I started fishing for carp using a
King Cat medium action rod from
Cabela's. It's designed for catfish, but at $29.99 it's acceptable for entry level carp fishing on a budget. The
Ugly Stik would also be a worthy low budget rod, although it's more than twice the price.
After a few weeks a friend I met on the banks from Ford Lake in Ypsilanti loaned me 2
Wychwood Signature carp rods and 2
Black Phantom carp rods.
I am currently shopping for some new rods. I am considering the
Daiwa Mad Dragon 12' / 3.00lb
test curve. They are not really "cheap" rods, but they are what I consider to be a step up from the
Black Phantoms.
At $59.99 they are affordable and provide the opportunity to have 3 matching rods to go along with the matching
Okuma Coronado reels that I have on my shopping list. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my Okuma Avengers, but they don't really have enough torque and stopping power to feel in control of some of the larger carp I've been catching lately in the "screaming teens and twenties".
Update: I took advantage of the special buy-one-get-one-free promotion on
ResistanceTackle.com last night and ordered 4
Hurricane Carp Rods.
The Hurricanes are perfect for the majority of situations. They are slim, light, responsive and have Fuji fittings throughout. They are an absolute pleasure to play fish on and that’s a fact! Their unique power progressive curve loads seamlessly along the rod length when casting and delivers a crisp tip recovery. This adds yards onto the casting abilities of the average angler. The action provides the right level of forgiveness under the rod tip that is a must today especially with braided mainlines. They have a very modern understated finish which adds beauty to a classic finish of the rod. A classic Fuji 20mm hooded reel seat allows for all reel sizes. They have top quality Fuji rod guides from 40mm, 30mm, 25mm, 16mm and 16mm tip ring. The tip ring diameter allows for effortless casting whilst using shock or snag leaders. No stone has been left unturned in this rod design and the hook retaining clip is another useful addition.
I chose the 3# test curve rods. They also offer a 3.5# rod, but since I've been fishing with 2.50# and 2.75# rods for the past year I was afraid the 3.5#'s might be a little too stiff for what I'm used to.
I can't wait until they arrive and try them out.
My new Resistance Tackle carp rods arrived this week. ResistanceTackle.com announced a buy-one-get-free sale on fishing rods in May and it was a deal too good to pass up. 
