a lot of the new rods are 12fts so there must be a market for them so how many people prefer 12fts opinions please

In reply to Post #1
I have 10ft rods for smaller waters or where I'm travelling light, but wherever I can I much prefer to use my 12ft rods

In reply to Post #1
Tackle manufacturers creating a market for shorter rods maybe?

No matter how much those tackle manufacturers try to convince you otherwise, an 11 or 12ft rod (Richard Walker's carp rod designs), will cast further than an 8, 9, or 10feet rod with the same weight. I'm pretty sure that is basic physics!

Shorter rods may be more convenient on smaller waters with overhanging trees, but on a larger water, where you may want or need to cast further a longer rod is the probable better option.

My personal choice is for 12feet rods for carp and bank pike fishing.

I've come to the conclusion that 12ft is probably the perfect length (for me). I have 12'6 Aviators and a 13ft spod for distance and although they cast miles they feel a bit long and flappy. The Spod rod is also heavy.

10ft rods for boat work, great for jumping in and out the boat and dropping on spots but I don't like casting them.

11ft rods for small waters, lovely light rods (Ballistas) but lack a bit if you need to fish longer or use a bag.

The only 12ft rods I have now are an old set of Wychwood SPDs and an Aviator Spod. All of these feel just right. Even tempted to swap the 12'6 for the 12' but I reckon they will stiffen up a fair bit with the shorter blank.

I think a lot of the 9/10 ft rod popularity is down to the proliferation of bait boats. I wouldn't fish a lake that they are allowed but they seem very popular on here. Makes sense to use a lighter, shorter rod if you don't have to cast.

In reply to Post #4
Your right on the bait boat point I was speaking to someone who uses 6ft rods with a bait boat and I've read that people use shorter rods with boat

In reply to Post #5
I've got a 6 foot rod for donking spots from the boat, I can't imagine trying to play a big fish on it, must be hairy and I'd imagine you'd pull more hooks

In reply to Post #1
I use 9ft rods with big pits. Do so because I can't store any made-up rod bigger than a 9ft in my flat (even 10fters won't fit in my cupboard), and the big pits make it noticeably easier to consistently and accurately cast at longer distances. No issue at all with balance, but am using Basia's which are super light. I don't really miss my 12 foot rods at all and definitely don't miss lugging about a 6ft rod hold-all!

In reply to Post #1
I've never brought into the smaller rods hype. I've got a set of 12ft and a set of 13ft. Ian happy to use either sets on any water. I've been using 12 ft rods since I started carp fishing and just can't see the point of smaller rods unless it's a storage thing

I always thought it was the opposite?

I fish with 12' or 12' 9” rods. On a 26 acre mere they are perfect. On this lake I've seen only 2 people fishing with the newer 10 or 9' rods. One is a chap that drives down to the lake and does a quick overnighter out of his car in one of only 2 swims suitable. He kips in the car and has a small rod set up for ease. Arrives at 6 in the evening gone by 6 in the morning so I can see the reasoning behind them. The other is a new guy, late teens and I just presumed he had been sucked in by all the Nash/ social media hype. Certainly the rest of the membership have full sized rods they use on the lake.

TBH I have always viewed them as a bit of a fad, hyped up by the tackle companies to keep people buying stuff.

I do fish with vintage tackle as well and if I was asked what are the limitations of 70 year old Richard Walker MKIV carp rod I would say it's not the fact it's made of split cane but the fact it's only 10'.

Just my opinion, I know others rave about them, and each to their own, but I've always seen them as a passing fad and would pose the question “ are 10' rods not so popular”

In reply to Post #1
I remember when I was looking at the Nash 10ft Black Ops. I phoned them up and Nash said to me in 12 months time you'll hardly use your 12 footers again. He wasn't far wrong. 90% of my fishing is now 10ft or under. I visited York Lakeside Lodges last summer and a set of 8ft Sonik Recon's really came in handy. You really only need the 12 plus footers for long distances.

