Correctly selected fishing tackle in carp fishing takes the main position.

Carp rods have a length from 3.6 to 4.2 m. Structurally, they are made of two types - telescopic and plug-in. The simplest and cheapest are carp telescopic rods. Its main advantage is compactness, ease of transportation, since it will fit into any type of transport. When folded, it is a cane.

Each budget rod has its advantages, but there are also disadvantages. Its disadvantage is that the telescopic rod has many joints, and each joint reduces the reliability of the rod and worsens its structure. The structure of such a rod is rigid, less often medium, and the lower knees almost do not work when playing fish. It is difficult to cast a long distance with such a rod, the need for which arises quite often when fishing for carp in large bodies of water.

Carp plug rods come in three-piece and two-piece. A three-piece rod, i.e. a rod consisting of three parts, is a compromise between compactness and reliability. It has only two joints, and even a 3.9 m long rod divided into three parts is compact.

Sooner or later, a real carp angler will most likely switch to two-piece rods. As its name suggests, two-piece rods consist of two parts and, therefore, have only one joint. This rod is reliable, and in the skillful hands of an angler, a two-piece rod allows you to cast the rig more than 100 meters.

And the need for long casts arises quite often, since carp are very cautious and timid fish. In fishing conditions, they usually move very far from the shore to feel calm.

For long-distance casting, high-quality rods are needed, since the loads on the rod blank during such a powerful cast are significant. In order to cast over a hundred meters, the initial speed of the load must be more than 200 km/h

Carp Rod Markings

In carp fishing, it is common to use English units, including when it comes to rod markings. Most anglers are accustomed to the fact that the weight of the cast bait is indicated on the rod blank. But unlike other types of fishing, the carp rod does not indicate the weight of the cast bait, but the so-called test curve.

Determining the stiffness of the rod

The test indicator indicates what weight should be hung on the tip of the carp rod so that its blank bends at an angle of 90 degrees. This characteristic itself does not say anything, but with its help, you can estimate how powerful the rod is within one line of one manufacturer.

The higher the test curve, the more powerful the rod is in your hands, and the more weight you can cast with it. The test of a carp rod is indicated in pounds, and the length in feet. Carp anglers use the names 12-foot or 13-foot rod, and the test curve indicator can vary from 2.5 to 3.5 pounds or even more.

The English marking system causes great difficulties for beginner anglers in determining the optimal weight of the cast rig. For most rods, a simple algorithm for determining this weight is suitable.

Let's say the test curve indicator is 3.5 pounds. This figure characterizing the power of the carp rod in pounds is equated to ounces, and we add another ½ of an ounce to the result, we get 4. This result, converted into grams (1 ounce is about 28 grams), will be the optimal weight of the load for this carp rod.

According to the test curve parameters, it is necessary to select the right line so that both the line and the rod work harmoniously. The line strength is selected based on the test curve, and it should exceed this parameter by 5 times. So, for a rod with a test curve of 3 pounds (1 pound is about 450 g) = 1.35 kg, you should buy a line with a strength of 6.5 kg.

The next important element of a carp rod is the reel seat, which has different designs for reels with different leg widths. Therefore, when buying a reel, you need to pay attention to the installed reel seat so as not to have problems with installation. Then you will not have to file your reel with a file and spoil its appearance.

Another important element is the rings. The rings on such rods are made with special ceramic inserts. They are hard and smooth so as not to damage the line when casting, create little friction and allow you to cast over long distances. The rings on carp rods are made large. This is because the reels used in carp fishing also have large spools, and the diameter of the spool must correspond to the diameter of the rings. As a rule, the largest first ring is at least 40 mm.

Selecting the rod size

Choosing a rod is an individual approach. Each angler should choose the rod that will become native to him and really “fit in his hand”. The choice of a 12 or 13-foot rod is a matter of taste for each angler.

The only thing I would like to pay attention to is that the selected rod should correspond to your anthropometric data, in particular, height and arm length. How to check this? One of the important characteristics of the rod is the width of the grip - this is the distance from the handle, which is held during casting, to the edge of the reel seat.

The size of the grip for different models of rods can vary within a very wide range. It is most convenient to work with a rod whose grip corresponds to the length of your arm. How to check this? To do this, rest the butt of the rod under your armpit, stretch your arm along the blank. If your hand is in the area of the end of the reel seat, then such a rod will definitely fit well in your hand and will exactly correspond to your anthropometric indicators.