Hello,
It might seem a daft question but what are the softest rods you can get away with for carp up to 20lb, I want 9', maximum 10' as the water I fish is quite small. In the past when I last fished for carp I had the Nsah Scope rods but found them far too stiff, I would rather play them for longer than drag them out.
Thanks for looking.
It might seem a daft question but what are the softest rods you can get away with for carp up to 20lb, I want 9', maximum 10' as the water I fish is quite small. In the past when I last fished for carp I had the Nsah Scope rods but found them far too stiff, I would rather play them for longer than drag them out.
Thanks for looking.
In reply to Post #1
Short rods are usually stiffer, so if you want true players action rods you'll need 11 or 12 footers, something like a ballista
Short rods are usually stiffer, so if you want true players action rods you'll need 11 or 12 footers, something like a ballista
In reply to Post #1
Nash scope in 2.25lb are great lovely to play carp on nice and soft
Nash scope in 2.25lb are great lovely to play carp on nice and soft
In reply to Post #2
Nash dwarf 10ft 3.00lb was softer then my current rods: 12ft Fs Es
Daiwa cast'izm 10 2.5lb if you can find them are very nice for fp
Nash dwarf 10ft 3.00lb was softer then my current rods: 12ft Fs Es
Daiwa cast'izm 10 2.5lb if you can find them are very nice for fp
In reply to Post #1
Century armalite mk3 10ft 3.25lb
Century armalite mk3 10ft 3.25lb
Harrison ballista for sure
I have been using some Free Spirit S range 10ft 2.5lb rods since being put onto these by a tackle shop, one of the staff members in the Tackle Box showed them to me after I went there to look at their Darent Valley rods for something similar.
They really do bend right through and I have been using a 2oz lead with small mesh pva bag no problem.
Had some epic battles under the rod tops with these, handled fish up to 22lb for me and can steer fish away from snags nicely.
I'd suggest going to pick them up if you do like them, the Tackle Box had about 8 different rods out for me so we could find two where the ring spacing and handles matched... Shocking for the money really but I'm happy now I have ones I like.
Occasionally tempted to pick up a third but will have to go back again for a look.
They really do bend right through and I have been using a 2oz lead with small mesh pva bag no problem.
Had some epic battles under the rod tops with these, handled fish up to 22lb for me and can steer fish away from snags nicely.
I'd suggest going to pick them up if you do like them, the Tackle Box had about 8 different rods out for me so we could find two where the ring spacing and handles matched... Shocking for the money really but I'm happy now I have ones I like.
Occasionally tempted to pick up a third but will have to go back again for a look.
In reply to Post #1
Ballista stalker 10ft 2.75 lovely rods . 9ft harrison three piece stalker in either 2lb t.c or 2.75 tc.
Ballista stalker 10ft 2.75 lovely rods . 9ft harrison three piece stalker in either 2lb t.c or 2.75 tc.
In reply to Post #5
What a suggestion in this TC.
To OP:
All depends on presence of weed or snags in the lake. Have some Harrison 4-pc Avon rods, about 1,25-1,5lb TC and 11' length. Caught 30lb carp on them in hit and hold situations. Really lovely playing rods.
As earlier said shorter rods are mostly stiffer rods. Another set I have are YAC stalkers, 3-piece 9' 2,75lb rods. Bit more backbone compared to the Avons but less bending rods.
Would suggest some 2,5lb (Baby) Ballista (Stalker), or 12" armalite Mk3 in 1,75 or 2,25lb. Stay away from any rods above 2,75lb, way to powerful for your purpose.
What a suggestion in this TC.
To OP:
All depends on presence of weed or snags in the lake. Have some Harrison 4-pc Avon rods, about 1,25-1,5lb TC and 11' length. Caught 30lb carp on them in hit and hold situations. Really lovely playing rods.
As earlier said shorter rods are mostly stiffer rods. Another set I have are YAC stalkers, 3-piece 9' 2,75lb rods. Bit more backbone compared to the Avons but less bending rods.
Would suggest some 2,5lb (Baby) Ballista (Stalker), or 12" armalite Mk3 in 1,75 or 2,25lb. Stay away from any rods above 2,75lb, way to powerful for your purpose.
