Mark Pitchers

Like most anglers the majority of my angling takes place within comfortable casting ranges of up to around 100 yards, but on larger venues with open expanses of water there will undoubtedly be occasions when the carp will be located beyond these distances therefore it is important that we are up to speed on how to fish at range…

The Rod
For my day to day fishing I tend to use what some may deem an “entry level” rod, however, when it comes to distance rods I believe you really do get what you pay for. Generally speaking the better the grade of carbon the lighter and crisper the blank will be. This means the rod can recover at a faster rate after casting and return to its original/straighter form which allows the line to travel through the rods rings more freely and with minimal resistance. My weapon of choice for the past few seasons has been the Horizon XTK 12ft 3-5oz, which is a purpose-designed distance rod and is in fact rated by its optimum casting weight rather than a traditional test curve meaning you need leads of between 3-5oz to get the best performance from the rod.

3-5oz Horizon XTK rods – the ultimate tool for long range casting!

The Reel
An expensive casting rod is, however, only as good as the reel your pair it with therefore a big pit style reel is required. Personally I use the 12000XT reels, which are lightweight, feature a large spool and have a very slow oscillation which results in perfect line lay, which in turn gives you those vital extra yards on the cast.

It is important to use a big pit reel with a large spool.