Middy Reactacore XQ-1 10m pole review
AS ANGLING Times tackle editor I fish quite a lot – because testing rods, reels and poles, unless I’m beside the water, isn’t really going to mean much, or give you any idea of how they’re likely to perform.
I only mention this because of late, whether I’ve been out fishing weekend matches or testing new gear, it’s become abundantly clear that we have a lot of new anglers in our midst.
There they are, all perched on shiny new seatboxes or immaculate fishing chairs, waving around newly-acquired poles and rods and, more importantly, all catching a few fish. It’s wonderful to see, and I hope the trend continues for the rest of the summer and beyond.
When wearing my official Angling Times regalia I always try to have a quick chat with anyone who looks even remotely like a new angler. I’m not being pushy, I just like to see how they’re getting on, maybe give a bit of bait away, or chat about rigs and tactics.
Let’s face it, talking fishing is easy, but by its very nature our sport is quite complex. Things like spooling line on to a reel, or what hooks and bait to use, are taken as read by the seasoned angler, but they’re not obvious when you’re new to the game.
On the right lines
That said, having spoken with quite a few chaps and chap-esses, it seems most have been well advised by their mates on the kit front. Tackle shops too, to their credit, are sending people to the banks with the gear they need, without having them over.
Fishing tackle that comes at a sensible price is what most newbies are looking for, which is where this week’s live test item, Middy’s new Reactacore XQ-1 10m pole, hits the spot.
In my opinion it’s absolutely perfect for the rookie pole angler looking to spend a few hours bagging decent-sized carp on their local commercial.
Price-wise it’s bang on the money, and it’s tough enough to withstand the odd over-enthusiastic moment or two. Rather handily it comes with a couple of spare top kits, and it’s not heavy or unwieldy, which is a big bonus if you’re not used to handling a pole.
Off to the lake
The live test was on Decoy’s day-ticket Lou’s Lake, just the sort of place to cut your teeth on the pole. On warm days you can get bites up in the water, down on the deck and at all points between, not to mention the margins. Nor are the carp in this lake particularly fussy about what they eat, so little more than a tin of corn and a bag of pellets will suffice.
Most importantly, Lou’s has stable and level fishing platforms, with plenty of flat open ground behind you to position your pole roller – as a rule of thumb, around four paces behind your seatbox will be spot-on.
You could thread pretty much any size or type of elastic you wanted through the XQ-1’s top kits, but I kicked off the session up in the water, using a middle of the road 10-12 hollow elastic in conjunction with the short Phantom (grey coloured) top kit that comes inside the pole.
The Phantom top kits
I also rigged up the spare Margin Phantom top kit with a super-heavy 20-24 hollow that would hopefully seriously test the pole’s section strength and pulling power later in the day when I targeted the margins.
Heavy elastic would test the pole’s strength
In truth is it hasn’t got quite the rigidity needed for slapping shallow rigs up in the water, but it’s stiff enough to allow you fish shallow comfortably enough using a catty and pellets. At its full length, just under 10m, it didn’t feel top-heavy or suffer the dreaded top kit pole droop.
The super smooth S-Slide finish made handling quick and clean, and it fairly sped over the roller. It didn’t suffer from sticking section joints, nor did they come apart other than when I wanted them to.
To assemble sections without pushing them on too far or hard, slide them together, give the uppermost section half a turn to the left or right and they’ll lock together but come apart again easily when required.
Middy Reactacore XQ-1 10m pole sections
Having caught quite a few half-decent fish shallow, it was on with the heavy elastic top kit to see if I could drag a margin munter from its lair. No problems, and I didn’t think there would be, as the top kits carry a 30 elastic rating.
One thing that makes the new Middy Reactacore XQ-1 stand apart from any other pole I have fished with at this price is its stiffness. Most power poles of this ilk have an action that spreads across the top four or five sections, and I’m sure that readers have seen lots of bendy pole shots on these pages.
However, take a longer look at the inset pole image and you’ll see that this model stays straighter than the road to perdition when a fish is hooked – basically it’s very, very strong.
This is a very strong affordable pole
Price: £275 (but shop around)
Preston Innovations Edge Monster Margin 10m Pole Review
YOU might say the Preston Innovations 8.5m Edge Monster Margin is the David Attenborough of poles – everybody loves it!
Launched 18 months ago, it’s strong and dependable, it will handle any size of fish or elastic, and it’s priced so as not to put you into a state of shock as you reach for your credit card.
