One rod to rule them all, one rod to find them......

[marcusleftthesite]

Homeleigh garden centre has a reasonable range of rods Steve,does'nt cost anything to look.As mentioned a 2/34 - 3 lb test curve carp rod will pretty much cover what you want to do,except maybe the mullet.

 

[SteveW]

My wallet breaks out in a sweat every time I go near that place Marcus. I have picked up a handful of Opinels and some Goldfish there (the two things are not related), but they do suffer from garden centre prices

However, as you say, I could get touchy-feely on the stock then buy elsewhere if push came to shove....

 

[marcusleftthesite]

Exactly have a look and buy it somewhere else.They are very over priced

 

[MacFeegle]

Picked up one of these a few months ago to keep in the boot while I'm out and about, had carp off the surface to 12lb and bass to 4lb over in Jersey.
http://www.jwyoungs.co.uk/ytb1200.htm
Keep a look out on ebay and you could pick one up under budget.

 

[SteveW]

Thanks MacFeegle. I'll look out for this one too.

 

[Loz*]

Support your local tackle shop, the knowledge of the local waters you can pick up there is worth more than the few quid you will save buying your rod online. Also if you have a problem you can take your gear back, which when buying the cheaper kit is usefull as it does break!

 

[SteveW]

Loz I caved and bought a 9ft 4 section Ron Thompson spinning rod from the tackle shop in Bude in the end, special offer with some spinners for less the £30.00, then a few days later I went mad on ebay and bought some Fly fishing kit too.....I have the feeling I'm on the edge of a very slippery slope.....:yikes:

If I have learned anything, it's that whatever your budget, this stuff quickly adds up to way more than you thought it would

So maybe two rods to rule them all.........

although a nice little six weight for the mullet would be nice.....

 

[Loz*]

Yep its a slippery slope all right! The first step is admitting you have a problem. I'm just on top of my multiplier reel addiction now, inaect the other day a friend offered me his old beach caster and i managed to say no!

 

[Dan Wound]

A lot of the cheap carp fishing rods were based on light sea fishing or surf casting rods and are very polyvalent. A 12foot 2.5lb or 2.75lb test rod can be used for many things from float fishing in still waters for carp and tench or pike and zander fishing with live or deadbaits or even lures, to lure or bait casting technics for bass, and rock fish in the sea. Having fished for 30 years if I had to chose one type of rod it would be one like this... One of these rods starts at £40.
cheers
Gareth

With many years fishing behind me the above statement is the best advice. It's what I've used the world over as an all rounder. (It's a cheapy Silstar 2.5lb TC from a market stall for £20).