Shakespeare’s Sigma Offers Unbeatable Value

Hoping to get into pellet waggler fishing this summer? You’ll be hard pushed to find a rod offering better value for money than the 10ft 6ins Shakespeare Sigma Supra Pellet Waggler.

As it’s priced at just £44.99, you might well expect the Sigma to be heavy and of poor quality – however, my experience of Shakespeare’s rods tells me that nothing could be further from the truth.

Having owned a Mach 2XT Barbel rod for 10 years, I can vouch for the strength and robustness of the company’s rods, and I expected the same of the Supra Sigma Pellet Waggler rod.

Featuring a sturdy screw-down reel seat, a strong carbon blank and titanium oxide guides throughout, the rod is tailor-made for taming hard fighting commercial fishery carp.

A mixed cork and EVA handle, along with simple graphics, give the rod a rugged, no-nonsense look, and unlike a book, I expected to be able to judge the Sigma by its cover.

I headed to Cambridgeshire’s Decoy Lakes to test my theory, and sat on Lou’s Lake, where carp were basking in the summer sun.

The rod balanced perfectly with a 3000-sized reel, and is light enough to hold all day – essential when fishing the waggler.

After feeding the swim for a few minutes and casting regularly, the float buried and the Sigma was yanked into its fighting curve.

The rod’s action is best described as ‘slow to through’, with a soft tip that steadily tapers down to a beefy butt section.

A feeling you sometimes get with budget rods is that they will shatter at any moment when they’re tested to their limit, but not so with the Sigma.

Throughout the day I never felt under-gunned, as I have done in the past when using softer pellet waggler rods that bend right through to the butt. Pulling fish away from snags on the far margin was no problem at all. 

The rod also casts well, and despite it having a 10g-30g casting weight I could chuck a 7g waggler with ease.

Its 10ft 6ins length makes for pinpoint accuracy, which is a particularly attractive feature, because one of the most popular tactics at the moment is ‘mugging’, where you cast a single bait at a cruising fish. On the day I tested the rod this ploy was particularly important, as the carp weren’t really interested in feeding shallow – and so dropping a bait right on their noses was the best way to fool them. 

Shakespeare is a company that has built its reputation on offering professional quality at an affordable price, and the Sigma Supra carries on that tradition.

Verdict: For catching ‘proper’ carp you’ll struggle to find a rod that offers better value for money. This makes the Sigma Supra Pellet Waggler the perfect tool for someone new to pellet waggler fishing, or as a spare for the more experienced angler.

What I would say is that if your local venue contains a large head of F1s or carassio, fish notorious for coming off under the rod-tip, you may experience problems with hook pulls due to the stiff butt section of this rod. However, with regular commons and mirrors you’ll be fine.

Don’t let the 10g-30g casting weight put you off, as this rod will comfortably cast much lighter wagglers.

If you shop around it’s also possible to pick up this rod at prices well below its RRP.

Price: £44.99