Middy reactacore XZ65-3 Pole Review
A top-of-the-range pole you should definitely make a beeline for at fishing shows or in your local tackle shop is Middy’s new Reactacore XZ65-3 World Elite.It’s very special indeed... with a lordly price tag to match.
However, with various deals and finance packages on offer through the shops, owning a pole costing in excess of £4,000 is now a reality for the serious angler, and if you pick the XZ65 it’s doubtful you’d ever need to invest in anything else.
This pole takes all the excellence of the original XZ65 and its predecessor, the XZ65-2, and builds on it with reduced weight and increased overall length, without an ounce of strength being lost.
Each Reactorcore pole is packed with features, many unique to Middy, perhaps the most important being the use of four-layer Quad carbon technology. Each layer of cloth is precision-placed over the others at specific angles to achieve a fast response on the strike and superb rigidity.
Power and longevity come with the addition of Maximus Wrap to strengthen each section joint while reducing wear and making each section overlap slightly less to give an increase in overall length. But away from the power and stiffness, a few cosmetic features add further to the brilliance of the XZ65-3.
All butt sections (13m, 14.5m and 16m) are printed with numbers spaced 5cm apart so you know the precise distance you are fishing and catching at. Middy has also created Spineline section alignment to get the very best out of the pole.
It’s also well worth talking about the top kits and extras that the Reactacore comes with. They make for impressive reading. Buy the 16.5m pole and you get two Safe-Zone Mini Butts with full Maximus Wrap. Each Mini Butt and all No4 and No5 sections are fitted with soft EVA Dome Top Ends to protect the pole.
For your hard-earned you’ll get six Reactacore Ultra-Control Two Kits, power models with spots that can be drilled to fit a side puller slot, plus a grey-coloured Reactacore Ultra Control Phantom Kit and a Max8-SL Match Three Kit inside the pole. These are unbushed, however, so you’ll need to fit them with PTFEs. All top kits and pole sections are compatible with previous XZ65 and XZ65-2 models too, so if you already own one of the above, your old kits will fit to give you more options.
Cupping kit issues are taken care of, with the Reactacore Ultra-Control Cupp Kit and Flat Base Click Cup set offering pole cups in a range of sizes. If all that wasn’t enough, there’s a Reactacore Short No4 section.
The final smart feature of the XZ65-3 are the two Reactacore Adapative Q Parallel Short No3 sections, which fit on to the end of a top kit to give you a slightly longer reach when needed without having to add a Mini Butt or longer extension.
To give this thing of beauty of whirl I was off to Jay Lake at Rookery Waters, in the heart of the Fens. A typical snake lake putting the far bank 15m away, this allowed me to play about with the Mini Butts and Adapative Q Parallel Short No3 sections for that extra distance past the standard 14.5m mark.
Whole worms and bunches of maggots fished tight to the far bank soon produced a run of hard-fighting angry carp and the XZ65-3 soaked up absolutely everything, even the never-ending surges of carp hooked in the tail or pectoral fins.
Here’s an admission. I hate fishing really long distances on the pole. It’s hard work, my rig often tangles around the pole-tip, the feed spills out of the tip-mounted cup and I just can’t get into any type of rhythm. I was keen to see if having one of the best poles money can buy would make a difference.
Well, I only occasionally turned the air a royal shade of blue, but none of that was down to the pole. It was more about foul-hooked carp pinging off at the net! Shipping the XZ65-3 out to beyond 14.5m is so easy. The rigidity through every section means no bounce or wobble, so the rig remains just where it should be.
The overall low weight of the pole is pleasing, too, and easy on the arms and back – even in a gusty crosswind, fishing the XZ65-3 one-handed was easy and I could even strike at sharp bites with just the one hand, the pole is that crisp.
And it’s strong too, very strong, the type of pole you can give the big ’un to without it showing any signs of exploding or even letting out a creak of protest.
Verdict:
Weighing in with a price tag akin to that of a good secondhand motor or a blowout Caribbean holiday, Middy’s flagship Reactacore XZ65-3 pole is well worth the layout of all those banknotes.
It’s simply faultless in every single aspect that you’d expect a top pole to possess – balance, stiffness, strength, weight, speed on the strike and the package. If you’ve won the pools or have been squirrelling the cash away for a top-end pole, the XZ65-3 simply has to be on your list to take a good long look at. I’d be staggered if you were disappointed!
