Thursday Focus- ESP Stalker Rods

This entry was posted on 27th June, 2019

ESP, or Extra Sensory Perception, is a brand that has become synonymous with big carp success and there is one angler in particular that embodies the ESP principles more than any other, Terry Hearn. It was actually an off the cuff remark from Terry that gave ESP their name, Terry had caught so many big and wily fish that he felt he must have been blessed with a sixth sense.

As the name suggests, the ESP Stalker rods are optimised for stalking tactics, fishing at half a wrap in amongst tight-knit foliage its surprising how productive the shallower margins can be. Being a compact rod, its also ideal for the mobile nature of stalking and allows you to travel light.



The rod itself is 9ft/2.74m and is rated with a test curse of 2.75lb, powerful enough to keep a bruising carp out of a snag but supple enough to act as a shock absorber and help avoid hook pulls on a short line.

Aesthetically, the ESP Stalker features a full-length EVA handle which its capped with a branded ESP butt cap. Above the handle sits a DPS-18 reel seat, which will minimise any lateral movement from your reel, above that is an ESP branded line-friendly line clip before the stylish olive green blank with minimalist ‘Stalker’ branding.

Lining the blank are SiC guides, SiC, or silicon carbide guides themselves are twelve times harder and one-third lighter than stainless steel guides, generating less heat and lower friction allowing you to cast greater distances with improved accuracy.

If you’re a fan of understated carp rods and you like a spot of stalking, you can’t go far wrong with the Stalker rod from ESP.

Buy the ESP Stalker Rods here