Interesting subject..

I'm most likely in the minority here ,but I only use one set of rods ,at this moment ..I fish big ressis ,right down to small and I mean small pools sometimes

That set up is 12ft 2 5tc ..this rod length conundrum is on my mind a fair bit ..and recently I toyed with set of 2.75 ,10ft scopes ..on a recent trip there were reeds in front of me ,sexy margins ,either side of this swim,the only viable swim on this trip ,if I'd had a set of 10ft rods or shorter ,I'd have been scuppered ,no way the angle of the line and the length of a ten footer would allow me to fish those nice margins..to the left or right of that swim ,and being 6 ft deep in the edge ,a pod or long banksticks were out..

So I was glad of my 12 fters..

I looked at some ultimate bionics in 10ft 2.75 tc...recently ..,but decided to stay with my 12fters,if I had to get a smaller car ,or travel in another way then I'd understand shorter rods

Added to this ...I've a new neighbour, who carp fishes as well ,he's a huge guy, and 6ft 7inch easily ,and uses 9ft soniks in 3lb tc ...anyway he let me have a cast and ,play a double briefly on his rods...all I can say is ....they were awful..

For me, when it comes to carp, 12 foot is the optimal mix of casting ability, playing action/power and, as mentioned, the ability to reach around bankside obstructions/reeds.

However I do an near equal amount of pike fishing and have always used 10ft rods for deads and 9ft or shorter for lures. I find the shorter dead bait rods easier for short lobs of heavy baits with reasonable accuracy.

Must confess I don't really buy into the mobility benefit of shorter rods, never feel that the extra few ounces of the extra 2ft of carbon has affected me not the added length been problematic but I accept that depends on where you are fishing/storing the gear.

I've just gone back to 10 footers, 10ft 3lb scopes. moving from 12ft 3.25lb, the scopes are so nice, felt very bendy at first but I love them.

Much easier to bring fish in with a 10 foot rod which bends as well.

I see very few people with short rods on the bank personally. I used my 9ft scopes for 2 seasons, purely for the pack down size. Even fishing huge reservoirs. I never felt undergunned. However moving to a reed lined lake, the 9ft rods had issues. And could be a pita, sometimes having to set up in the water to clear the reeds.

I've just bought a set of the 12ft sonik insurgents, they pack down the same size as a 10ft scope, so they can fit side ways in my van which makes it so much easier to fish after work. I'm surprised there aren't more 12ft retractable or 3 piece rods, the sonik are nice, but I wouldn't have been happy if I'd payed the £200rrp

The first carp rods I had were 10ft glass ones given to me by my mate. One had a tc of 1 75 and the other 2lb. Casting range was about 60yds with Mitchell 300 reels and 8lb maxima.. the. plus side was you never lost fish once hooked. My mate had 12ft tricast rods and was always bumping fish off. Its not the length of rod that matters its the casting and more importantly the playing action that counts. I use 12ft rods, and where low trees aren't an impediment. 13ft for distance .

I have a few sets of rods but only really ever use my 12fts and 10fts, my 12fts get used about 3/4 times a year but 99% of my fishing is done with my 10fts I just much prefer playing fish and fishing with them, can get around 80 yards easily with them aswell which covers anything I need tbh
I don't use a bait boat either just genuinely think for my fishing I don't need anything more everyone has a preference I suppose
On one of my syndicate I think out of all the members there is only 1 or 2 that use 12fts all of them use 10fts or smaller

In reply to Post #15
First rod I used specifically for carp was an 8ft glass rod from Shakespeare. Think it was a 30-100g spinning rod designed for sal****er lure fishing. Used to use it as a kid to catch carp off the top on bread.

*Edit - LOL at the auto-censoring of salt-water (without the hyphen) had never noticed what word lies in the middle 😂😂😂

In reply to Post #17
I used a 9ft Browning Spinning rod for years for floater fishing. The action was perfect for carp fishing, very nice through action.