The Package
• Middy Reactacore XZ-65-3 16.5m pole with Max8-SL Match Three Kit inside
• 6 x Reactacore Ultra-Control Two Kits
• 1 x Reactacore Ultra Control Phantom Kit
• 1 x Reactacore Short No4 section
• 2 x Reactacore Adapative Q Parallel Short No3 sections
• 1 x Reactacore 11.5m/13m Safe-Zone Butt section
• 1 x Reactacore 14.5m/16m Safe-Zone Butt section
• 1 x Reactacore Ultra-Control Cupp Kit
• Flat Base Click Cup set
• Middy pole holdall
Price: £4,134.98 – shop around
MAP C1 & C2 Poles reviewed!
There’s no doubting that carp in commercial fisheries are getting bigger by the day, with fish to double figures nothing out of the ordinary.
So it’s no wonder that many major pole manufacturers are upping their game when it comes to the strength of their products.
MAP’s latest offerings – the TKS C1 and C2 poles – fit that bill. These are no-nonsense, dedicated power poles rated to 20 elastics, designed to tame most fish you’re likely to encounter.
In fact, MAP is so confident in the poles’ strengths and capabilities that it is offering a
12-month guarantee with both.
The C1 measures 13m and comes with two pre-bushed Power kits, while the C2 comes in at 14.5m, with three kits. Both are built from high-performance Toray carbon.
My colleague Mark Sawyer had already been out and fished with these poles earlier this month for the TV cameras, but you can never have too many days on the bank so we headed to the local Decoy Lakes for this latest shoot.
Decoy is the kind of venue these poles have been created for, with big weights often made up of fish reaching into double figures.
The first impression you get when you pick up both poles is one of incredible strength, which fills you with confidence when hauling big commercial carp.
‘Legacy fit’ top kits are supplied with the poles, and these are a trademark of the TKS marque, meaning they’re interchangeable across the range should you change poles in the future or need spares.
Conveniently, these come pre-bushed so you can simply elasticate the pole and be ready to go.
I ran a 13 grade hollow elastic through one of the C2’s top kits and a really beefy 20 grade hollow through the C1. I expected the poles to cope with these effortlessly.
Starting short
I decided to start the day with the C1 on the popular top-2 plus two line, where big fish are regularly encountered, not just on this lake but on most commercial fisheries.
Putting a few 6mm hard pellets in a pole-mounted pot and rattling them over the float, it wasn’t long before the orange top dipped and a hard-fighting, Lou’s Lake carp was hooked.
It tore off into the lake, elastic streamed from the top kit, and the C1 held firm. Before long, a feisty common of around 7lb was netted, followed by a string of other hard fighters.
Unsurprisingly, the pole performed well at its short length, and I had no trouble dealing with some seriously angry fish.
I was, however, intrigued to see how well the C2 performed at its full length – often the downfall of budget-conscious poles – but as I shipped it out to its full 14.5m length I was pleasantly surprised at how well it handled.
It felt stiff enough to hit bites and yet light enough to hold all day long.
Filling the catapult with 6mm pellets, I pinged a few tight around the float and it wasn’t long before another angry carp was making its way towards the far-bank snags.
The C2 bends quite a lot when a fish is hooked, however, the feeling of strength remained, just as it did in the C1.
After shipping back to the top kit a feisty 5lb carp was netted, and throughout the rest of the day fish to double figures were netted with ease.
I think you’d have to be seriously heavy-handed to break either of these poles, and I would be more than confident of using them with the heaviest elastic.
The Verdict:
If you’re in the market for a power pole, the C1 and C2 are well worth checking out.
You’ll struggle to find anything stronger, and if you have nightmares about smashed pole sections MAP’s new releases are the perfect antidote.
I would have liked to see a cupping kit included with both poles, and they’re probably a tad too bouncy for hitting shy silver fish bites – but if you fish commercials for carp you won’t go far wrong with either.
Both the C1 and C2 are interchangeable with other TKS poles, making them the perfect addition to your armoury if you’re a fan of MAP tackle.
First Look at MAP C1 & C2 Poles
Match anglers looking to gain an edge down the edge need look no further than MAP’s latest TKS C1 and C2 carp poles.
Both feature the same ‘legacy fit’ top kits that are the backbone of the whole TKS concept. These will fit all TKS poles ever produced, while the remaining sections are interchangeable with several of MAP’s other popular key models.
Both the new poles make use of high performance Japanese Toray carbon, to offer perfect balance, a quick response, and uncompromising section strength. Like all power poles in the TKS line-up, the C1 and C2 are rated to a robust No20 elastic that will put the cuffs on the hardest-fighting carp.
The C1 will appeal to owners of the MAP TKS 401/501 models, with fully interchangeable sections all round, while the longer C2 is the perfect accompaniment for anyone
who uses a either a TKS 601 or 901 pole.
As with all of MAP’s TKS 3G range, all top kits come fitted with depth markers, PTFE bushes, and a unique side puller bush, as well as printed increments for measuring up
rig depths.
