Yes a good tackle shop is priceless mate but fishing is a huge subject and, while the tackle shop is certainly useful to get you started, it would be sad if the individual didn't learn that everything is opinion based conjecture at the end of the day and they can have decades of fun tweaking their kit.
If I could go back in time I wouldn't buy half the rubbish I had, but that's life
The biggest mistake with carp I made was fishing too light (I started the traditional way, as a roach angler)
I learned over time that there is no need for too much finesse with carp and that strong and robust is the way forwards.
(That said, every serious carp angler should have a light setup with barbel type rods for having fun with small carp on light lines - runs waters - that is where you learn and re-learn things, get the confidence going again after stints on hard venues, and especially test baits if you are into DIY).

In reply to Post #11
What ones? I'm hearing the Vader's aren't great

In reply to Post #17
They aren't bad from what I've seen mate. The dominatior range too. Or some places still have s3 and s4. Loved my old sk3xtrs, a hell of a lot of rod for not a lot of money

In reply to Post #18
Interesting your opinions on rods and cheap thin walled blanks and UK made. The infinity rods you use were designed by a Japanese designer employed by daiwa and were a high diameter thin walled blank.

In reply to Post #14
I know our friend is no longer in the building but I googled ‘rod building courses uk' and this was the top result... Not sure how it took AGES to find

In reply to Post #20
you get what you pay for the sonik Rods where just that, they do a job however they don't do it particularly well nor poorly, an average blank for the money.

In reply to Post #20
I will be upgrading next year and did look into sonik but I get the feeling from reviews etc they aren't what they used to be. Think I've settled on shimano tx2

In reply to Post #23
Sorry but from my experience thats utter rubbish

In reply to Post #24
I have a set of TX2 13ft Extremes for my distance fishing, great rods for the money and cast brilliantly and can cast huge distances

In reply to Post #26
Haven't heard a bad word about them tbf. I'll probably go for 3 or 3.25 12ft

In reply to Post #27
Absolutely they were recommended to me during a casting lesson with Terry Edmonds, my other casting rods are free spirits xs ives, the Tx2's are a better casting rod in my opinion.

So many replies it took me 3days to read them all lol,

Lots of good rod suggestions made and plenty of food for thought wasn't expecting a manufacturing science lesson thanks guys, what you all think of fox Horizon X4 carp rods?


I always like to get a better quality rods over the years i have found it pays for its self in time as the few budget rods I have over the years have fell apart.

I don't like Fox
Up themselves and think they are more than what they are - overpriced
Their hooks aren't bad, useful if you want something brutally strong but they are not my main choice of anything