So imagine my shock when I learned that this best-selling gem of a margin marauder was to be re-jigged and re-released early in 2020. Why a pole that’s already so good?
The reason is quite simple – for some time Preston had been inundated with requests to bring out a longer 10m version of the Edge Monster to give that bit more reach along the bank and enable you to fish up against the next platform along on most commercial waters.
This, as everyone who fishes them will tell you, is a great area in which to target really big fish, especially during the last hour of a match, or during the late afternoon/early evening if you’re on a bag-up pleasure session.
If you’re wondering why Preston didn’t simply release an extension section for the original pole, let me explain – and at the same time dole out some well-deserved praise to the company for not merely releasing a random butt section to achieve that extra length.
Without a proper re-design that would have made the pole overly bouncy and top-heavy, posing problems when fishing with a short line between float and pole.
Instead, Preston has tightened up the all-round stiffness of the Edge Monster Margin in order to compensate for the added weight of the extra 1.5m of pole length.
The good news, however, is that the latest version is formed around the same mandrel as the original, and that means The Edge Monster oozes strength, and I could pile on the pressure – not perfect, admittedly, but it will still perform perfectly well if you don’t want to splash out for the complete new model.
It made sense to run the rule over the new 10m Edge Monster Margin on a lake holding plenty of big fish, where the next platform was far enough away to present the pole at its full 10m length. The Cedar strip lake at Decoy Lakes, near Peterborough, was perfect.
The first thing I wanted to test was whether that extra stiffness had turned the Edge Monster from the UK’s best-selling margin pole into an elongated broom handle, with all the balance of Humpty Dumpty attempting to sit on the wall after a heavy night out on the town! I can allay your fears straight away on that score.
Having fished it at its full 10m length, with the mini extension fitted into the end of the new butt section, I’d agree that it’s been stiffened up through its mid-sections.
This is indeed a whopper-stopper of a margin pole, but it still has some finesse across its top sections.
Tough, hard-wearing section walls are a given, as are top kits that can be used with the heaviest of hollow elastics without fear of an expensive carbon explosion.
Of course, this isn’t a top-end pole, but it’s still very comfortable to hold over the full course of a match and not overly bouncy to fish with.
You must remember, though, that because its reinforced top kits are incredibly robust and quite long at 2.9m (9ft 6ins) it doesn’t deliver the quickest of tip speeds. It does dip a little on the strike/lift too, but the positives outweigh the negatives by a long chalk.
It will handle the largest of fish, although if I were considering using it with an elastic rated 18 and above, I’d cut the tip section back a little to take a larger diameter 5mm-plus diameter PTFE bush.
Preston’s own assessment of the pole as being suitable for ‘super-strong margin work’ is pretty accurate, though. Hook a giant carp down the edge and you’ll have no trouble gaining the upper hand as you ease it away from a tackle-busting snag and over the landing net.
At Decoy, when the float did dip under I was impressed with how well the Edge Monster Margin responded.
There was no cringeworthy wobble of the kind that can lead to bumped fish. The Edge Monster oozed strength, and I could pile on the pressure knowing that the fish would give up long before the pole did.
The finish is good, too, and in dry conditions it moved through my hands well as I shipped it in and out.
Price: £199.99, 10m extension £79.99
www.prestoninnovations.com
Tri-Cast Trilogy 2 Power Margin Pole
TECH SPEC
Elastic: Rated to a No25
The package: Trilogy 2 Power Margin 9m pole with spare top-2 kit, cap, towel and holdall
Additional spares: 10.6m extension £109.99; 12.2m extension £114.99; Big bore top-2 kit £69.99; Top-2 cupping kit with two cups £68.99; No3 section £59.99
PAY AROUND
£359
November isn’t normally the greatest month for margin fishing. Falling temperatures and morning frosts spell crystal-clear water, and fallen leaves blanket the bottom of our lakes.
But when Tri-Cast brand manager Steve Hopkinson told me of the imminent launch of the company’s latest Trilogy 2 Power Margin Pole – which is now in the shops – I knew I had to get out on the bank with one straight away, whatever the conditions.
To stand any chance of catching in the margins at this time of year your swim needs to be at least 3ft deep, and if there’s any cover alongside it, so much the better.
