dalesman
Well-known member
My nephew has asked what’s the difference between the above rods. He’s 10 years old and started waggler fishing a couple of months ago
Carp feeder/Method rods
- Thread starter dalesman
- Start date
Method rods are likely to be beefy-ish feeder rods with conventional handles, ringing and quiver tips and intended for lines around 6-8lbs.
Many are relatively light actioned as method feeder is popular for small to medium size carp and F1's.
Carp rods are usually more through-action with thicker hollow tips intended for use with bite alarms. They generally have abbreviated handles and often have fewer, larger rings. They tend to be made for 10-15lb lines and geared towards carp over 10lbs.
You can fish for carp with both, but using different methods targeting different size carp.
mikench
Well-known member
Method/ feeder rods are infinitely more fun and far more adaptable than Carp rods. Just my opinion. I gave my carp rods away. My biggest coarse fish to date was a common carp caught on a feeder rod( Hardy 11’) with 6lb line. It weighed 25lb. That same rod plus a couple of others caught plenty of carp around the mid teens.
chrisjpainter
Well-known member
Hang on, can I just check what we're talking about here, because you could mean two of THREE different rods: Carp rods, Carp Feeder rods and Method Feeder rods.
Carp rods are as above described, they're stiffer and stronger and meant to be fished with alarms. Their strength isn't so much to do with the size of the fish, although if you're targeting 20lb+ carp, it's worth using one because of the power they give if you need to bully a fish, but with the weights they're designed to be casting. You're not going to be casting a 3oz lead inside a PVA bag full of bait to the horizon with a feeder rod!
Carp Feeder rods vs Method Feeder rods is a lot more subtle. They're both in the same ballpark really and whether the difference is noticeable in the real world, I'm not sure. But comparing similar lengths, Carp Feeder rods will be slightly lighter and softer. They might be designed to cast lighter weights and have more sensitive tips, making them a better all round option for commercials where you might need to see small bites from silvers when you're not using a method feeder. In contrast, Method Feeder rods will be heavier with heavier tips, giving you a bit more ability to cast a heavy feeder mass - a packed method feeder is quite a lump - without risking the tip. Method Feeders are designed to be fished with the Method set up (no kidding!), which gives really positive bites because of the nature of the short hooklength. You don't need to have much of a balance of power vs sensitivity, just enough through action to stop you bumping off smaller fish. Carp Feeder rods tend to be more sensitive because they're designed to fish more subtle rigs where smaller, more sensitive bites are a possibility. That said, they're still designed for (smallish) carp, so have plenty of backbone to play the big fish that make up big weights in matches or on commercial venues.
Does it all make a difference in the real world? I'm not so sure, especially when most feeder rods of either type come with spare tips of various weights. You can still use a method feeder on a Carp Feeder rod, you can still use a non method rig on a Method Feeder rod! Just change the tip to give a bit more sensitivity and away you go. The one thing I would say is as an all rounder, it's worth having a rod with a tip of 1 1/oz or even lighter, which not all Method Feeder rods will. If you're trying to spot small bites or line bites - especially in winter - a more sensitive tip is useful.
Carp rods are as above described, they're stiffer and stronger and meant to be fished with alarms. Their strength isn't so much to do with the size of the fish, although if you're targeting 20lb+ carp, it's worth using one because of the power they give if you need to bully a fish, but with the weights they're designed to be casting. You're not going to be casting a 3oz lead inside a PVA bag full of bait to the horizon with a feeder rod!
Carp Feeder rods vs Method Feeder rods is a lot more subtle. They're both in the same ballpark really and whether the difference is noticeable in the real world, I'm not sure. But comparing similar lengths, Carp Feeder rods will be slightly lighter and softer. They might be designed to cast lighter weights and have more sensitive tips, making them a better all round option for commercials where you might need to see small bites from silvers when you're not using a method feeder. In contrast, Method Feeder rods will be heavier with heavier tips, giving you a bit more ability to cast a heavy feeder mass - a packed method feeder is quite a lump - without risking the tip. Method Feeders are designed to be fished with the Method set up (no kidding!), which gives really positive bites because of the nature of the short hooklength. You don't need to have much of a balance of power vs sensitivity, just enough through action to stop you bumping off smaller fish. Carp Feeder rods tend to be more sensitive because they're designed to fish more subtle rigs where smaller, more sensitive bites are a possibility. That said, they're still designed for (smallish) carp, so have plenty of backbone to play the big fish that make up big weights in matches or on commercial venues.
