08: CHOOSING YOUR KAIZEN GREEN ROD
The idea with the Kaizen Green range, and even more so since it has grown, was to produce a comprehensive range of carp rods that would cover any fishing situation, both at home and abroad.
Our aim was to produce rods that would appeal to any angler, whether they were trying to cast their rigs at extreme ranges; playing fish from a boat on large public lakes in Europe; fishing very accurately at shorter ranges on more intimate venues; or just using them for more general carp fishing on their clubs lakes, syndicate or day ticket venues, as the majority do.
All round rods versus specialist tools
Whilst rods can be very versatile, and some of the models within this range are true all-rounders that will handle most general carp fishing, no one rod can do everything, and hence why there is a comprehensive range to give you options for whatever type of fishing you do, and given that some carp anglers will have several sets of rods.
Here is a rough overview of what each model in the range is most suited to, and if you are still unsure, you can have a read of Is Kaizen Green right for you?
The Kaizen Green range consists of the following rods:
12ft 3lb: ideal for anglers who are mainly fishing on venues where they aren’t generally having to cast far, although these rods are perfectly capable of fishing at over 100 yards if you need to. In this test curve the action is more forgiving and they are great for accurately flicking rigs out to features, as well as being lovely to play fish on.
12ft 3.5lb: this is the real all-rounder in the range, whether you are fishing for big carp under the rod tip, or trying to hurl 4oz leads well over 100 yards (and well beyond that if necessary), this rod will do it all, and highly accurately, whilst being a joy to play fish on as well.
12ft 4lb: if your focus is going to be more on longer range fishing and it is something you are going to be doing regularly, then for those anglers who struggle to use a longer rod than 12ft, this is definitely the one to go for. It will put baited rigs a very long way, consistently and with relative ease, yet still feels soft enough in the tip that you aren’t constantly worrying about pulling the hook.
12ft 6in. 4lb: this is a great option for anyone looking for a proper long range tool, but who struggles to make the step up from a 12ft to a 13ft rod, and can’t fully utilise the extra length. The extra six inches may not sound much but will definitely gain you more distance, whilst still feeling nice to play a fish on despite its casting power.
13ft 4lb: this is the real out-and-out casting rod and the most powerful in the range, and it will put leads a phenomenal distance, accurately, and without being that difficult to actually utilise its power either. For anyone looking to regularly fish at long range, and who is comfortable with a 13ft rod, this is the one to go for.
10ft 3lb: a great choice if you are mainly fishing at shorter ranges, or in situations where a long rod is actually a disadvantage, such as overgrown lakes, rivers, or canals. It has a great fishing playing action as well and is a joy to use when you hook a carp on it, either from the bank or a boat. A version with ceramic guides is also available for those who regularly use braid.
10ft 3.5lb: this can be used for bank or boat fishing and is good in situations where more power is needed when it comes to playing a fish. That could include fishing for large carp at short range on very weedy or snaggy venues, where you need the power to stop them. Or similar from a boat, and for that type of fishing, and especially in Europe, this rod is a great choice and will do everything you ask of it. A ceramic guide version is also available that is better for regular use with braided main lines.
10ft 4lb: the most powerful of our 10-footers, and is best suited for use on large, wild lakes, such as across Europe, where you are playing fish from a boat and need a very powerful rod to keep them away from snags such as tree stumps all over the lake bed. It will also comfortably handle big catfish as well. It will even handle spodding at shorter range. Again, a ceramic ring version is also available.
Spod rods and floater rods
Spod rods: the Kaizen Green spod rods come in three lengths – 12ft, 12ft 6in., and 13ft – so you can match the length of your spod rods to your actual fishing rods, as this consistency in length across everything you’re using makes it easier when fishing. These rods are incredibly powerful and capable of hurling the largest sizes of spod and Spomb towards the horizon, without the need to worry about making them responsive for fish playing, as they aren’t used for that. The longer the spod rod, the further it can potentially be cast, but only if the angler can utilise that extra length – the same as when choosing your fishing rods. These rods are also ideal for feature finding and their stiffness makes it easy to feel everything on the lake bed when combined with braid.
Floater rod: to complete the range, we’ve included a floater fishing rod, which is 12ft 2.75lb test curve. It has a more forgiving action than the other models of this length and is suitable for use with the smaller hooks and lighter lines that are common for surface fishing, as well as the fact that usually you are striking at bites so need some give in the rod. It feels just as comfortable when flicking out a lump of freelined crust under an overhanging tree, as it does punching out an 80g controller float at range.
Whilst we have tried to give you an idea of what each rod is best for, nothing beats handling them in person at your local Korda stockist, the details of which you can find in our store locator.