Luckily Kingsland Reservoir near Coates, in Cambridgeshire, is absolutely perfect. Its reed-fringed margins are more than deep enough to hold a few fish. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
First, let’s take a closer look at some of the technical attributes of this latest Tri-Cast pole. The standard 9m Trilogy 2 Power Margin is said by Tri-Cast to be streets ahead of both the original Trilogy Margin and its iconic XRS Power Margin, which for years was considered to be the ultimate bagging tool for down the edge.
The Trilogy 2 is made from a unique military grade of carbon cloth which is both strong and reliable. This is formed around the exact same mandrel as was used for the first Trilogy Margin, so if you’re simply looking to upgrade your existing pole, all your top kits and sections are interchangeable.
It’s slighter lighter than the original, but significantly stiffer and more responsive, even at its full 12.2m length with the two extension sections fitted.
I began the live test by fishing the Trilogy 2 at its standard 9m length, and with experience of both its predecessors I can confirm that it is stiffer and more responsive than either of these.
It’s astonishingly quick at the tip, and completely bounce-free at its 9m length – very much in keeping with how all the latest margin poles are designed to be. But even these laudable qualities pale into insignificance compared to its fish playing power. Unyielding section strength is enough to pluck the largest and stroppiest carp from any snag-strewn pit. The pole handles well, shipping effortlessly in and out, and its lightness and sense of balance are pure class.
Taking the pole up to its 10.6m and then full 12.2m lengths, should you wish to invest in additional extensions, you will have a margin pole to reach well past the next platform on most commercials – in fact it’s a very decent all-rounder at a crackingly competitive price.
VERDICT
A superb example of Tri-Cast’s ability to build a super-powerful pole that’s light and well balanced, and sure to find its way into the rod-holdalls of many top-class match anglers who demand the very best.
Daiwa Yank 'n' Bank 950 Power Margin pole
PAY AROUND
£225
FEATURES
Top kits
The pole comes with three Power top-2 kits with 4mm internal diameter tips and second sections that are fitted with a carbon-reinforced area to drill and fit side-puller kits.
Elastic Rating
The new Yank ‘N’ Bank 950 has a manufacturer’s elastic rating of 20. This means it can be used with Red Hydro and the heaviest of hollow elastics when big carp are the target.
Wall strength
Despite its ability to absorb heavy lunges, each section of the pole has a virtually impenetrable wall strength. This makes it ideal for heavy hauling tactics on commercial fisheries.
Section aligner arrow system
Each joint is marked with alignment arrows. Keeping these straight helps to align the pole’s spine, providing optimum performance at all times.
Graphics
The new Yank ‘N’ Bank 950 pole has had a makeover for 2016 and now has the same graphic style and colour as Daiwa’s top-of-the-range Tournament range of poles.
Finish
Each section is finished with Daiwa’s Easy-slide paint job that makes shipping a quick and smooth operation in any weather conditions.
So far 2016 has been a bumper year for the release of margin poles.
A trend has been to replace an ‘old school’ all-through action – which sees the pole bend like a tree branch – with a far stiffer, more aggressive build that relies heavily on the elastic to absorb lunges and bring in fish.
Such new-breed margin poles, with improved linear rigidity, faster tip speed and superior
all-round handling, work best for big fish in snaggy swims.
However, with an appropriately matched top kit the old-fashioned bendy poles allow anglers to tame hefty commercial carp in the margins, and have worked a treat for years, saving the shattering and explosive end of many an expensive carbon section.
This nicely sets the scene for the introduction of Daiwa’s latest
Yank ‘n’ Bank 950 Power Margin pole, launched 10 years ago and now in its third incarnation.
Lifetime Daiwa rep Simon Wheeler can lay claim to coming up with the name Yank ‘n’ Bank, and although it’s not a lot to show for 25 years of service to the firm it seems to make him happy!
The new 950 Power Model is definitely of the old school bendy persuasion, but has undergone a full cosmetic and materials makeover. The silver-on-black graphics on the 8m and 9.5m butt sections remind one of Daiwa’s top-end Tournament poles, giving it a thoroughbred look.
It boasts numbered section alignment, top kits with pre-bore reinforcements for drilling and fitting pulling kits, and decent-sized 4mm internal tips – although fitting larger hollow elastics (it’s rated to 20-plus) does mean trimming a bit off the tip ends.
The new Yank ‘n’ Bank is reasonably light, with pleasing handling qualities, but in reality it’s all about the power. Its seven super-strong sections have impenetrable wall strength that almost beggars belief when they are put under severe pressure.
