Korda Kaizen Platinum Carp Rod 12ft 3.5lb

BB0629

Korda Kaizen Platinum 12ft 3.5lb

The Korda Kaizen Platinum 12ft 3.5lb test curve rod is the perfect all-rounder and the best option for carp anglers who want as much versatility as possible from just one set of rods. The lightweight, perfectly balanced, blank can accommodate the most delicate of precision flicks on an intimate venue, all the way through to a 35+ wrap blast on a lake of ‘Gigantica’ proportions. This is ideal model if you want one set of high-end rods that will do it all.

Recommended casting weight: 2-4oz.

Danny Fairbrass: “I’ve been using a heavier version during field testing, but it’s nice to go back to the 12ft 3.5lb rods as they are the all-rounders, if you want to fish anywhere from one yard to 140 yards, with pinpoint accuracy, then these are the ones”

-Super tensile high-grade Japanese carbon

-Fast tapered profile blank for higher compression strength

-Low glare matt paint finish

-Lightweight stainless-steel guides

-50mm butt guide with 16mm tip ring on all models

-Japanese shrink grip handle with flared butt

-Stainless steel trim rings with JAG etched stainless butt cap

-Fuji DPS reel seat

Korda Kaizen Rod Developement

The Kaizen Rod range has been under development for more than four years and came about as Korda felt that they could develop high end rods that were even better than those already on the market.  

They have utilised the extensive knowledge and experience of their Team Korda anglers and product development staff including Danny Fairbrass who has a long association with rods bearing his name, which he was involved in developing, to produce an exceptional range of rods. It was a natural progression for Korda to develop a range of their own that had all the attributes that anglers are looking for from the ultimate carp fishing rods.

The objective was to design a range of rods that would cover pretty much any carp angling situation at home or abroad, allowing you to not only accurately reach the fish if they were out at range, but which would also feel nice to play them on.

All the high-end Kaizen rods are built on a fast-tapered profile mandrel.  This means that the taper of the rod consistently goes all the way from the butt to the tip. This produces rods with a very ‘tippy’ action, and with pretty much all the flex being towards the tip end. Of course, when under extreme pressure such as casting, the rod will still bend all the way through to some extent. This type of action allows for better power transfer and the generation of very fast tip speeds, which in turn allows you to cast further.

That same action also allows much faster line pick-up as well, and whilst most of the bend is in the tip, the power is transferred progressively enough that the rod will absorb the lunges of a big fish at close range without fear of it causing hook pulls, it also ensures that it is still a pleasure to play fish on any of the Kaizen rods.

The taper of these rods isn’t the only factor in determining the action and attributes that it displays, and just as important is the type of carbon that has been used in the manufacturing process.  For the Kaizen range, the only real choice was the best super tensile, high-grade Japanese carbon that Korda could get our hands on!

This ZERO90 carbon is used in just two layers and with very little resin content, the result is lighter, stiffer blanks. Not only will this allow more power to be transferred into the cast and with less effort than you find with a cheaper grade of carbon, but it also aids enhanced accuracy as it reduces the ability of the blank to twist and cause your lead to go off-target during the cast. Over a long distance ,even tiny improvements in accuracy make a big difference to your rig landing exactly where you aimed. It also aids tip recovery after casting, which is basically the length of time that the tip continues bouncing up and down after the cast, and the crisper this action the better.  If you flick the tip of a Kaizen rod, it will come to a stop almost immediately, with all the power having been transferred into that action, this is exactly what you require when trying to cast a long way.

The Kaizen range have been given a custom-made look, with the type of high grade components that you would expect to find on a rod of this price. The blank is finished in durable clear matt paint, which shows off the carbon and has been extensively tank tested to ensure it is perdurable.  This basically means it is incredibly durable and will take a long time to show any signs of weathering due to exposure to sunlight and moisture.

There is of course no point in developing a rod that is incredibly light compared to its power, and then adding heavy components to it, so all of the Kaizen range is fitted with lightweight Sea-Guide TDG rings, with a 50mm butt and 16mm tip.  This allows the line to ‘cone’ off of a big pit spool in a way that minimises resistance as it passes through the butt ring, and providing a tip ring that is big enough to allow leader knots to smoothly pass through it. The reel is attached via a superior quality Fuji DPS seat and the handle is finished fully in Japanese shrink grip, the use of which is more than just cosmetic and allows for a good grip even when your hands or the rod are wet. The aluminium trim and an etched butt cap made by JAG completes the extremely desirable custom look.

Danny Fairbrass, who has been involved in rod design for many years and was one of the driving forces behind the Kaizen range, enthused: “They are an absolute joy to use, such lightweight, but powerful, and with really light rings, so they move through the air so easily, and cast so perfectly straight. They also look absolutely gorgeous as well.”

So, whatever your casting style and ability, you’ll find a Kaizen rod that suits you, and allows you to fish at longer ranges, and more accurately, than ever before.