Carp Fishing Rod Pods - Advice On Making The Right Choice
Most carp anglers today use multiple rod set ups when fishing for any length of time, this enables the angler to try many different areas, baits and rigs at the same time. To get round the problem of carrying many separate banksticks around fishing tackle designers developed the rod pod which is capable of holding up to four rods depending on the bars being used and will also hold the required bite alarms, indicators and butt grips for each rod.
Most modern rod pods have adjustable buzzer bars and legs so the angler can direct the rods to the desired angle whether it be rod tips pointing level or downwards if using back leads or slack lines or beach caster style with tips pointing skywards to avoid weed, snags or underwater features.
A rod pod is also useful if it is necessary to fish from wooden staging because of reedy or shallow margins or if your fishery has hard gravelly banks like many of the gravel pits in the south of England. Another advantage of using a rod pod is the time it saves when setting up and packing away your tackle. On arrival at the lake the angler can extract the rod pod straight out of the rod bag or holdall with all the bite alarms, indicators and rear rests still attached from the last time on the bank and can be fishing straight away.
Originally the early rod pods were made from a heavy guage stainless steel but many anglers now prefer the lighter, plastic covered alloy and carbon models that manufacturers like Fox International produce or the lightweight tubular stainless steel models companies like Solar Tackle manufacture, although there are still companies such as Steve Neville and Matrix Innovations that still produce strong, heavy gauge stainless steel pods that will last you a lifetime but are a substantial weight to carry around when fishing.
Fox International are the current leaders in terms of sales and rod pod design and manufacture and produce a wide range of pods to suit all budgets and fishing situations. The Fox pods range from the simple, A-pod with limited adjustments to the Eclipse, Quattro, Syy & Ranger pods with adjustable legs, central supports and buzz bars. You can expect to pay from around £45 for the lower end to around £150 for top end pods.
Solar Tackle has also been in the rod pod market for a long time and their flagship product 'The Solar Worldwide Pod' being a firm favourite with many anglers who prefer the stainless look and solid setup that will last a long time. The Solar pods are made from a lightweight stainless steel and the Worldwide pod weighs just 2.3kg.
If you are considering buying a new rod pod you should think about the following factors:
Rod capacity - Most rod pods will come with a three rod buzz bar as standard but most can also take a two or four rod buzz bar if required.
Bank side terrain - Are your banks steep? Then you should think about a rod pod with adjustable legs so you raise or lower the front/back so you can point the rods in the desired vertical direction.
Weight - Is your desired lake/swim a long way from the carp park? If so you may want to consider a light weight pod.
Budget & Quality - Pods can vary greatly in quality and cost so it pays to choose an established manufacturer. It will pay to do some research online to find the best deals available.
Most modern rod pods have adjustable buzzer bars and legs so the angler can direct the rods to the desired angle whether it be rod tips pointing level or downwards if using back leads or slack lines or beach caster style with tips pointing skywards to avoid weed, snags or underwater features.
A rod pod is also useful if it is necessary to fish from wooden staging because of reedy or shallow margins or if your fishery has hard gravelly banks like many of the gravel pits in the south of England. Another advantage of using a rod pod is the time it saves when setting up and packing away your tackle. On arrival at the lake the angler can extract the rod pod straight out of the rod bag or holdall with all the bite alarms, indicators and rear rests still attached from the last time on the bank and can be fishing straight away.
Originally the early rod pods were made from a heavy guage stainless steel but many anglers now prefer the lighter, plastic covered alloy and carbon models that manufacturers like Fox International produce or the lightweight tubular stainless steel models companies like Solar Tackle manufacture, although there are still companies such as Steve Neville and Matrix Innovations that still produce strong, heavy gauge stainless steel pods that will last you a lifetime but are a substantial weight to carry around when fishing.
Fox International are the current leaders in terms of sales and rod pod design and manufacture and produce a wide range of pods to suit all budgets and fishing situations. The Fox pods range from the simple, A-pod with limited adjustments to the Eclipse, Quattro, Syy & Ranger pods with adjustable legs, central supports and buzz bars. You can expect to pay from around £45 for the lower end to around £150 for top end pods.
Solar Tackle has also been in the rod pod market for a long time and their flagship product 'The Solar Worldwide Pod' being a firm favourite with many anglers who prefer the stainless look and solid setup that will last a long time. The Solar pods are made from a lightweight stainless steel and the Worldwide pod weighs just 2.3kg.
If you are considering buying a new rod pod you should think about the following factors:
Rod capacity - Most rod pods will come with a three rod buzz bar as standard but most can also take a two or four rod buzz bar if required.
Bank side terrain - Are your banks steep? Then you should think about a rod pod with adjustable legs so you raise or lower the front/back so you can point the rods in the desired vertical direction.
Weight - Is your desired lake/swim a long way from the carp park? If so you may want to consider a light weight pod.
Budget & Quality - Pods can vary greatly in quality and cost so it pays to choose an established manufacturer. It will pay to do some research online to find the best deals available.
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