I found this out while live testing the pole in a quiet corner of Six Island Lake at the Decoy complex near Peterborough. The large carp and barbel in the margins here are far from stupid, so you need to present a bait tight into the bank or against a feature. In this swim it happened to be a paddle aerator.
I was not taking any chances with these doughty denizens, rigging up a beefy 16/18 elastic with a matching take-no-prisoners pole rig. I would rather not have a single bite than get one, only to lose the fish.
Tipping a potful of pellets and corn tight against the reeds at the back of the paddle, it didn’t take long before the mettle of the new Spank the Plank was put to the test. A full-throttle bite was met head-on with a pole-tip travelling in the opposite direction, and there could be only one winner. The fish was dragged unceremoniously out of harm’s way and into open water.
Time and time again the pole performed the fishy equivalent of dragging a reluctant Rottweiler from its kennel, and as my confidence in the Yank ‘n’ Bank grew apace, even barbel were won over in the twitch of a whisker.
VERDICT
Daiwa’s latest Yank ‘n’ Bank has all the outstanding hallmarks of the originals, and plenty more.
It’s super strong, and is safely usable with the heaviest of elastics. Its ability to soak up punishment is truly impressive, if a tad daunting at first. But once mastered it’s a dangerous commercial fishery tool – think of it as a Lightsaber, and may the Force be with you.
Matrix Torque Carp margin pole
PAY AROUND
£42.99
This ridiculously strong 4.5m pole from Matrix will land the biggest commercial carp that swims, and is intended for use with the heaviest of hollow elastics.
Its powerful progressive action is ideal for snaggy margin work, and because it’s virtually unbreakable it will appeal to the most ham-fisted beginner.
Drennan Red Range 8m Margin pole
PACKAGE
Two roller cones
Extractor rod
Cupping adaptor
Polemaster pole pot
Side pull beads
Skid bung
PAY AROUND
£89.95
Drennan has just released this true length 8m Margin pole under its popular Red Range banner.
The six-sectioned pole has been designed to cope with the stresses and strains of commercial fisheries and is said to handle match-sized carp up to double figures with consummate ease.
With plenty of strength and power, the take-apart pole is excellently balanced, making it easy to fish with at its full 8m length all day long.
It comes with two 2.3m Margin top kits pre-fitted with 5.4mm Super Slick internal PTFE bushes, and ready to elasticate straight from the bag.
The kits also feature factory-fitted side pull slots, so you can take advantage of Drennan’s superb super-smooth side pull system that makes playing fish a stroll in the park by allowing you to control the amount of elastic your quarry can pull out.
MAP TKS Competition M2 8.7m Margin pole
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.
Colmic Force H1 Slim Margin Pole
PAY AROUND
£199.99
Walking the vast halls of this year’s Big One show, one pole grabbed my attention more than any other – the Colmic Force H1 Slim.
At first glance I thought it was a super-long landing net handle, so thin was the diameter of the butt section. When top match angler Jamie Masson told me it was actually a margin pole, I had to check to make sure it wasn’t April Fools’ Day.
The slim profile of the 10m Force H1 is indeed thinner than some landing net poles I’ve used in the past, but Jamie was keen to stress the raw power that this pole packed.
Picking one up and having a waggle it felt light, well balanced and perfectly usable as a pole for fishing open water at short range as well as being a tool for margin monsters.
But how has Colmic managed it? We think that Continental tackle manufacturers don’t have a clue about gear needed for the UK but the Italian company has some of the best British commercial carp anglers on the case including Mr Masson and Parkdean Masters champion Jamie Wilde. Forget a lightweight pole that will fold in half at the first sign of a carp. The H1 is built to do one thing – stop a double-figure carp in its tracks.
Made from full carbon using Colmic’s Pro Force technology with titanium reinforcement in all the right areas, you just know that the pole won’t give at the crucial moment and I couldn’t wait to get cracking with it! In readiness for the warmer summer weather a pole was despatched for testing and geared up with some serious elastic.
Just handling the pole gives you confidence, as each section has a solid feel about it with little give under pressure. It looks and feels strong.
Heading to Westwood Lakes’ Kingfisher Lake, at full length the H1 put me within striking distance of the platform next door, flanked by lush reeds in around 2ft 6ins of water.
Now the pole isn’t light at 10m and nor should it be. This is an out-and-out power pole with plenty of weight to back up its strength, but how many times do you fish at this range in the margins? Not often, and around half that length often suffices. At 6m the pole is very light and manageable.
