Does anybody else find fishing with carp rods no fun

[dezza]

On Bruce and Walker Mk IV Glass Carp rods I purchased in 1970, I landed many carp up to 35lbs and catfish up to nearly 40 lbs with no problem at all. The reels were Mitchell 410s, later to be replaced with Cardinals,

With these rods I used 8 to 15 lbs Maxima and hooks from 1/0s to 10s if I remember right. These rods had test curves in the 1 3/4 to 2lbs area and with 15 lb line were quite capable of handling 20 lb sharp toothed catfish which could fight far harder than any carp that swims.

The beauty about these rods is that they had a through action.

The FM Concept rod is similar but a foot longer and with a TC of 1 1/2 lbs, similar to the old split cane Mk IV. I have caught pike up to 18 1/2 lbs and several double figure barbel with the Concept, no problems at all.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Id rather be over gunned than leave tackle in the carps gob !
I use 2.5s here and 3.25s in France where the fish are bigger

I agree with the above in principal, but I thought that the weight or TC of the rod determined what weight it would cast as much as anything.

You might get away with swinging 3 oz lead out on a strong barbel rod, but not punching it to a mark 100yards away. Once you have the 2½lbs rod, you can use it to play the fish more quickly and safely, as you rightly say, Cakey.

It's important to know what you're trying to do. In the case that started the thread with carp to 6lbs and no snags it makes no sense to use proper carp gear but rather Avon or barbel gear.

Will agree here also. For carp up to 10lbs and a little bit more I use some 1¼ and 1½ lbs TC rods and small Tica reels (Those small Shimanos weren't out then )

The thing I beef about is with a mate of mine who only has 2¾lbs TC rods, he won't fish for anything smaller than a 20lber. He feels it's beneath him and wouldn't get any pleasure from it. No wonder, wrong rods for wrong size of fish, but play my game and you get a nice fight out of a smaller fish and after all, we go to catch fish and not just sit behind indicators.

 

[BarryC]

Its all about so many anglers wanting to be carp fishermen, not neccesarily catching carp.
As we all know to be a carp fisherman there are certain things that must be done and tackle that must be used.
1. You must have a bivvy, come rain or shine night or day short or long stay.
2. You must use 3 matching rods and reels of at least 2.5tc.
3. These must be supported on a pod so that all the rods point in the same direction regardles of where the bait is cast.
3. You must use electronic alarms, day or night and even on the shortest session.
4. You must use boilies cos everyone knows thats all that carp eat.

I could of course go on but ime sure you get my drift.

Use whatever you find works and you enjoy using. If that happens to be any of the above then so be it.
In my book its catching carp that makes a carp fisherman.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Ron,your Bruce & Walker rods...were they the stepped up version?I have standard 10' & 11'6" samples and whilst they are still an absolute dream to use9and still in perfect nick!) I never found them suitable for large carp-even on snag-free waters!
Yes,they give beautiful feel during the fight because of the through action,but still they never felt as if any fish over 20lb was really was under control.....perhaps I didn't give them enough wellie!

I still use mine(matched with 6/8lb line)and I just love them-cork handles included!In fact some years ago I contacted B/W to ask if they would consider fitting a screw reel seat if I returned them but they declined,unfortunately,so I have to put up with the reel falling off occasionally.......

I've always wanted to own a couple of the stepped up versions but never managed to find them-no doubt any still around now spend time in lofts around the country!!

Anyway,its good to hear that someone still loves/uses one of the best glass rods(of its type)ever made...............

 

[Cakey]

Id just like to say anyone fishing with a matchrod for carp should be banned for life ,playing a fish for an hour+ aint clever !

 

[tigger]

Id just like to say anyone fishing with a matchrod for carp should be banned for life ,playing a fish for an hour+ aint clever !

That's total nonesense, I've caught early double figure carp on 6lb line and a normark avenger and landed them in less than 5 min's. I've caught loads of tench (proper wild one's n'all) up to over 9lb on the same set up and landed them in no more than a few muinuites.

 

[Stealph Viper]

I think the Point that is being made is this -:

If you are going Carp fishing then use Carp gear or gear designed to cope with the rigours of the size of Quarry and the Venue that you are intending to fish.

If you are going General fishing and happen to hook in to some larger fish and land them, then nothing wrong with that, but it shouldn't be your first choice when deliberately targeting Carp over a certain size.

I've landed Roach on 2¾ lb tc rods, but i was not fishing for Roach and i wouldn't go out and buy 2¾ tc rods to go Roach Fishing with.

 

[strut5a]

Hello Stealph, nice to see you back.
I'm not a proper carp angler but I always thought that the test curve of a rod was decided by the weight you are casting out and distance you want to cast it. It has very little to do with the size of the fish you hope to catch. But as I say, I'm not a proper carp angler.

 

[Stealph Viper]

Hello deacon,

Imagine trying to catch carp of 20lb upwards on a Waggler Rod with a Max Rec Main line of 5lb at 20 yards out and you will see why i said that it depends on the size of the fish as well.

If you accidently hook a fish of that size, then hey great, but why would you purchase the match fishing gear to target specimen sized Carp, that is the point i was trying to make.

I do think that the size of your Quarry, Distance, Venue, dictates the Balance of the Rods and Reels and Mainline etc etc etc etc

 

[strut5a]

Hello deacon,

Imagine trying to catch carp of 20lb upwards on a Waggler Rod with a Max Rec Main line of 5lb at 20 yards out and you will see why i said that it depends on the size of the fish as well.

If you accidently hook a fish of that size, then hey great, but why would you purchase the match fishing gear to target specimen sized Carp, that is the point i was trying to make.

