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'Light' Carp Rod

Hi all,

I'm looking for help / opinions on a new rod purchase. I'm looking for a rod to use on smallish waters for carp to about 25lb. One water is fairly clear, the other has significant weed. My style is smallish leads, free running and I don't fish at a distance. There are some tighter swims so an 11' rod is a must. I'm currently using a couple of 9' rods - a Wychwood Extricator at 2.75lb and a DLST 9' that is either 2.25lb or 2.5lb - Dave wasn't sure if he'd made a mistake when he wrote the name on or made one .25lb's heavier than requested...

I like Harrison blanks and own a 1.75lb GTI and the Peregrine Avon. I've been looking at 2lb GTI's or 2.5lb Baby Ballistas. I'm leaning to the Ballistas as I think they'll give me more flexibility in the future for other waters and my fear on the 2lb GTI is it's too close to what I already have?

Any ideas / Anyone got any of these rods to give me feedback on them?

Many Thanks!
 
Hello Tim . Before lashing out of new gear have you tried using the rods you already own ? I reckon they would be OK , particulary the 1.75 GTI , after all you are not casting leads to the horizon . I own a 1.75 GTI , a harrison blank, and it is a very good all rounder . I would have no qualms in fishing in the waters you describe with this rod .
 
Tim i'm about to build a few 11ft 2.5lb baby ballistas at the moment, give me a shout if required.
 
Thanks for the replies. Marty - what's the action like and are they a rod that you get a decent bend in?

Mike - you're right, the current GTI is a great rod, I do use it for floater fishing etc. I only use one rod on the river (and often prefer the Avon for the Dane that's local to me). I want two for the carp - don't want to shell out for another GTI then find myself undergunned and with a superfluous one!

Derek - you're right, but as I'm not looking for broom sticks to cast to the sun I thought I'd try here for some answers ;-)
 
Tim,
if you can cope with a little shorter than 11', the 10' Freespirit E Class Gold Bank Creepers are rather nice. I use mine as small water rods or on bigger waters when margin fishing. However, they'll happily cast well in excess of sixty yards when required. They are a nice slim blank and are not pokers. They'll also not break the bank.
 
tim if its a really heavily weeded water i would think you,d need something more like a 3lb tc mate, but theres plenty of very experienced carp men on bfw who can advise you far better than me, me? i would be using a 3 or 31/2 tc rod 10 or 11ft if its that badly weeded;)
 
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