Nor is it a poker. True, there is a lot of stiffness, but the super-strong Power top kit has enough flex in it to prevent breakage when a big carp runs, and there’s enough bend to hit sharp bites quickly, but not so much that it wobbles like a diving board at the local pool.
The provided top kit is pre-bushed and features a side puller system, while inside the pole is a Match kit that can easily be turned into a Power kit by throwing away the slim No1 section. There is no cupping kit, so perhaps that Match kit may need sacrificing to make one.
Fishing big baits like double worm and corn, the lake produced carp and also big bream and tench – a very different proposition which the pole handled superbly. At no point did it bend alarmingly and leave me wondering if Colmic had any spare sections in stock owing to an imminent explosion of carbon.
The only negative I can think of is that you’ll have to shell out for extra top kits but in all honesty, one kit is enough for fishing the edge and the pole also comes with a short extension to fish that little bit further out.
Fish with the H1 and there’s no creaking or straining of the sections when a fish is hooked – this power pole laughs at big carp and then gives them a big cosh over the head.
VERDICT
I’ve handled many poles claiming to be powerful down the years but nothing comes close to the H1. It’s well made, impressively strong but still light and very, very fishable. Confidence in fishing cannot be bought, so they say, but having this pole in your bag when the time comes to fish the margins will go a long way towards giving you that in spades!
Mark Sawyer
Daiwa Multi Margin 9m pole
TECH SPEC
Rated to a size 20 elastic. Diamond Satin slide-easy paint on 6th and 7th section. Compatible with all current UK Daiwa poles.
Weight: 447g
Spares: Comes with two Power top-2 kits with side puller fittings
PAY AROUND
£699
Priced at £699, the new 9m Daiwa Multi Margin will have some match anglers shaking their heads in disbelief.
And, judging by the comments about this pole I have read on fishing websites, it is already being dismissed (by those yet to use it) as suitable only for Daiwa groupies with fat wallets.
Remember, though, that all seven sections will fit on to any one of Daiwa’s premier models – Air, Airity, Tournament Pro X, Whisker and Connoisseur – and that these time-served poles share the same mandrel as the Multi Margin.
Before anyone else has a moan about overly expensive fishing equipment, it’s worth noting that Daiwa is based in Scotland and manufactures nearly all its carbon poles and rods on tartan turf. They are more Irn-Bru than chow mein or spaghetti bolognese.
I have spoken to Daiwa about the construction of this pole, and while I won’t bore you to death with technicalities, suffice to say that it’s made with a unique mix of carbons and resins to provide an altogether different type of fish-playing action to a normal long pole.
So, if you own any Daiwa pole from its elite stable and are unlucky enough to break a fourth to seventh section (top kits are identical), the Multi can be used as a stop-gap, if not a permanent replacement.
What exactly is the Multi supposed to be used for then, I hear you ask? To find out I took it, complete with its three top kits fitted with elastics from 12 to 20, to the Woodpecker Pool on the day-ticket Oakfield fishery near Aylesbury.
As soon as you put this pole together its quality shines through. Weighing only 447g, no other margin pole comes close in terms of lightness or crispness at the tip, while its typical steely Daiwa stiffness just oozes class.
Its fish-playing action kicks in when anything over a couple of pounds is hooked. Despite its rigid feel, quick tip recovery speed and handling qualities, the degree of elasticity and shock-absorption is astonishing! You have more than enough power to stop the largest of fish dead in its tracks with no worries about the pole snapping.
Even with the lighter elastics bottomed out, it took on everything thrown at it without so much as a creak of protest. It is fabulously well designed, something you almost take for granted with Daiwa these days.
I have no doubt some of the world’s most renowned anglers, such as William Raison and Steve Ringer, have had a capable hand in its development – but is it worth the money?
For me, yes it is. This is a pole unlike anything else on the market and it’s a joy to use, even with the heaviest of elastics. Remember that sections are interchangeable with those of other top-flight Daiwa poles and you might just decide to splash out.
VERDICT
Few would argue that Daiwa has cornered the market in top-end flagship poles, and the residual value of this high-performance model should always remain strong. Daiwa confirms that spares are guaranteed for at least five years, even if the Multi is discontinued. This proves how much the company has invested in this pole.
Mark Sawyer
Middy XR-8 Margin Carp Xtreme 10m
PACKAGE
Extra Karp2 G-25 kit, Safe-Zone Karp reversible mini-butt, two full Hi-Viz elastication kits.
