Beautifully rolled into one

The perfect all-round carp rod: it’s a debate that has consumed thousands of bankside-hours and perhaps millions for the guys who design and create them. Something that’s powerful for range, something which is forgiving for under the tip, something that actually looks nice. The permutation of feel, finish and forgiveness are endless, but Avid Carp reckons its new collection of carp rods rolls all of the above into one. There are two models of actual angling rods within this new range, along with dedicated marker and spod rods and here’s what you can expect from the company that seemingly gets it right every time…

The DSK Rods

What CARPology loves about DSK’s, Avid’s top-end model range, isn’t its beautiful playing action or the fact that they come packed with all the latest tech within rod building – don’t get us wrong, all of that is amazing and we’ll explain why shortly – but it’s the overall finish to the rods. In a period of time where there appears to be a resurgence towards “old school” styling, the DSK’s well and truly hit the nail perfectly on the head.

What’s also interesting about this particular model range is although it’s available in two lengths: 12 and 13ft, Avid haven’t stated what the test curve is. What they do tell you though is they come fitted with the finest accessories available to man, all of which have been chosen to ensure you have the ultimate casting/playing experience. They are equipped with the new Fuji K-Series Anti-Frap guides, which on first inspection might look a tad odd, but they do soon grow on you. And combine this new style of ringing with a 50mm butt ring and some outstanding carbon and you will soon find yourself hitting previous unachievable distances whilst still enjoying a delightful playing action.
“GIMME”: £299.99 and £319.99; avidcarp.com

The MSX Model Range

Avid carp have been pushing the technological boundaries on just about every part of the carp angling market since their launch back in 2010 and, as you’re now discovering, it’s turned its attention to the carp rods, and being brutally honest, in terms of styling, finish and overall cosmetics, these are CARPology’s favourite looking carp rods from 2013.

Now whilst we can’t really comment on their playing ability – we’ve only had a dozen or so casts across a rugby pitch whilst attending their annual trade show – we can state that a lead does truly fly when punched out with one of these. And going back to the cosmetics, the MSX model, which comes in one 12ft length but two test curves – 2.75 and 3.25lb – is all hand-built, comes with a 50mm butt ring and a full Duplon handle. They truly are a thing of great beauty.
“GIMME”: £199.99

Distance Marker

What do you get when you mix the elegance of the MSX and DSK rods with a stiff yet sensitive rod tip? The perfect, most transmitting length of carbon is what. The Distance Marker is beefy enough to cast a heavy float/lead massive distances but at the same time transmit so much information straight through the rod blank to your hands.

This too boasts some of the finest cosmetic styling CARPology has seen and it all starts with the gloss finish. Onto this they’ve whipped on Fuji K-Series Anti-Frap guides, including a 50mm butt ring, and finished it with minimal detailing.
In anyone’s language £249.99 for a marker rod may seem like a lot, but why? And the end of the day its job is more demanding that your actual fishing rods and you don’t bat an eyelid when you see their price tag, do you?

Distance Spod

The spod rod has been an integral part of the baiting up scene since, well, since the spod/Spomb became kind and the catapult/throwing stick went into semi-retirement. Over the years various rod builders have produced ‘a spod specific rod’, but thanks to Avid’s Distance Spod we finally get to see what’s really possible.

This rod is an out-and-out spod rod which has been built on an incredibly powerful blank that’s designed for punching spods/Spombs massive distances yet still retaining an extremely fast tip recovery that dramatically increased accuracy. And just as with the Distance Marker Rod, this comes complete in the same gloss finish, Fuji K-Series Anti-Frap guides and a 50mm butt ring.

Marry this up with the Distance Marker and either the MSX or DSK’s and you’ve got a rod range which will cover everything eventually you’re ever going to face.
“GIMME”: £249.99