The C1 comes with two additional top kits, while the C2 has three. Section alignment markers are a useful feature, and there’s a smooth anti-friction finish for effortless shipping in and out.
Both poles are supplied with a reinforced mini-extension and deluxe pole holdall, and are very handily covered by a 12-month guarantee.
Price: TKS C1 13m package £499 | TKS C2 14.5m package £849
C1 Package
Two pre-bushed V1 Power kits with fitted side pullers (one on pole)
Mini-extension
Deluxe pole holdall
C2 Package
Three pre-bushed V2 Power kits with fitted side pullers (one on pole).
Mini-extension
Deluxe pole holdall
Prestons Protype X300 14.5m pole review
While back I tested one of the original Protype poles from Preston Innovations and was highly impressed with it.
So when the new X300 arrived I was keen to see how much better this upgraded version would be.
At a penny under £750 it will never break the bank of the most prudent of anglers and has all the trimmings of a pole double that price tag in terms of top kits and features.
The X300 has been designed for the pleasure or match angler who never gets the butt sections of their pole out of the bag, hence the 14.5m length that’ll reach the far bank of snake lakes or islands on most commercials fisheries or handle up in the water scenarios in the summer.
On its website Preston is keen to stress the strength and response of the X300, but how does it measure up in reality?
The only way to find out was to give it a thorough going over, and the F1-packed Swallow Lake at Westwood Lakes, near Boston, was the venue of choice. The plan was to fish shallow at the full 14.5m to test rigidity and response on the strike, then have a crack at the margins to see how the pole handled ‘proper’ carp!
First impressions of the X300 are a reassuring solidity to each section. They’re very strong, with no give, but when slotted together the overall weight is surprisingly low for such a powerful pole. Before fishing I gave the pole a waggle at the full length, and while there’s a little wobble at the top end, it’s nothing to get stressed about.
Kicking off with banded pellet, it was easy enough to slap the rig or lift and drop one-handed while feeding with a catapult. First bite, and an F1 dragged the elastic out of the top kit, hooping the pole over. It didn’t get very far, though.
The power soon kicked in and fish number one was in the net. Two dozen more followed in quick succession, most of which produced a bite that needed striking at. Just a lift of the knee would set the hook. Try that with a pole that’s unbalanced and the whole thing would just wave up and down with no chance of hooking the fish.
Fortunately, the X300 has plenty of balance and enough stiff ‘spine’ to crisply lift the rig into a fish, but there’s also enough give in each section to let fish power off without any danger of a hook-pull. Slowly but surely I was enjoying fishing with the X300!
With enough fish in the bag at long range, I moved back to 6m and carried on bagging shallow. At this length the pole was even better and super-fast on the strike, a real carp cruncher whether up in the water or using meat or corn on this short line. To be frank, many anglers opt to fish as close in as they can for speed and comfort, and the X300 is just as perfect on a ‘top kit and two’ line as it is at the full 14.5m.
I’d love to say I caught a raft of units down the edge, but those F1s wouldn’t let them!
The peg was solid with them at 5m down the edge but, with reeds and sedges to contend with, the pole made short work of gently encouraging hooked fish into open water. So, with shallow, short and the margin boxes ticked, how about the spares package?
It’s pretty damn good for the price, with a pre-bushed Match top-2 inside the pole and four of Preston’s Roller Pulla Power top-2 kits fitted with 3.7mm internal PTFE bushes and boasting the Roller Pulla system in the side puller slots for total control over hooked fish. There’s also a same-length Kupping Kit with two Kups and adaptors, all in a Protype X300 holdall.
Yes, the X300 is a bit of a belter and a true all-rounder for fans of commercial carp fisheries.
Is it better than the original Protypes? Good god, it knocks them into a cocked hat!
If you’ve got £750 to spend on a new pole and do a lot of heavyweight carp fishing throughout the year, forget about shopping around – go get the Protype!
Package details:
• 14.5m Protype X300 pole with a Match kit fitted inside
• 4 x Roller Pulla Power top-2 kits featuring 3.7mm internal PTFE bushes
• Kupping Kit with Kups and adaptors
• Protype X300 pole holdall
• Price: £749.99
16m Preston Innovations Response XS50 Review
The new Preston Innovations Response XS50 16m pole falls into a price category where things start to get serious – writes Tony Grigorjevs.
Anglers in the market for a pole priced between £1,000 and £1,500 expect something that ticks all the boxes. It’s generally expected that there will be shortcomings in cheaper poles but this is the price bracket where the full kit and caboodle is expected.
A generous spares package, bags of strength and a responsive action are just a few of the essential qualities required.
With that in mind, the 16m Response XS50 needs to impress from the off, and it’s fair to say it did just that when I was lucky enough to get my hands on it.
