Rods

Designed to be true all-rounders, I can confirm that they are exactly this, and brilliant at it too. I’ve been using the 2. 75lb versions and, excluding fishing at 100 yards plus, I can’t think of any reason why I would not continue to do so. The progressive, through action is right up my street and it makes for an exhilarating fight every time a carp is hooked.

Budget big-pit reel that is supplied with a spare spool. Big line capacity means that this will cope with even the biggest venues. £30For more information go to www. dragoncarpdirect.

Tackle tart, me? Well, maybe just a little bit and, as such, I liked these wands straight out of the bag. Cork handles, especially proper ones like this, and the neat carbon-wrap finish make the Horizons look the business. It then took me a while before I had the chance to actually go out and test them, but having now used them on half a dozen occasions I have to say that they are mightily impressive. I’d go as far as to say that they’re the best rods that Fox has produced for a very long time.

Dedicated spod reel that boasts massive retrieve ratio, large casting capability, big-pit line capacity and two line clips to allow baiting of two spots at once. Doubles as a great marker reel too. £159. 99For more information go to www.

Daiwa’s Basia receives plenty of coverage and has many admirers, yet the ISO seems to be afforded considerably less airtime. Having tested a set of these over a period of months (and having previously also used Basias) I think that the ISO is worthy of similar acclaim. So important to carp anglers, the ISO looks sublime. The black finish with red trim offers an air of luxury and the wooden handle sets it all off perfectly.

Open up the box of a Crosscast X and a thing of beauty is revealed. In a world where first impressions mean so much, the Crosscast X ticks all the right boxes. The requisite Daiwa quality is immediately obvious and the reel screams ‘look at me’. There is an element of deception here because you could be forgiven for thinking that what you have just unpacked is likely to have set you back a small fortune.