Were proud of the new CURVEX carp rods. They were the result of a lot of research, a whole lot of listening, and plenty of design and development time ensuring we delivered a product unlike any other.
Brand Manager, Mat Woods, helped manage the project from start to finish, following feedback from our team of angling consultants:
When enough people start saying the same things, you know its time to find out more, explains Mat. At the Zwolle Carp Show in 2015,, it was my first time meeting many of the European members of Team Avid. And what was clear was their fishing didnt match with our existing range of rods at that time, which were all based around UK long distance fishing.curvex55
Even our UK team agreed with the sentiments. Our rods were too fast for certain circumstances. A little stiff for fishing on smaller waters, or when using smaller leads.
In Europe, some of our guys havent physically cast a fishing rod for over a decade, as they use either a boat or baitboat for the majority of their fishing.
Those who were still casting from the bank almost exclusively used braided lines, and were far more likely to use a rod with a parabolic, through action, rather than the fast-taper style.
What was clear was that we needed to consider their needs more when developing rods. Thats where CURVEX was born.
The development process subsequently has been extensive. Trying different weights of carbon fibre and different blends to get something that met these demands was really important.
Mat explains more:
Our experienced European Director, Pascal Vermuelen, has extensive knowledge when it comes to carbon materials and he gave us some constructive ideas on how to produce a rod that had lots of power reserves, but would not lock up.
Its easy to make a soft, wobbly carp rod, but making one that was man enough for big fish on extreme venues too was going to be a real journey. If youre chasing 30kg carp or bigger, you dont want to have to compromise, you want to remain in control throughout the fight, whether on the bank or from the boat, adds Mat.
We call it NON-LOCK carbon. Its made with Japanese carbon fibres that were delighted to use for this range.
Mat used a number of European angling trips with our team to learn more and test new carbon materials. With a prolific visit to Germany with anglers from our Dutch and German teams, along with trips to Holland and also Austria with big fish anglers like Arjen Uitbeijerse and Jeroen Albers, these development trips provided a unique insight into what was required.
The great thing about Team Avid is everyone has a voice and an opinion. When somebody whos used to catching big carp on braid tells you a rod needs to be built a certain way, you have to listen, adds Mat. I found fishing with the same setups to be enlightening,
Little details like having an anti-frap tip ring, to avoid line wrapping around the tip whilst out in the boat, were important. It also helps during casting, of course, but this attention to detail is what makes CURVEX special.
Initially, the carbon materials being used were a little too soft. They didnt stop bending, which made playing big fish difficult in snaggy conditions.
You can make a rod quite powerful, but making one that doesnt lock up is an innovation. Nobody wants to be sitting above a huge carp having to pull hard as hell, only to have that fish lunge and the rod lock up and bump the hook from the fish.
With CURVEX, you have a wonderful feeling of control, but also a buffer that other rods dont provide. Just when you think its fully loaded, the rod is able to flex that little bit more, without you losing control. Its a great feeling and the reason why we say, nothing feels quite like a CURVEX.
Complete, the range is perfect. Beautiful rods that are lightweight in the hand, but heavyweight when it comes to the power they can deliver on the bank.
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