Danny27 Posted April 3, 2017 Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 Hi guys I hope you can all help me out, I've just recently got back into carp fishing and managed to get hold of 2 Daiwa crosscast 5500 so I'm looking for 2 rods to go with it I have a budget of around £2-300 for the pair but with these been such a big reel I feel lost in the kind of rod I should be looking for, The lakes ill be fishing can be weedy and potentially up to 110 or so yards and id like to use PVA bags I don't expect to be able to fire them out that far with only just picking the sport back up but id like to have the rods capable of using bags without the risk of damaging them, I've looked at the Daiwa longbows and also the Greys Prodigy but I'm open to all suggestions! Cheers guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamps Posted April 3, 2017 Report Share Posted April 3, 2017 my choice for that money would be free spirit ctx or avid traction in 3.5 tc Danny27 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny27 Posted April 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 After a talk at my local shop and a further look online I'm now stuck between the Avid traction or the shimano velocity both are same priced so is it a case of which feels better for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 18 hours ago, wamps said: my choice for that money would be free spirit ctx 100%. These are a hell of a lot of rod for the money. Apparently there's not that much difference between these and the 400 quid Hi-S rods. Free Spirit knew they had to bring a rod out in the lower price range so used cheaper materials but they're that good at rod design/building the rods still ended up fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 34 minutes ago, Danny27 said: After a talk at my local shop and a further look online I'm now stuck between the Avid traction or the shimano velocity both are same priced so is it a case of which feels better for me? Shimmy use cheap Chinese blanks and Avid aint rod builders, I'd go with the Free Spirit, all day bud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salokcinnodrog Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 1 hour ago, yonny said: Shimmy use cheap Chinese blanks and Avid aint rod builders, I'd go with the Free Spirit, all day bud. Some of This years rods have gotten an American influence in blanks and rod rings, using Pac Bay guides and blanks, which are some of the best in the world. I have used Pac Bay blanks and guides to build rods myself, and despite trying I could not break the guides, which are better even than many of latest Fuji rod rings. (Described as Shimano Hardlite guides, although some in catalogue are quoted as Pac Bay). The Shimano Velocity are a 2015 model/design! The latest models are Tribal XS1 which are available in 2.75, 3 and 3.25lb. For the money you have quoted Free Spirit would be my choice, unless you can find a set of Fox Torque rods which were around that money for the pair, but that is also a 2015 design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny27 Posted April 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 (edited) 15 minutes ago, salokcinnodrog said: Thanks for all the responses guys its brilliant to get some input as it feels so easy to get lost on the amount of options I have, as someone whos coming back into the sport I like the looks and also the reviews of the Avid Tractions I cant seem to find a bad review on them, and for 79,99 I can get 2 of them for what I would pay for one Free spirit although as you guys have pointed out they seem to be an incredible rod would you says its worth me spending the extra and getting the spirits would a novice benefit from it? I don't mind paying the extra if its going benefit me in the long run! Edited April 4, 2017 by Danny27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillfactor Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 4 hours ago, yonny said: 100%. These are a hell of a lot of rod for the money. Apparently there's not that much difference between these and the 400 quid Hi-S rods. Free Spirit knew they had to bring a rod out in the lower price range so used cheaper materials but they're that good at rod design/building the rods still ended up fantastic. Not so sure about this mate .... the Hi-s rods are completely different technology as there a low resin carbon lower than any other rods out there by miles hence the price . Agree though that the ctx are great rods for that price bracket.... also think they have another range that's just been released all under the 150 a rod mark . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted April 5, 2017 Report Share Posted April 5, 2017 Yeah for sure Chill, I realise the Hi-S are a cut above but in terms of performance I hear there's not that much in it. This info apparently came from a certain Mr Hutchinson (although that's second hand info so don't hold me to it). I did hear he had a hand in the design of the CTX. The stuff I've heard about these is so good I've even considered getting a set of the broomstick model 13 ft 3.5's for proper distance work myself. I hardly ever fish at huge distances so even with the cheaper carbon they should last me forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny27 Posted April 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2017 Seems like everyone agrees on the spirits so I'm going go with them I'm sure paying the extra will benefit me later on, an above post said that they have a new model of the ctx? I can't find the ctx rods on free spirits website but plenty of websites still sell them so it shouldn't be too hard getting hold of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yonny Posted April 5, 2017 Report Share Posted April 5, 2017 20 minutes ago, Danny27 said: I can't find the ctx rods on free spirits website They refer to them as the Carp Tamer 'X'-Wrap I believe bud. Danny27 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillfactor Posted April 5, 2017 Report Share Posted April 5, 2017 2 hours ago, yonny said: Yeah for sure Chill, I realise the Hi-S are a cut above but in terms of performance I hear there's not that much in it. This info apparently came from a certain Mr Hutchinson (although that's second hand info so don't hold me to it). I did hear he had a hand in the design of the CTX. Think this underlines the major advantage of buying off rod builders like Harrison / free spirit . The rods that finally get released have been tested right through there development stages, rather than just an import blank with a different label stuck on it depending on who takes them on . Talking with Terry on the casting days , he is quite often in the Harrison factory literally watching test rods being made & then casting with them the same day, then they tweak the blank to get what there trying to achieve. Yonny Your right about Hutchy testing the ctx rods, both factories know that if it can handle Terry or Hutchy then there pretty indestructible rods in most people's hands . yonny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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