SUB-£100 CARP RODS

WAIT, less than a hundred quid for a decent carp rod? You might be forgiven for thinking that it’s not going to buy you much, but as modern carbon technologies and processes trickle down from their more expensive big brothers, these rods are a serious proposition.

Fox set the bar when it introduced the original Warrior over a decade ago and, while the Warrior brand continues to shine, there are now ‘budget’ rods of a very high standard from numerous other companies, the best of which I’ve taken a closer look at this month…

KEY FEATURES 1. THE BLANK

In reality, this is the most important part of the rod as it provides the power and finesse needed to target carp of all sizes. There are many types of carbon and wraps on offer these days, each of which will perform and look slightly differently.

2. RINGS

Yes, rings not eyes! More expensive rods will usually be adorned with Fuji rings but rods in this bracket rarely wear such expensive fixtures, most having the rod maker’s own versions instead.

3. REEL SEAT

Similarly, Fuji reel seats are widely regarded as the best on the market, but it’s rare to find these on budget rods, unsurprisingly. All of those in this test performed well, nevertheless.

4. PRICE

Obviously, in a guide of this nature, price is everything and I’ve chosen a range of RRPs for our six-rod selection. Each of them offers excellent value for money, in my opinion.