The average size of carp in commercials has shot up in recent years, and venues where a 5lb fish was standard are now packed with doubles.
That’s forced anglers to rethink their set-ups. Rods that were once beefy enough for these venues are now left wanting, leaving anglers looking to add something more suitable to their armouries.
Tackle companies have tapped into this growing trend, bringing out new rods and reels that put you in the driving seat the moment you set the hook into a muscle-laden specimen.
Okuma’s 12ft Custom Black Feeder rod is an example of such innovation and, with a price tag of under £80, it has the potential to be a popular seller.
The provided description seemed to suggest it had all the talk – but could this rod walk the walk? I headed off to Meadowlands Fishery near Coventry to find out.
Solid build
A three-piece rod supplied with three quivertips, the blank has the feel of something with a little steel the moment it comes out of the bag.
The butt section is chunky with quite large rings, suggesting it had the power required not only for leaning into fish, but also for chucking feeders a decent distance.
Warren Pool was my lake of choice for the day and, because it’s less than 5ft deep throughout, the carp explore the whole lake for food.
On such a popular haunt of both match and pleasure anglers, plenty of pellets are fed every day, helping to explain why the water is now home to so many double-figure fish.
When I first tried casting a decent range a few years ago, I picked up a heavy-duty 13ft rod and teamed it up with a 50g feeder. It seemed like the obvious thing to do, but I soon realised that you need a certain technique to make them fly the distance and, to put it bluntly, I didn’t have it!
Speaking to the best in the business helped me realise that a 12ft rod with a lighter feeder of around 30g would suit me better, because I’d be able to compress it properly to generate the necessary power needed for longer chucks.
Remembering that advice, I geared up for my first cast of the day. Applying a little force, the line peeled off the 4000-sized reel and, seconds later, that satisfying click of it hitting the clip registered as the feeder plopped in around 60 yards out.
Casts were made every three minutes to start with and each time it went out, it hit the mark with some to spare. If I could do that, then there’s no doubt that most other anglers could too.
It was casting admirably, but how would it perform with a lump attached? I was about to find out…
Into action
Having put down a decent bed of bait with a series of quick casts in the first 20 minutes, I left the feeder in place slightly longer from then on.
The tip sat motionless for a while before a couple of subtle liners registered. Leaning forward slightly in anticipation, my excitement levels crept up a fraction before the rod was almost dragged in!
This fish knew it was hooked, and was determined to take charge of the fight. Unluckily for this carp, I was equally up for it! Applying plenty of side strain, I hoped the 0.19mm hooklength wouldn’t crumble under the pressure and, a few tense seconds later, I’d gained on it. Around a dozen turns of the reel gave me a cushion, should it surge off again. I wasn’t letting up on the fish, though, and the rod was helping maintain my dominance.
The rod’s powerful appearance when it came out of the bag was being brought to life, with the carbon flexing its muscles as it arched round.
Minutes later the carp was under the rod-tip and a different challenge presented itself. The violent runs were replaced by tired lunges. If the rod didn’t have an element of softness in the tip, there was every chance the hook could pull out. Thankfully, though, the rod passed the test in this department too, with the 10lb mirror taking a final gasp before it surrendered and was scooped up in the net.
It wasn’t the only time during the session that it produced the goods, as another four fish in the 7lb-12lb bracket succumbed to the pressure.
A couple of skimmers that were greedy enough to take the 8mm wafter hookbait were also netted, although I did lose a couple more – which is to be expected with this style of rod.
If you want to get in the driving seat when playing big carp, you really should consider adding the 12ft Okuma Custom Black Feeder to your holdall.
Price: Available at around £75 if you shop around, www.okumafishing.com