Does it all make a difference in the real world? I'm not so sure, especially when most feeder rods of either type come with spare tips of various weights. You can still use a method feeder on a Carp Feeder rod, you can still use a non method rig on a Method Feeder rod! Just change the tip to give a bit more sensitivity and away you go. The one thing I would say is as an all rounder, it's worth having a rod with a tip of 1 1/oz or even lighter, which not all Method Feeder rods will. If you're trying to spot small bites or line bites - especially in winter - a more sensitive tip is useful.
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mikench
Well-known member
I only draw a distinction between feeder rods with quiver tips, float rods and specialist rods with a stated tc for barbel or river fishing. A feeder rod , imo, is not species specific per se except of course if you are wanting to cast a heavy feeder 60 yards plus for big bream or carp. The choice of feeder could be method , cage or open/ block end. All my rods have a recommended casting weight and line bs/diameter which I pay heed to. I have never bought ( metaphorically or actually) a rod allegedly just for method feeder fishing.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
What is classified as a method feeder rod by some isn't by others, most of the best practitioners use what would be a softish rod to help playing/hook pulls etc because of the short hooklenths used, yet still allow casting distances to be maintained, gladly I'm not a lover of the method, but I do understand it's effectiveness...
steve2
Well-known member
Reading posts like this does brings home just how we anglers get carried away with rods. Just how we managed in the past we just a couple of allround rods I don't know. Just goes to prove just how rod companies have been reeling us in for years with names on rod butts and continue to do so.
dalesman
Well-known member
As a river angler I use feeder rod which I have had for maybe 25 years and still in use for my chubbing and barbel. My nephew is starting his angling and has been invited to fish a few junior matches on a commercial, he’s not looking for a rod to sit on a buzzer.
mikench
Well-known member
A good feeder rod of 10 or 11’ will be fine if it comes with ,say, .5, 1, 1.5 or 2oz tips. He won’t be casting far or with heavy leads/ feeders or baits. Such a rod will suit any feeder bar a very heavy one , method or otherwise being cast to the horizon. Loads of good rods on the market and at prices to suit his pocket.
chrisjpainter
Well-known member
@mikench is right. Something in that range is just the ticket. As I said in my longer reply, I'm not altogether convinced there's a real-world difference, just subtle variations to give you an idea of the manufacturers' intended use/selling tactics, although there is some theory to the marketing!
As it happens, I've got a feeder rod that I'm selling, which would suit his needs perfectly. 11ft feeder Daiwa Nzon S. Casts up to 60g and comes with two tips: 1.5oz and 2oz. In immaculate condition. It's three piece so is convenient for storage and transport but excellent carbon in the blanks, so the curve is true through the sections. And being a 3 piece, it's a lot easier to post safely! Up in the sales area
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dalesman
Well-known member
It will be me to fund his angling
chrisjpainter
Well-known member
Good on you. And to have a flourishing juniors scene around makes it all the more rewarding. We have a lad in our juniors section who only started in the summer. His first couple of sessions were a disaster in his eyes, because he was using stuff his family had cobbled together with no experience and was hopelessly unsuitable. He didn't get out of the car once he was so embarrassed. But with a bit of advice from us coaches to his mum on what would work for his needs (and his size) she got him what he needed. She didn't spend much, just a decent feeder rod (I can't remember exactly, but sub 12ft all rounder) and a suitable reel. In 7 months he's gone from not getting out of the car to winning the Most Improved Junior award and (although he doesn't know this yet, so if you're reading Kenzie, STOP NOW and go and do your homework!) the club-wide Specimen cup - a 13 4ozlb common he caught on his feeder rod, not through luck but through skill. he hooked it and played it perfectly, despite being exhausted and aching. I landed it for him, but he did the hard work!
He couldn't have done it without having someone behind him prepared to get him what suited his fishing and finding the answers to his questions.
mikench
Well-known member
An Nzon would be perfect.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Sorry, I didn't see the ten year old part, oops, as for Steve's post on how rod companies 'reel' us in, I'm afraid if you fish a method feeder on commercials a lot you might find a decent specialised rod absolutely essential, for me a feeder rod covers as I don't fish the method much, if at all, in fact feeder fishing is something I don't do as much as I used to as bream venues are at a premium for me....