Softest rods?
20 year old Fox Warriors?
20 year old Fox Warriors?
In reply to Post #1
There's no right or wrong answer regards softest and 20lb Carp, match lads catch fish that size on poles.
As you say 9 or max 10' baby ballistas should be up there, but I also have a rod I'd add into the equation in the Greys Stalker 9' 2.75lb, lovely through action. That also leads the question of other stalker rods which tend to be smaller in length though no less able to land fish.
I'd consider dropping to 2.5lb too depending on weed. Keep in mind a 2.75lb 9' may be considerably quicker in action to a 12' given the 3' less to act, so put any notions of 2.75lb being right because of the number to the back of your mind.
Another option, talk to a rod builder like jeffire here on the forum, or someone like Kev Clayton with lots of experience of different rods/styles of fishing, there's a distinct possibility a longer rod could be cut down to give a lovely playing rod.
There's no right or wrong answer regards softest and 20lb Carp, match lads catch fish that size on poles.
As you say 9 or max 10' baby ballistas should be up there, but I also have a rod I'd add into the equation in the Greys Stalker 9' 2.75lb, lovely through action. That also leads the question of other stalker rods which tend to be smaller in length though no less able to land fish.
I'd consider dropping to 2.5lb too depending on weed. Keep in mind a 2.75lb 9' may be considerably quicker in action to a 12' given the 3' less to act, so put any notions of 2.75lb being right because of the number to the back of your mind.
Another option, talk to a rod builder like jeffire here on the forum, or someone like Kev Clayton with lots of experience of different rods/styles of fishing, there's a distinct possibility a longer rod could be cut down to give a lovely playing rod.
In reply to Post #11
Cut the butt, they get softer.
Cut the tip, they get stiffer.
Cut the butt, they get softer.
Cut the tip, they get stiffer.
For about 10 years I have been using the best carp rods that I ever have had since the 60's to the late 80's.
I bought myself a pair of 3lb pike rods for deadbaiting, I liked them that much after one session piking that I bought a third to use for carping.
Through action and very soft for casting deadbaits a long distance without ripping the hooks out of the bait. When I play a good fish, they bend to the butt but they have plenty of power to turn a fish plus it is extremely rare to get a hook pull especially close in when the fish charges off, the rod just bends with it giving you time to put the net down and ease the drag a bit and regain control.
Maybe some manufaturer does 10' through action pike rods?
I bought myself a pair of 3lb pike rods for deadbaiting, I liked them that much after one session piking that I bought a third to use for carping.
Through action and very soft for casting deadbaits a long distance without ripping the hooks out of the bait. When I play a good fish, they bend to the butt but they have plenty of power to turn a fish plus it is extremely rare to get a hook pull especially close in when the fish charges off, the rod just bends with it giving you time to put the net down and ease the drag a bit and regain control.
Maybe some manufaturer does 10' through action pike rods?
In reply to Post #12
Cut the butt, they get softer. Cut the tip, they get stiffer.
Yep, depends which end you start cutting.
Re the Pike rods, IMO some of the best are Ballistas, a lot of Pike anglers of a certain age would probably agree, espesh in the bigger tc's, some of the lower TC's can make setting hooks a bit more of a challenge but still!
My 1st thought re Pike rods is Dave Lumb, a quick look at his site again and worth a nosey for the original poster, some nice 10' rods on his site which could easily be used for carp.
click here, Predator & Torrix
Cut the butt, they get softer. Cut the tip, they get stiffer.
Yep, depends which end you start cutting.
Re the Pike rods, IMO some of the best are Ballistas, a lot of Pike anglers of a certain age would probably agree, espesh in the bigger tc's, some of the lower TC's can make setting hooks a bit more of a challenge but still!
My 1st thought re Pike rods is Dave Lumb, a quick look at his site again and worth a nosey for the original poster, some nice 10' rods on his site which could easily be used for carp.
click here, Predator & Torrix
In reply to Post #11
Baby ballistas are 11 ft . Most of Daves (lumb) bait rods are built on ballista blanks 👍
Baby ballistas are 11 ft . Most of Daves (lumb) bait rods are built on ballista blanks 👍