I do think that the size of your Quarry, Distance, Venue, dictates the Balance of the Rods and Reels and Mainline etc etc etc etc

No argument mate but the majoity of my carp fishing is done with a 1.75
test rod which I find ideal for casting a 1.5 oz bomb up to about 50yds. I have found this a a great set up for carp up to middle 20's. The only time I would consider stepping up would be if I wanted to cast a bigger weight further. And it's still nice to see you back

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Id just like to say anyone fishing with a matchrod for carp should be banned for life ,playing a fish for an hour+ aint clever !

Absolutely right, Cakester! Twenty minutes should be seen as the maximum, after that lactic acids start building in the muscle tissue and they could end up killing the fish.

You used to read of fights lasting an hour or more years ago in Angling Times and the Mail, but just how many of those fish turned up brown-bread? That when the strongest rods were 1½ lbs avons at the most and many were totally unsuitable for bigger fish. I'm not saying you can't still catch a big 20+ fish on an avon rod, but wiser not to.

PS I'll add to that - in certain swims. In clear swims you may have a better chance of landing it quicker.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Id just like to say anyone fishing with a matchrod for carp should be banned for life ,playing a fish for an hour+ aint clever !

Absolutely right Cakey.. IF ONLY YOU HAD ADDED... "intentionally".

Speaking as someone who's heaviest ever carp is 22lb 06oz on a pole!

(It swam away very fit indeed!)

:wh

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

It's surly down to the size of your venue and quarry? I fish my local canal where the fish max out at low doubles, I use 1¼lb Avon specialists (or a pole) if I'm after them. On my local loch where the fish are up to almost 30lb I use 2¼lb and 3½lb rods. I really like them for pike too.

 

[dezza]

Ron,your Bruce & Walker rods...were they the stepped up version?I have standard 10' & 11'6" samples and whilst they are still an absolute dream to use9and still in perfect nick!) I never found them suitable for large carp-even on snag-free waters!
Yes,they give beautiful feel during the fight because of the through action,but still they never felt as if any fish over 20lb was really was under control.....perhaps I didn't give them enough wellie!

I still use mine(matched with 6/8lb line)and I just love them-cork handles included!In fact some years ago I contacted B/W to ask if they would consider fitting a screw reel seat if I returned them but they declined,unfortunately,so I have to put up with the reel falling off occasionally.......

I've always wanted to own a couple of the stepped up versions but never managed to find them-no doubt any still around now spend time in lofts around the country!!

Anyway,its good to hear that someone still loves/uses one of the best glass rods(of its type)ever made...............

The "Mk IV" B&W Carp rods were not the stepped up kind. They had close intermediate whippings on them and utilised spigot ferrules. The had aluminium butt caps with orange rubber butts.

The reel fittings were the sliding type. I took them off after getting fed up of the reels coming loose and fitted screw lock fittings of the very early Fuji type.

In time the rod rings became badly grooved. I replaced these with single leg Fujis, again the earlier type.

But about that time I acquired a pair of Going Bros Jim Gibbinson "Clooper" blanks which I made up into rods, they were 11 1/2 feet long and cast 2 - 3 oz leads an incredible distance for the time.

I used to use the B&Ws for close range fishing, until I finally gave them away.

 

[Cakey]

well Ive had mega fun with all my carp rods and I hope theres more to come.....................

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

well Ive had mega fun with all my carp rods and I hope theres more to come.....................

That's what it's all about Cakester, you use the right tool for the job for your style of fishing and the photos you have from France etc speak for themselves.

 

[elliottwaters]

If you are going to bang out a three ounce lead fifty or sixty yards then yes, you do need a rod with a 2.75 or 3 pound TC irrespective of the size of the fish. It’s a bit like beach casting, you might only be catching flatties, but if the tide warrants a heavy lead to hold bottom, then you need a rod, reel and line that’s up to the job. I don’t do much sea fishing, but when I’m on holiday on the coast, I find that a cheap 2.75 TC carp rod perfectly adequate.

However if like me, your favoured style of carping is floaters or in the margins and the water is relatively snag free you can get away which much lighter rods and lines. I’ve had carp in the high teens on an Avon style rod and 6/7 pound line with no problem at all.

 

[alan whittington]

well Ive had mega fun with all my carp rods and I hope theres more to come.....................

Im sure there is Cakey,but would you choose to fish 12-15lb line on a commercial,as there are thousands that do,ive caught hundreds of doubles on match/power float/1.25lb avon rods and i dont believe ive took longer than 15 minutes on any,unless their foul-hooked in which case damage limitation is paramount,as i'd rather have not hooked it at all,what im trying to say is there are anglers and 'anglers',some of these would take half an hour to land a double on 15lb line a 2.75lb+ test curve rod,sh*t happens,tackle limitations have to be understood,if a man who never fishes with a match rod tells me i shouldnt fish for carp on such tackle(and this isnt aimed at you Cakey),all that means is that he couldnt,i thought the idea of our tackle was to be able to play fish with rods and quality reel drag systems.Your fishing is obviously geared up for casting and fish playing in your particular circumstances,trouble is the tackle trade label all specialist carp fishing in a certain bracket,so everyone follows,like sheep and barbel angling has gone similarly,nothing wrong with the anglers,you do what you want or experts advise,trouble is i nor any other angler has got to do it that way,thankfully.

 

[elliottwaters]

I have an old split cane Mark 4 carp rod with a TCF of (i think) 1.5 pounds dating from the early 60’s and had several carp over the years of 20 pounds +on it. Mind you, I’ve had some funny looks from the bivvy boys when using it, one (very kind and thoughtful) young guy came up to me and said “don’t take offence mate, but I know how tough it is for pensioners and I’ve got an old Fox rod you are welcome to if you want it”. Bless!

 

[Tee-Cee]

Love it!!

If it wasn't so funny I'd probably cry.............(fellow pensioner)