PAY AROUND
10m package RRP £249.99, shop around price £149.99
The XR8 has an awesome amount of pulling power, with the backbone to cope with really big units. Rated to a 25 elastic, it would likely handle up to a size 30 if it existed. There’s the option to take this pole up to 13m with a generic extension.
The XR8 offers low-cost entry into the Middy Nano-Core club, and top kits are all compatible with those of other poles in the range.
Tri-Cast Trilogy XRS Power Margin 9.5m
PAY AROUND
£329.99
The name Tri-Cast means power and nowhere is that more true in their pole range than the frighteningly-strong Trilogy XRS Power Margin pole!
Carp on commercials are getting bigger with double figure brutes a guarantee rather than a surprise and tackle needs to keep pace with this. Tri-Cast certainly haven’t been left on the starting blocks in this respect and if much of your fishing is based around fishing the margins or short pole lines for big carp, this is the pole to take a serious look at.
At the price tag it certainly isn’t the cheapest margin pole but if you take your fishing seriously and are tired of coming off second best using under gunned tackle, you’ll fish with far more confidence with this beast in your hands!
The latest multi-lateral carbon materials and ultra-light infused resins combined with Tri-Cast’s very own unique XRS (Xtra Re-inforced System) production process creates a remarkable pole that’s slim, stiff, responsive and super light – in fact at 9m the pole weighs just a mere 466g, making it feel like you’re holding a long match rod but the power that this pole delivers will leave you in utter disbelief!
Margin poles are designed to do one job; hit and hold big fish that a normal match pole would struggle with and the Trilogy XRS passes this task with flying colours, even when used tight up to snags that require agricultural-style striking and playing of fish. The carbon shows no signs of creaking or groaning under the pressure.
If you need to fish at long distances down the edge then Tri-Cast have produced two extensions that can take the pole to over 12m without affecting the action or performance and on the top kit front the pole is supplied with two power top two kits inside the padded single pole holdall. These kits can take the thickest of elastics with ease.
Maver Elite Carp Margin 8m
PAY AROUND
RRP: £399.99 SSP £299
With margin carp getting bigger and bigger, it makes sense to carry a dedicated margin pol in your holdall for just that occasion and Maver’s new Elite Carp will stop the biggest of whackers dead in their tracks in 2015!
Manufactured from high modulus carbon to produce an extremely strong margin pole with fearsome wall strength thanks to its creation on an entirely new mandrel, the pole can be fished with thick 20+ Maver Dual Core elastic without any danger of breaking; serious kit for serious fishing.
Packing shorter than normal sections, which gives you improved speed on the strike but still great overall balance, the extras package sees one Powerlite power top kit inside the pole plus one additional kit, which can interchange with the new Maver Elite Carp and Signature Series ranges. Top kits are pre-bushed and pre-slotted to accommodate Maver’s Easy Flow side puller kit system and it also means no cutting back and loss of length. Other nice touches are Suncore finish, Teflon-coated joints on sections three and four, Fusion technology, Magic Steps and anti-friction surface.
MAP TKS Carp Margin pole
PAY AROUND
£89.99
Don’t fall into the trap of assuming that these poles are only for margin work – they make impressive bits of kit for fishing short at the base of the near shelf on commercial waters too, something that is increasingly becoming a key area in the swim for match and pleasure anglers!
Giving out-and-out power for targeting big double figure carp, the TKS Carp Margins can be punished time and time again throughout 12 months of fishing without so much as a flinch and are fully compatible with the TKS range of power kits and spares, plus they are built on the same mandrels as the longer TKS poles.
This means that they’ll fit directly onto the No 5 section of TKS 401 to 901 poles so if you do hook a big fish that starts to run, you can follow it out with the remaining sections of your pole and be in complete command.
With an elastic rating of No 20 and coming pre-bushed plus a competitive price, the poles make the ideal addition to any angler’s rod bag but they’re also great standalone margin poles for anglers who are looking for total reliability when a spot of specimen hunting is taking place.
There are two poles in the range, the Carp Margin 1 at 5.6m long and the Carp Margin 2 at the same length. The only difference between the two is the TKS poles that each one will fit into – the 1 model slots into the TKS 401 and 501 while the 2 is compatible with the 601 to 901 models. Each one comes with one pre-bushed power top kit but as it’ll take all available TKS tops, you can go armed with several tops ready for battle!
