05.12.2012
EXO gear Tested by top UK carp angler
He had a go pike fishing last weekend and I knew he would get a few people watching so I lent him an EXO set up just incase! He fished Coates reservoir in Swindon, a 50 acre water that is known for big pike and perch along with only 50 carp. After an hour of catching a few Jack Pike and a few 1-2 pond Perch he got a take which was described as SAVAGE!!
At first he thought he had got into one of the massive pike, but after 20 minutes of long deep runs he simply had no idea of what he had hooked. In his words the rod doubled over and the fish just kept stripping line. At over 100 yds out Kev was down to the backing on his braid and reckons there was only 4 turns left of line. He decided he had to gamble and clamp down to turn the monster and was simply amazed that the Exo spin rod and reel coped handsomely and he started the long haul to the net.
Imagine his shock when a hudge tail pattern emerged from the depths infront of him, in the form of an old english stocked carp! 30 minutes later he landed a stunning 27and a half pound Carp!! Hooked beautifully, IN THE TAIL! Two things are highly amusing about this story, number one A top carper goes lure fishing and fowl hooks a carp, but even funnier is that Kev fished the same venue all last season and COULD NOT catch a carp! Kev has put it on his facebook for a bit of fun, but there is a serious side to this story as well?
Kev was truly amazed that a little light weight spin rod and reel coped in playing and landing such a great specimen and he said at no time did he feel undergunned, a fowl hooked carp of this size fights like a 40 pound pike hooked correctly. A 2.5lbs test curve pike rod would have bent some as well!
Lee Westbrook, Territory Sales Manager, Zebco Europe Ltd
