Just wondering will 12ft rods become a thing of the past so many people say they have got 10 or 9ft rods and never use there 12fts some say they have sold them and just use there smaller rods for everything some say they would only use 12fts I personally would be ok fishing a small water but fishing a big pit I think I would feel under gunned
Anyone on here use small rods on large waters what's the pros a cons and anyone sold there 12fts and are regretting doing it

In reply to Post #1
I use 12ft rods,and have also wondered if anyone has regretted going 9 or 10ft..

I see a gentle giant fishing the other day ,huge bloke ,using 9ft extractor rods, when he picked one up it reminded me of a gnome,fishing ..

(Of course I went up to this big guy,saying you look really stupid holding those rods, yeah it went well,lol)


Not...😁

When i first started out 10ft rods were the norm for carp fishing , its just driven by tackle companies . Dont let them tell you what to buy and use ,use what you feel comfortable with.They all do the job.

In reply to Post #2
A long time ago, the carp rods were not 12 feet as standard, but like many things in life, carp rods are also subject to fashion whims.
Longer rods have the advantage of casting further, but also have disadvantages, to name a few, they are more difficult when netting the fish and you can put less force on the fish.
Use 12 & 13 feet rods when necessary to cast distance, when bait boats are not allowed.
In all other circumstances always 11-10 or 9 feet rods, where the rod length depends on the location & conditions, and I am 6,2 tall.

In reply to Post #3
I know what tackle companies are up to I am always criticising them I've been carping around 40 years it was split cane then lol it was just a general question to see the way people think the 12ft rods are going
As said a lot of people have 9 or 10fts and 12fts

In reply to Post #5
45 years for me starting with fibreglass though not **** cane . 80% of rods i build are still 12 ft and stupid test curves.👍

In reply to Post #6
Your the person to answer the question so 12ft are the most popular length you build at the moment
Stupid tc ?

In reply to Post #7
Other rod buiders may differ ? And they definitely build more than me .Yes way to high t.c for what is actually needed in my opinion. For example I have built 2.25tc 12ft rods which the owner can hit 175 yds all day long with.

In reply to Post #8
I use 12ft 2.5tc...I never ever feel under gunned or anything like that..in fact my first dedicated proper carp rods were 1.75tc..

Recently I have had made ,a custom 9ft Northwestern ledger swingtip rod,with a tc of no more than 1.1/4 tc..

Since Xmas, fishing a variety of different waters,and sat next to other carpers I have totally outfished them,I think I'm on 60 plus carp now,including many doubles..thats not being cocky,that's not my way just remarking on how overgunned most anglers are I'm sat there actually fishing ,and still some won't try a different approach, I do a lot of the sat behind three black plastic boxes as well..

All I can say is I asked on the phone to a potential fishery ,day out some general question,I was asked what the tc of my rod is,anyway no rods over 2.5tc allowed on this place..

So yeah...all these over top 3 3/4 TCS, are getting noticed maybe,who knows...

My first carp rod was 11 foot a northwestern sealy rod at 2.25 TC I replaced the ringing that had 9 rings down to 6 and it felt better for it. Lovely rod, rose tinted glasses possibly. My second carp rod was 12' back in the 80s, during the 90s I purchased two sets of rods 3 x 12” 2 3/4s and a set of 13' balisters 3.5 TC I replaced my first set with a set of 12' 3.25 Torrix several years back I had again considers 12, 12.6 or 13ft to the point of having a set of reel seats just in case. My third set of rods are also 12' it was popular then as it has been for decades. I have no interest in getting a smaller set of rods unless my car prohibits it. My current car wouldn't easily accommodate a set of 13' so it's a factor.

In reply to Post #10
I had Sealys as well,loved them..

(I near bought a set last week)..

In reply to Post #10
Ya my first carp rods 1.75tc 11ft then 2.25 powermesh everyone thought it was ott when people started getting 2.5 tc rods it's gone crazy sat next to bloke he was using 3.75tc infinitys in a 9 swim puddle

I still use my Shimano 1.75lb rods from the 80s which are 11ft'ers but i use my ESP 2.75lb Tectrix in 12ft by far the most and never felt under gunned. I also have a set of the same rods in 3.25lb which ive never used .

I do think there is a place for shorter rods though, I have some 10ft'ers in 2.5lb which is a nice all rounder and im about to buy a pair of 8ft rods to use from a boat. I briefly owned a set of Sonik Xtractors but for me the whole extending rod thing is a bit of a fad.

I had a set of Sealy rods in 1.5lb in the 80s but they werent North Western .... They had a cross wrap pattern just above the handle (sliding rings reel fittings) .... I

ignore last paragraph they were Silstar rods

I started on short Split-cane Hardy rods
and dont see the need to ever go backwards to short rods I wont be doing any boat work and cant see myself ever needing anything bigger than my distance Daiwa Amorphous AKN 12H 2.75lb
or my Century NG 2.75 rods

In reply to Post #14
Now there's a rod the ng I had. The amorphous 2.75 they where the bee's knee's the tc have just gone up and up over the years