Spod & marker Set up

[stu_wigan]

Hi all

Hoping some one can help me….

Im looking for a cheap spod and marker rod set up. Since I have only just started carp fishing I haven’t used either before and they seem pretty essential skills for fishing bigger waters, so I want to get them but don’t want to spend loads. Im on a budget of £150 for both set ups. So im looking for a spod rod, a marker rod and 2 matching reels…

I have been looking at the Fox Warrior and spod and marker rods which seem like pretty good value at around £50 each – can anyone else suggest a better product for the same price or less?
As for the reels, I have been looking at the Mitchell avocet just because that’s right on my budget at £25 each. I have read one bad review about these on the forum but a lot of the websites say they are good because they are designed as a beachcaster?? Has anyone used one/got one?

I have seen spod/marker packs with a fox rod and a shim aerlex but these are too expensive at around 89 each.

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers

Stu

[gazmeesh]

firstly welcome to the forum, now the rods you say about for the money are a good deal imo, not sure about the reels tbh but just remember that a reel for spodding does a hell of a lot of work so go for the best you can.

[hopefull]

Chub Outkast spod & marker rods with either Daiwa Emcast Evo or Shimmy Aerlex reels will set you back around £100 each for rod/reel set-up mate

[salokcinnodrog]

In terms of quality a Spod rod and reel are going to get the most abuse of any rod and reel, so get the best you can afford. Don't always think cheaply. It may be worth saving up for a good combination.
There is a big BUT in that though in that the Shimano Aerlex's are some of the best reels going and will last for years. They are absolutely bulletproof.
I use them for Marker, Fishing and Spodding reels. Now you've put £80-90 on reels alone, you may need to up the budget a little bit.

You can use a Cheap Beach rod as a Spod rod, it will handle the abuse, they are designed for throwing out leads and bait to sea of up to 8-10oz, and a spod can weigh that

As for Marker rod, I'm still coveting my Century M1 so can't offer any advice on that. In fact even my Spod rod is a Century rod, and that takes some series abuse, Big Bertha can handle it!

You may be able to pick up a S/hand one ?
_________________
Nick

[tucker74]

as what nick ( i thick its his name ) buy a cheap beach caster for spod rod but spend the money on a decent reel for the job with a large spool diawa emcast or similar. try using the set up for both jobs. if its a lake you fish regular you wont need the marker for long anyway. i use a beach caster as my spod rod though a little expensive, i do sea fishing as well so not such a waste.

[tucker74]

nick

i use century tip tornado match as spod and as marker. if they can reg a bite at ov 200 yards then there sens enough for marking and they can deliver a spod full as well.
as nick has mentioned its the reel that do the bizz as well as strong rod

[salokcinnodrog]

[tucker74]

nick how do i post a pic

[666carpcatcher]

[stu_wigan]

Cheers for the response guys - Iv had a look on some other threads and i was suprised how many times the aerlex is mentioned as a great reel - so i think i shall have to re-think the girlfriends xmas present budget so that i can afford them!!

[markpreston]

Shimano do a Spod kit now
Shimano spod rod and aerlex reel for between 80 and 90 quid depending on retailer.
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[bluebirdjones]

[salokcinnodrog]

[martyn123]

mate if your just starting spoding try a korda mini skyliner it can be used with a 3lb rod and puts a fair bit of bait bown with about 10 spod fulls then i top it all up using some big pva bags ive caught a few desent fish that way and the reel can be a decent big pit heck ive used shakespear reels that i bought for about £13 and there fine you dont have to spend hundred pounds on a spod rod and reel.for the marker just use a 2.5 carp rod and a 2.5 to 3 oz grippa lead to can feel the bottom and messure depth as the rod is strong but sensative

[gonefishing999]

During the summer months, i purchased a Chub Outkast Spod Rod. Outstanding rod, well up for the job, £50 new from www.lathams-fishing.co.uk

Im not to sure if that offer is still available, but it was certainly an offer that couldn't be turned down.

As for the Marker rod... any rod that is over 3lb TC and over has done the trick for me. The stiffer the rod, the more vibrations it will reveal when markering over gravel, silt, sand etc.

With the reels, esspecially for the spod rod, you will need one with a good retrieve ratio. This will make retrieving the spod less tiring and faster. Anything around 1:4.8 is good. Same with the Marker reel, exept a baitrunner/freespin is almost vital...

Hope this helps

Nath.
_________________
Tight Lines - Nath.

[stu_wigan]

[zander1]

As being as this topic is getting more and more frequent, i thorght id try and help people out with my 2pneth, but people will have there own preferences, I hope that this guide helps

Spodding Tackle/ Setups/ guide

Spodding with heavy spods puts alot strain on the tackle/equipment used.
An average spod fully loaded will most probably weigh somewhere between 6-8 ounces. This is considerably heavier than what a normal carp rod can cope to cast and there for dedicated equipment is necessary.

A rod with a test curve around the 4-5lb tc is needed to handle such a weight and a big pit reel will help with casting greater distances and will speed up the retrieve of the spod.

