Every fishing rod has a so-called casting weight. This indicates the weight with which the rod can be loaded in the cast in order to achieve the best possible cast characteristics. The casting weight does not indicate the maximum load limit of a rod, but rather the optimum. However, a rod should not be overloaded more than 30-35 percent as this can damage the rod. Also, no more violent throws should be made with it!

This means that a rod with a casting weight of 80 grams is optimally utilized if it is used to cast 80 grams. However, weights of around 110 grams can also be cast with such a rod, taking into account the casting power.

However, the situation is different with our carp rods. Unfortunately, the use of the English term "LB" (lib) has prevailed with us and so carp rods are usually not specified with a casting weight in grams but in Lib. Unfortunately, this still leads carp anglers to wrong assumptions as to the correct casting weight.

The information in "Lib" indicates the test curve of the rod and not the casting weight. A test curve therefore means the weight with which a rod is loaded in a horizontal orientation until it reaches a bend of 90° degrees

In the following we would like to show you and explain exactly how to determine the casting weight of your carp rods!

Explanation of terms. Carp rods are specified in "Lib (abbreviated to lb)". Lib comes from English and means "pound" in German. The much used term "Libs" for the plural is wrong! The term "Lib" only exists in English, since the term "Pfunde" does not exist in German either!

English:
1 lib
2 libs
3 Lib

German:
11 pounds
2 pounds
3 pounds

Conversion. 1 English pound (Lib) weighs the equivalent of approx. 453.6 grams. A still widespread misconception is that a rod with 3 lb has a casting weight of 1,360.80 grams. PLEASE NEVER LOAD THE ROD WITH SUCH WEIGHTS!

Exact conversion and determination of the casting weight!

In the following we would like to show you exactly how you can determine the exact casting weight of your carp rod.

as already described, you need to know that 1 lb = 453.6 grams

Next, this number of grams must be divided by 16. This corresponds to the value of one ounce and thus weighs 28.35 grams!

453.6 grams / 16 = 28.35 grams = 1 ounce

Now all you have to do is multiply this result (28.35 grams) by the number of your Lib and you have the "optimal casting weight" for your rod!

28.35 grams * 3lb = 85.05 grams

This means that a 3lb carp rod has an optimum casting weight of around 85 grams!

So once again the calculation method simply explained:

1 lb = 453.6 grams

453.6 grams / 16 * lb of your rod.

With this simple calculation you can easily determine the "optimal" casting weight of your rod!

If you want to determine the "maximum" casting weight, you can simply multiply this result by a factor of 1.3 and you then get the "maximum" casting weight of your carp rod!

Have fun with the calculation and always big fish :-)