The Wednesday Review… ESP Paragon Carp Rods

This entry was posted on 4th September, 2013

ESP Paragon Carp Rods

ESP has always been a name that Carp anglers associate with quality, there range of tackle has stood the test of time and there flag ship products, such as the Big-T Raptor Hooks and Bulk Leadcore will go down in Carp fishing history.

It’s these reasons and philosophies as to why we were all very excited to here about their brand new range of Carp rods, especially when we were told the price!  A Carp rod from ESP, under £100… just had to be worth a look!

So what are they all about…

The range is called the Paragon and consists of 5 models, all 12ft in length, with test curves of 2.75lb, 3lb, 3.25lb, 3.5lb (marker rod) and 4.5lb (spod rod).

Featuring excellent multi modulus carbon blanks with an attractive gloss finish. The colour scheme is low key black throughout with a nice old school red tippet to the line clip whipping above the reel seat. Graphics have been kept low key on the underside of the blank absolutely no offensive ‘bling’ on these beauties.

Other features include an ergonomic reel seat, full length shrink rubber handle with a nicely flared casting grip and SiC guides throughout, plus the obligatory ESP moulded line clip on all models apart from the spod and marker rods.

All of the rods, apart from the 2.75lb model have 50mm ringing for reduced friction and improved distance casting, a feature which you rarely see on rods in this price category!

The models…

ESP Paragon 12ft 2.75lb

A lightweight well balanced rod with a great fish playing through action. Ideal for short to medium range yet has enough power to cast a 2oz lead 100m+.

ESP Paragon 12ft 3lb (50mm)

The perfect all rounder with a steely action that feels great at close quarters but which is just as effective when casting long distances. Optimum distance casting weight 3oz.

ESP Paragon 12ft 3.25lb (50mm)  

A powerful rod designed especially for distance casting whilst retaining good fish playing characteristics to prevent hook pulls around the net. Ideal with leads of 3oz+ and PVA bags.

ESP Paragon Marker Rod 12ft 3.5lb (50mm)

This special carbon blank is exceptionally rigid and designed to magnify and transmit vibrations from the lead all the way back to the hand as well as offering exceptional long range casting performance.

When used in conjunction with a braided reel line such as ESP Spod & Marker Braid the tactile feedback on contours and the nature of the bottom is excellent,  allowing features to be pinpointed and mapped accurately.

ESP Paragon Spod Rod 12ft 4.5lb (50mm)

The Paragon Spod rod is designed to be comfortable and well balanced for long periods of use during the repetitive spodding process.

With a 4.5lb test curve and a progressive action, the tip is soft enough to be compressed with a medium sized spod resulting in excellent and consistent accuracy whilst the power packed butt helps deliver excellent long distance casts. For optimum distance performance spods of around 6-8oz are best whilst heavier loads can be delivered easily and accurately at short to medium range.





The closer look…

When a carp rod looks this good you’d be right to expect two things of it, great performance and a hefty price tag. In the case of the Paragon Plus, ESP has delivered one of these.

Let’s deal with the all-important looks first. The return to a full gloss blank with subtle yet classy red whippings certainly helps the Paragon Plus stand out on the crowded rod stands of today’s tackle market, yet it’s subtle enough that it also looks great on the bank.

The modern, full-shrink-wrap handle is in keeping with modern trends and also offers easy grip and comfort when playing fish and casting. Finally, on the looks department the Paragon Plus is dressed with a sultry black reel seat and similarly dark SiC rings throughout. This really does look a class act but what about that performance and price?

Well, we’ve only had limited experience of the rods themselves, having cast each of the three fishing models at a local lake, but first impressions are of a decent wand with plenty of backbone, without being a poker-stiff casting tool.

The 12ft 2.75lb version boasts a sublime action that’s perfect for fishing anything up to 80 to 100 yards and which will remind you of how nice it can feel to play carp. Similarly, the 3lb version appears to be able to cope with more all-round tasks, while the 3.25lb model is blatantly designed with bigger waters in mind. The latter two are fitted with 50mm butt rings, while the 2.75lb has a 40mm offering.

Completing the collection are the spod and marker rods, each boasting the same finish and each capable of handling plenty of work at multiple ranges. We particularly like the balance on offer from the spod rod; important when faced with long periods of baiting.

Oh yes, the one thing that ESP failed to deliver on that initial expectation is the whopping price tag. Each of these rods comes in at between £69.99 and £99.50, astonishing really when you look at the quality of build and performance. Could the Fox Warrior finally have a contender for the UK’s best sub-£100 carp rods?

We Liked A great package for less than £100

We Didn’t Like We’re still looking for something!

Buy The ESP Paragon Carp Rods