The Rod:
The rod will take a lot of abuse from the constant casting of heavy spods and the cheaper end of spod rods/beach casting rods, although can work for limited spodding (the "occasional spodder") they are worth avoiding. The blanks used on such rods are not up to the rigours and tremors of constant use causing the blank to either go soft very quickly or can actually snap on a cast.
Instead of going for a cheap spod rod, look for a secondhand bargain before parting with any cash. If buying new on a budget the Fox warrior spod isnt a bad choice, it isnt however brilliant (It has been described by many as a broom stick).
My personal favorite Spod rod is the Greys 12' Spod rod. It has a lot of power but also has the finesse needed for accurate casting at any distance. (It would also manage to actually work as a fishing rod if needed as the action of the rod is fairly progressive with a responsive tip)

The Reel:
A strong reliable big pit is the most suitable reel for the job. It cast greater distances than a normal bait-runner reel and is alot sturdier for casting heavy weights and will last a lot longer even with constant churning of the reel to retrieve the spod. It also retrieves line quicker as the spool and line rotor are larger and take up more line for every turn of the handle compared to a normal bait-runner style reel.
A good line clip is a must if you intend on casting clipped up rather than using a line marker (such as pole elastic). All shimano Big pit reels have adequate line clips for this.
If you are buying new but on a budget, a shimano reel may be out of the question, (the arelex 8000 is around £50 new and is easily good enough to cope with spodding) however I have found that the Wychwood MAXimiser Big pit 70 is an adequate tool for the job and at £45 new is a bargain however the line clip isnt suitable for fishing clipped up, it has a nicely tapered spool which is brilliant for distance casting. If your budget can stretch a little to £50 a Shimano arelex will fullfill all spodding requirements but if you cannot it is worth buying secondhand and getting something a little more up market.
I personally rate the Shimano Biomaster, and use them for all of my fishing. It has a good line clip, is a complete work horse and doesnt look bad either. Has really good line lay, casts effortlessly and is quick to retrieve the line after casting.

(the wychwood reel) :


My favoured set up:



Mainline:
A reliable mainline of a breakingstrain no lower than 8lb is needed for spodding combined with a good shock leader. 8-10-12 and15lb line are all suitable but obviously the further you want to cast the lower the bs needed.
I use sensor brown as the main line.
I would advise against the use of braided mainline for spodding.

Shock leader:
The general rule for a shock leader is to have +10lb test for every ounce you cast. This leaves a good safety margin however i find that a shock leader of 45-50lb is more than adequate for casting an 8 ounce spod to the horizon, I also find that as long as you do not "punch" an even heavier spod- 10-12ounce in some circumstances there isnt a problem of crack off (i would however go up to 12-15lb mainline if necessary. Never suddenly slow down a spod in flight as there is a chance of a crack off.
I use the E_S_P sonar shock braid in 45lb test.
When the spod is in line with the spigot joint on the rod (half way as such) when the rod is nion vertical there should still be 5-6 turns of shock leader on the spool.
A tapered mono leader is also highly suitable and can reduce the chance of a crack off even more as there is still stretch in it creating a marginal comfort zone.
If you are on a budget, cheep sea fishing line/shock leader of 50-60lb can be used and works well but it is a bulkier leader to cast.



Spods:
There are all manners of size and shape spods available.
Some have holes in the sides to help make the spod easier to retrieve where as others have no holes atall and are therefor suitable for spodding fine particles or even runny liquid types of bait/oil concoctions.
I like the Korda spods.
Some spods such as the gardener pocket rocket and korda mini skyliner can be cast on normal carp rods and reels.
The Korda Sky raider is a great spod for spodding at distance. Big spds are great for putting down big beds of bait at most distances



Hope this helps

[woodyofcastle]

F.A.O. Zander1

What a cracking post zander1, very informative and very helpfull, now can you do a same post for a marker rod please, i have just ordered a shimano aerlex on your recommendation.

thank you

woody

[zander1]

No problem Mate, glad i could help.

I will get on to doing a marker set-up shortly, ill try and take some photos this weekend and ill get started

[hajiro]

: This topic was just what i was looking for and solved most of my problems many thanks to all.

What i dont get is clipping the line up would this not cause the line to crack off as the line would hit it hard at the end of the cast, i bet you have an obvious answer but could one of you exsplane it to me

[welshcarp1985]

[zander1]

They come into their own on highly stocked runs waters (dedicated spod gear that is).

You only use them when you believe they offer you an advantage- you don't use them for the sake of it.

They can catch you fish on some lakes and cost you fish on others.
It depends what type of lakes you choose to fish as to weather you need a spod set-up or not.

[beanz]

i totally agree they are a useful tool to have in the armory, some lakes a spod is like a dinner bell, a pocket rocket on your fishing rod thats care of that,theyre just not important, unlike hooks,you cant fish without them, a matt a must have.


alot of people fish a roamer rod, set that up as a marker for the first 1 or 2 rods if you dont have a dedicated marker rod or the same just a spod.


spod & marker rods are accessories not necessities

[zander1]

Yes i agree, they are more of a luxury than an essential.

You have to admit that they do make life easier, with out dedicated equipment you have to work harder to achieve the same effect.

[beanz]