Rods

Lee Jackson’s verdict - The perfect carp rod. I love these and use them all the time. 5/5

The Tackle Box’s Lee Jackson says: Having been involved with Free Spirit from the very start and having worked for The Tackle Box for something like 28 years, there have always been little ‘tweaks’ that I have built into my own rods that I prefer to the standard versions.

The Python rod is no exception. Built with a full-length cork handle that is very slightly shorter than normal for fish-playing manoeuvrability, fold-friendly ringing for more convenient/safer transportation, and incorporating double and single-leg Minima rings, which although not as robust as Free Spirit’s ‘S’ Lite rings have become popular in recent times due to their lightweight, slim profile.

In my opinion, Free Spirit’s Hi-‘S’ rod blank material is the most advanced in the world – very high modulus, slim, very responsive, a perdurable finish that won’t scratch and action that doesn’t alter or soften even after years of abuse.

Although the Free Spirit Hi-‘S’ carp-rod range comes in a number of lengths and test curves, I choose this model because whether I’m fishing the margins, casting as far as I can towards the horizon or boating my baits out on an inland sea on the Continent, this permutation will admirably do the lot. They really do everything you will ever need a carp rod to do.

£409