A long term review – 12’ Full Metal Jacket - FMJ

I have had some of my FMJ's since before they were generally available and over the years have added several more to my collection. They have been severely tested during that period not only during fishing sessions but also at times when I have embarked upon lengthy, intense casting practice over grass. They have no idea what a light lead feels like, in fact I don’t think they’ve ever launched anything under four ounces. Apart from a few gentle lobs to wet the line every cast they’ve ever made has been a full blooded “off the ground” whack. On many occasions I’ve wrapped either 40lb mono or 60lb braid round the butt ring or the second ring and sometimes the tip ring, on several occasions the mono has been ‘fused’ into the whipping gel or the braid has cut deep into the whipping, on one mistimed cast the braid took the tip ring clean off, I’ve popped silicone inserts and frequently moved rings round the blank, yet even after six years of hard use (and one or two ‘repairs’) they still look super and can still propel a big lead 190 yards.

Designed by Simon Chilcott of Century they are still regarded as the flagship of Century’s superb range of rods. Ground breaking in their time, the first carp rod with a parallel butt, (to store and release the casters power) the first carp rod with a 50mm – 16mm silicone carbide ringing pattern (don’t let anyone kid you small rings improve casting performance) and finally at a later date the F.M.J. was along with Century’s other top rods cured in an autoclave, a process which preserves the blanks action and recovery rate for a very long time.

How do they perform casting wise, well I’m not a tournament caster and I’m almost in my sixtieth year but I do understand the principles of long distance casting. Recently on my casting field using 28mm main line, a 4 ½ ounce lead and a Shimano Technium reel I made a series of casts over 190 yards in not ideal conditions and this after just a few weeks of practice.

There have been certain comments made about the F.M.J. on various web Forum’s which have inferred that the F.M.J. is not a fishing rod merely a casting tool and is just not viable because of line breakages and hook pulls etc. Now I was brought up on wooden MK IVs and soft action glass ‘Redmire’ rods and for most of my normal carp fishing I now use 2 ¼ Century NG’s, whatever, when the need has required it I have loaded my FMJ’s with 6lb mainline to cast over 200 yards to out of bounds areas, and then landed fish to over 30lbs. I have frequently used 8lb mainline to cast 180 yards to reach carp that thought they were safe and again caught 30lb plus fish. These days modern lines are in the main excellent, strong, robust, knot well and usually underrated. All that is needed is a little thought, a little care and a little patience. I would not use a 6 or 8lb line if I wasn’t sure of what I was fishing over I hasten to add. Light lines and powerful rods are not a problem if your knots are good and you think about what you are doing.

At the other end of the spectrum I have also spooled up my FMJ’s with 12 and 15lb mainlines to cast a four ounce lead and a three or four bait stringer 150 yards and again caught big carp.

Just recently I have had the chance to try out a couple of distance rods from other manufacturers, impressive they were too, however neither could get within ten yards of my old and well used FMJ’s, strangely both felt like pokers compared to the F.M.J.!

Finally, just consider, the F.M.J. was designed by a man who has also designed the longest casting rod ever made, a rod capable of casting over 300 yards, he has also designed both the Armalite and N.G. two of the nicest fish playing rods ever.

If you need the ultimate big water big carp rod, a rod, with which a little practice, will propel a big lead to areas other rods just cannot reach and then allows you to bring that puzzled old lump back safely, then your options are minimal, its either a 12 foot F.M.J. or a 13 foot F.M.J.!

JOHN CARVER