Prologic Inspire Carp Rods

Prologic's Inspire range has endured countless hours of testing to get it ready for release, and now it’s our chance to experience all that expertise. Let’s see what the fuss is about…

The Big Questions

It’s fair to say these sound a bit special, then?
Oh yes, these are clearly rods that Prologic are dying for the wider world to get in their hands on. Prologic say the Inspire “sets new standards for our carp rod range”, so there’s clearly a great deal of pride in what they’ve produced.

Give me an overview of what I’m looking at…
These are premium rods, designed to offer something extra for the discerning carper. But that doesn’t mean they are one dimensional. There are four basic models, with cork or EVA handle options available on each, covering the main carp fishing scenarios. If you don’t need to regularly reach extreme distances, the All Rounder models come in 10ft and 12ft versions, both with a 3.25lb test curve. If you want to send leads hurtling towards the horizon (more on that later) then the Extra Distance models are for you. You can choose a 12-footer with a 3.5lb test curve, or a 13-footer with a 3.75lb test curve.

Okay, sounds good. Hit me with the techy bits!
Built on blanks that are ultra slim and high modulus (that’s a rating of their stiffness), the Inspires have plenty of party tricks. Rapid-response Toray Carbon Nano fibres are woven into the blanks to reduce weight and deliver super-fast recovery when casting. The multi-directional carbon, utilising ‘crossover carbon technology’, is also designed to deliver a sweet spot between grunt and feeling. Even the reel seat is machine cut from 1K carbon to keep your reels firmly in place and transmit extra sensation from the blank.

Blimey. That’s a lot of carbon. What about the guides?
As you would expect these days, almost all of the rods have a 50mm butt guide, and in this case it’s a Pac Bay Minima version which is 30 percent lighter than a standard SIC guide. The only rod with a 40mm butt guide is the 10-footer, and that’s also a Minima version. 

So how do the four rods differ?
Let’s start with the muscle-bound Extra Distance versions. In testing, the 13ft 3.75lb version put leads over 200m, which is a phenomenally long way. Like really, really long. It’s got an ultra-fast taper and has been designed for the extreme-range fishing that can be so profitable at home and on the continent. Its 12ft brother is also designed for chucking a long way, but has a more forgiving tip section for securing those hookholds at closer range.

And the All Rounders?
The 10ft model is designed for use on small waters and when fishing with the aid of a boat. It’s got a soft, responsive mid and tip section, but has plenty of power reserves in the butt. If you prefer a 12ft All Rounder, the crisp tip section dovetails perfectly with a progressive mid section, leading down towards a powerful butt. It’s a master of all trades.