I’ve just bought a pair of 3lb test curve carp fishing rods. What is the heaviest size of leads these would be able to cast?
Myles Gibson - This is a tough one to answer, as even though a 3lb rod should technically be the same, they certainly aren’t! There’re all sorts of variables when it comes to rods especially when it comes to their action. Fast tapered, often referred to as tippy rods will handle heavier leads much better than through action, more progressive ones. It is worth checking your rods to see what their action is like.
As a rule, if you take your rod test curve number, and add a quarter of an ounce, you have the optimum casting weight. So, for a 3lb test curve rod, a lead of 3.25oz would be the best to get the maximum from the rod. Less than that and the blank might not compress properly, and any more than that it could end up over compressing, which cuts down your distance massively.
If you are only fishing short range, up to say 50 yards, you could get away with a very big lead on a 3lb test rod, if you cast carefully. If you want to reach any range, with maximum accuracy then a 3.25oz lead would be perfect.