Daiwa TDZR Margin 10m
PAY AROUND
£299
If you think your standard pole might not be up to the job of margin fishing, Daiwa has that base covered with the TDZR Margin, a thoroughbred 10m pole that’ll work just as well fishing slightly longer into open water as it will down the edge and that extra length also makes it a winner when you need to fish a long way down the side to empty pallets in the next door peg.
Hugely powerful and compatible with the TDZR 5 and 4 poles, the Margin comes fitted with a pre bore ready power top two kit plus two more in the bag and features incredibly high wall strength on all sections with an elastic rating of No 20.
Browning Xitan Xtreme Margin Revolution 9.5m
PAY AROUND
£299
A lot of fishing on commercials takes place at distances less than 13m so there’s not always the need for a pole with multiple butt sections to fish at range, let along the extra cost that comes with them. If you mind that much of your fishing is done in the margins or only five or six metres out then for a pound under £300 you’ll not finds a better answer than the Xtreme Margin Revolution.
Although billed as a margin pole, the Xtreme will perform just as well when fished at its full 9.5m length into open water, the middle sections being re-inforced for added power while retaining an overall lightness to the pole. Further strength is found in the supplied Pole Protector that fits into the pole between 7m and 8.5m, two wide diameter pre-bushed Single Length Power Top Kits able to take the thickest elastics on the market.
MAP Power Margin
PAY AROUND
£169.99
Improve Your Coarse Fishing deputy editor Dave Woodmansey reckons the new MAP TKS Power Margin is amongst the best poles of its type he has handled. That, coming from a Yorkshireman with over 20 years of tackle testing behind him, is quite an accolade. The super slim model weighs in at just 488g at 8.5m, yet has power in spades. Perfect as a stand-alone short pole, its top kits interchange with those of all earlier TKS models, and it comes with its own pre-bushed Power top-2.
Matrix 8m X Carp Margin
PAY AROUND
Matrix X Carp Margin 8m £179.99 (pole only)
Matrix X Carp Margin 9.5m £279.99 (includes spare top-3 and mini extension)
Fox International’s match brand Matrix has come a long way in a very short time under the guidance of former Preston Innovations managing director Ricky Teale.
With two of the biggest purse winners in match fishing as its senior consultants – Les Thompson and Warren Martin – Matrix is not afraid to take calculated risks. Last year, for example, it launched its first-ever carbon pole, the top of range Nemesis, retailing at a cool £2,999.99. Many wise heads in the angling trade thought the price was somewhat overcooked, especially from a fledgling brand. They were wrong – the Nemesis soon found favour with the UK’s top match anglers, mainly because its strength and all-round capabilities made it the ideal companion for the open circuit.
The latest Matrix carbon pole offerings, due in the shops mid-June, are far more affordable and middle of the road than that wallet-sapping 16m flagship model. They come in the form of 8m and 9.5m Carp Margin poles. Both have top-3 kits that will happily interchange with the Nemesis, but there the resemblance ends.
That doesn’t mean, though, that these new poles are underwhelming poor relations. They are perfectly built for what they are meant to do, and by their very nature that means they need to be both flexible and durable to withstand pressure from very big fish and steer them firmly away from snags.
So, with prices of £279.99 for the 9.5m model and just £179.99 for the 8m version, what do you get for your money? Kit-wise they are both a bit on the shy side. The shorter 8m pole (as live tested) does not come with any spare top kits at all, although they can be bought separately for £69.99. The 9.5m model is accompanied by a single spare top-3 and mini extension. Okay, so they are not particularly well endowed in the package department!
This shortcoming, though, is more than made up for in performance. The super-slim put-in sectioned poles demonstrate sheer unbridled brute strength when it’s needed, thanks to thick-walled sections that give you the confidence to heave away with all your might.
Every joint has been reinforced with an extra carbon wrap, so even when they are under severe stress they will still come apart without sticking. Matrix gives both poles a recommended maximum 20 elastic rating, and I wouldn’t argue with that. However, I would recommend, since the top kits come with an undrilled reinforced side puller area, that you make use of these, with the top sections cut back sufficiently to house a large internal PTFE bush.
Sensas Margin 604 Carp
PACKAGE
Fighting Carp top-2 kit
Pole bag
PAY AROUND
£199.99
A fabulous addition to the Sensas Series 4 stable that will interchange with any other pole in the range, as well as the Sensas 5 Series models. Super-strong, hardwearing and quite capable of handling anything you are likely to hook.