‘S’-Range Special Pike Rods

The Pike Tamers have long been firm favourites among the predator fraternity, but we kept hearing the same request from anglers who dedicate themselves to Esox lucius: a true top-end pike rod range with no compromises. Rods that feel crisp and progressive in the hands, yet carry the backbone to control big baits, hard fights and demanding venues—whether you’re casting from the bank or working afloat. That’s exactly why the ‘S’-Range Special Pike Rods were born.

From the outset, these weren’t “pike by adaptation”. The ‘S’-Range Special Pikes were designed and developed as dedicated pike blanks, built to do pike jobs properly—casting big, air-resistant baits, managing heavy traces, controlling fish close-in, and still having a progressive curve that makes playing fish a pleasure. They are not re-worked carp blanks; the action, recovery and power distribution were created specifically around modern pike fishing demands, both bank and boat.

Built on our 36T Japanese low-resin carbon, the blanks were tuned to produce a more progressive action without losing authority where it matters. They load smoothly, recover cleanly and feel light for their effective test curve, yet remain exceptionally strong. The finish follows the same philosophy—clean, functional and built to stay smart. Blanks are left free of paint and heavy lacquer in our Perdurable raw-carbon finish, so there’s nothing to chip, craze or dull with hard use; just honest carbon with a 3K weave aesthetic running right through to the tip.

Hardware and layout stay equally purposeful. A Fuji DPS M18 pattern reel seat (Clone 3K) sits between an elongated cork foregrip and a full rear grip, both finished with stainless steel collars for long-term durability. Rings are our ‘S’-Lite guides, and the tip features a dedicated braid tip guide, making the range equally at home with braid or mono. With 40mm starting guides, the rods cast superbly with fixed spools, but they can also be rung for multiplier work when required. Every rod is hand-built in the UK, with full custom service available.

The Bank Pike Specials are the all-round casting tools: clean loading, confident bait control and a playing action that keeps things enjoyable without feeling soft. With an effective test curve around 4lb and that progressive curve through the blank, they’ll handle **big baits—mackerel included—**with ease. The Boat Pike Specials are built to take heavy use afloat, with slightly shorter handles to make life simpler in the confines of a boat. The 11’ Boat Pike in particular bridges the gap beautifully, lending itself to casting and trolling when you want to fish away from the boat while anchored.

Development and testing were carried out where it counts, with demanding prototype time on big, open waters and tough venues that quickly expose weaknesses in blank behaviour, ringing and overall build. The range has been worked hard on challenging waters, including big lochs in Scotland and Ireland and large trout reservoirs such as Chew, with extensive input from dedicated, highly experienced pike anglers, including Stuart Gillham, Kev Shore and Graham Slater. Their time on the water helped refine the balance between progressive loading and reserve power, validated guide choice and spacing for real-world casting with big baits, and ensured the rods behave predictably when fish are fought close to the bank or boat—when control matters most.