The spod rod has a very fast recovery, super fast taper, very light and easy to move through the air. The handle is the correct length and it has a ceramic tip ring designed for use with braid. The rod certainly casts well to around 140 yards (when testing Terry Edmonds cast it 51 wraps with a medium spomb).

Danny Fairbrass: "It's designed to be really easy to use for the average angler. I'm not the best thrower in the world, but with the right length handle and a really lightweight rod that's really powerful like this one, it will definitely go for miles without any effort."

The Kaizen rod range has been in development for over four years and was created because we felt we could develop high end rods that were even better than those already on the market - although this is a first for Korda we have have used the extensive knowledge and experience of our Team Korda anglers and product developers to produce an exceptional range of rods.

Danny Fairbrass has a long association with rods bearing his name that he helped develop. It was a natural progression for Korda to develop his own series with all the features he, and our other anglers, look for in the ultimate carp rods.

The aim was to design a range of premium rods that would cover virtually any carp fishing situation at home or abroad, that would not only allow you to accurately target the fish when they were swimming at distance, but would also feel nice to play with.

All of our high-end Kaizen rods are built on a fast tapered profile - meaning the rod's tapering is consistent from bottom to top.
This gives rods with a very 'tippy' action, with almost all the bend going to the tip.
Of course, the rod will still bend slightly under extreme pressure, such as when casting.
This type of action allows for better power transfer and generation of very high top speed, allowing you to cast further.

That same action also allows for a much quicker line pick-up, and although most of the curvature is in the tip, the power is transferred so smoothly that the rod can catch the lunges of a big fish at close range without fear of the fishing rod looses the hook. It is also still a pleasure to fight a fish with the Kaizen rods.

The taper of these rods is not the only factor in determining the action and properties they exhibit, and just as important is the type of carbon used in the manufacturing process - for the Kaizen range the only real choice was the best super tensile, high-grade Japanese carbon we could get our hands on! This ZERO90 carbon is used in just two layers and with very little resin, resulting in lighter, stiffer blanks.
Not only does this allow more power to be transferred to the cast with less effort than a cheaper grade of carbon, but it also helps improve accuracy as it reduces the ability of the blank to twist and cause cause your lead to deviate from the target during the throw.
Over a long distance, even small improvements in accuracy make a big difference.
It helps to restore the tip after the cast, which is basically the time the tip continues to bounce up and down after the cast, and the sharper this action the better - if you tap the tip of one of these Kaizen rods it will coming to an almost instant stop, with all the power transferred into that action, is just what you need when you're trying to cast a long distance.
The Kaizen range has been given a custom-made look, with the kind of high quality components you would expect to find on a rod of this price.
The blank is finished with durable matte paint, which makes the carbon come into its own.
The blank has been extensively tested for durability, meaning it is incredibly durable and will take a long time to show signs of weathering from exposure to sunlight and moisture.

Of course there is no point in developing a rod that is incredibly light compared to its strength and then adding heavy components, so the entire Kaizen range is fitted with lightweight Sea-Guide TDG rings, featuring a 50mm butt ring and 16mm tip ring - allowing line to unwind from a large reel spool in a way that minimizes drag as it passes through the butt ring, and a tip ring large enough to pass leader knots smoothly. The reel is attached via a superior quality Fuji DPS holder and the handle is fully finished with Japanese heat shrink tubing - its use is more than just cosmetic and ensures a good grip even when your hands or the rod are wet. The aluminum finish and an engraved butt cap from JAG complete the highly desirable custom look.

As for the models in the high-end Kaizen range, there are currently seven, with 12ft 3lb, 3.5lb and 4lb rods, plus a 12ft spod rod; a 12ft 6in 4lb version for those who really want an extreme distance rod but find a 13ft model just a bit too long; plus 13ft 3.5lb and 4lb models. These are suitable for almost any fishing situation, with the lightest model being perfect for close range fishing, but where you want the power to control a large carp and stop when you need to, and where you need a rig can throw it a long way if needed. The 4lb models are our specialized "long range" tools and have the ability to take a lead and rig incredible distances when in the right hands - as demonstrated by Terry Edmonds and Darrell Peck. In real fishing situations we have measured casts in excess of 200m and these are included in our upcoming chapter on the Long Range Masterclass, filmed at Iles3 in France.

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

So, whatever your casting style and skills, you'll find a Kaizen rod that's right for you, allowing you to fish further away and more accurately than ever before.