MAP has got everything right with this powerful margin model that’s more than a match for big fish

PAY AROUND

£245

Match brand MAP has two new margin poles in its hugely popular TKS range. The 8.7m Competition M1 and M2 are built on the same mandrels as the longer TKS poles.
The M1 is compatible with the 2G 601, 701, 801 and flagship 901 models, while the M2 will interchange with the 2G 401 and 501 poles, making them ideal back-ups for all TKS owners.
However, they have far more going for them than that. Their super Toray carbon specifications include bi-lateral joint reinforcement and high-impact resins for extra durability.
A superb smooth ship finish is teamed with Fusion technology, achieved by bonding together different types of carbon cloths to impart lightness and rigidity to the poles.
Basically MAP has created a couple of outstanding top-end margin poles which work in conjunction with existing TKS 2G models, and have enough raw power and build quality to rank with the best on the market.
The Competition M2 on live test also boasts a section alignment system and an easy ship finish on every section, and comes with pre-bushed side puller Power kits – one inside the pole and a spare – plus a 12-month guarantee.
Its action, or rather the lack of it, is in keeping with that of nearly all top-end modern-day margin poles. This has seen the old willowy through action replaced by an almost belligerent movement across the top three sections – backed by uncompromising rock-solid section wall strength.
Three more unyielding sections take it to its full 8.7m, plenty long enough to reach well beyond the next platform, and beyond the bottom of the near shelf on 99 per cent of commercial fisheries. The pole’s exceptional rigidity is reflected in its quick tip speed and virtually wobble-free post-strike recovery time.
“Ah, but can it handle really big fish?” I hear you cry – you bet your life it can, as was proved at Peterborough’s Kingsland Reservoir, home to some proper lumps. Loaded with No 14 hollow elastic (it’s rated to a 20), the M2 handled everything thrown at it, careering through a procession of near-doubles like a bowling ball through skittles.
Even with the rig tight up against some Norfolk reeds, the new M2 had enough clout to drag any size of fish quickly out of harm’s way.
It’s at this point that its obvious stiffness leads you to conclude that MAP has got this pole spot-on. It’s perfect for those ‘yank and grab’ tactics when fishing tight up against snags and features.

VERDICT

One of the most powerful poles for close-in work ever made, the new MAP M2 Margin is ideal for any commercial heavyweight hauling tactic.
It handles beautifully, and although it’s not the lightest of its kind around, its rock-solid feel confers a comforting sense of security, and inspires confidence in its capabilities to cope with stressful situations.
Its top kits are quite lenghty, at approximately 2.7m, and may be considered by some a tad too long if you fish regularly in very shallow water.