On opening the bag I didn’t know where to start, there was that much carbon staring back at me! The package includes four Roller Pulla top-2 kits, two Roller Pulla F1 kits and a Match top-2 inside the pole.
There’s also a cupping kit with cups and three mini extensions that can be used when fishing short or long. As well as giving you that little bit of extra reach, they also provide protection to the ends of the main sections.
Curborough Fishery in Staffordshire was my venue of choice, and the hard-fighting carp in Oak Lake were sure to test the other features.
Shipping out to 16m, the finish was impressive. There was no struggle or stuttered shipping and it was easy to get smoothly out to the full distance.
Although it was perfectly fishable for periods at 16m, it was when I dropped back to 14.5m that I felt I could hold this pole for hours on end without feeling the strain.
Once the float dipped, the 13H elastic zipped to my right – it was inevitable the lily pads in that zone would be an attractive proposition to any hooked carp!
The old M50 pole, which the XS50 replaces, was criticised in part for lacking the required muscle power, and there’s no doubt Preston’s designers have taken this feedback seriously.
There was no indication it couldn’t handle the strain and I had no hesitation in piling on the necessary pressure to win each battle. A quick inspection of the sections instantly told me the walls were solidly built, with little give when I squeezed the end of each one.
As with every Preston pole there were plenty of little extras that win additional brownie points with purchasers.
Each top kit comes pre-bushed and with a Side Pulla already installed. The sections have aligners which enable you keep the spine of the pole lined up, enhancing performance in the process.
Preston Innovations prides itself on creating top-class tackle at an affordable price, and the company has certainly stuck to that mantra. If you are buying a pole between £1,000 and £1,500 you’ll struggle to find anything else that will measure up to the Response XS50.
TONY’S VERDICT
As with every item of tackle I sample from Prestons I had high expectations, and the Response XS50 definitely met them. It’s strong, comes with a fantastic package and ships like a dream.
There’ll also be no issue with hitting quick bites as it is responsive, even when fished long. You’ll have worked hard to up for a new pole and you can be assured that you’ll have no complaints if you make this your new pride and joy.
Price: £1499.99 | Expect to pay: £1,300-£1,400
Browning Sphere Zero-GF1 PT Review
Back in April 2017, I got to exclusively live test what was, at the time, Browning’s flagship pole – the 16m Sphere Zero F1+.
For technical carbon innovations, design, lightness, stiffness and its generous spares package it had few, if any rivals. It was, and still is for that matter, a stunning pole, and a strong contender for the world’s best.
So imagine my surprise when, on my annual December pilgrimage to Browning’s German HQ, I was told there was going to be a new and apparently improved Sphere Zero. I didn’t see that one coming!
Sure enough, at 2018’s The Big One show Browning did unveil the new Sphere Zero-GF1 PT+... and what a pole it is!
It packs a little extra ‘oomph’ to handle bigger fish, although it follows very much in the footsteps of its famous predecessor as being a superbly light and stiff pole, aimed at the accomplished match angler who wants the very best.
The new PT+ includes the same full range of unique features that made the Sphere pole so special, and is hand-built from the highest quality Japanese carbon.
The critical middle sections have been strengthened by around 15 per cent, making a small difference to the pole’s overall weight, although its ‘on the bank’ performance is said to be very close to that of the original F1+.
The Sphere Zero-GF1 PT+ includes Multi-kits, which allow top kits to be used either at the conventional 2.5m length or as 1.75m one-piece kits, with no loss of overall pole length. All top kits are pre-fitted with adjustable Duo-bushes, alongside a special version of Browning’s unique Square Ergonomic Pole Protector sections which make fishing at long lengths and in windy conditions comfortable and stable.
Unique Tactile Precision Points are raised areas on the butt sections which can be felt as you ship the pole out. These allow for accurate fishing without looking down for painted lines or numbers, and they act as a ‘stop’ by marking the end of the pole.
Like its predecessor, the PT+ does not specify an elastic rating, and indeed this is no real measure of a pole’s strength.
Suffice to say that in the hands of a skilled matchman the PT+ is perfectly strong enough for all match fishing situations.
Two years ago I took the original Sphere Zero F1+ to Decoy’s Beastie Lake, where it performed flawlessly with some decent carp and barbel to around 8lb – so it seemed only right and fitting to take its successor to the same lake to compare performances.
For those of you who may already own a Sphere, I can tell you that the new PT+ has exactly the same technical features as the original, and a hugely impressive spares package.
Mark’s verdict
The price paid for added strength is that the pole weighs a little more. While this does give more stability in the wind, you do notice a bit more top-end tip weight.
If I’m honest, Browning’s claimed 15 per cent stronger mid-sections felt more than that to me. But bottom line, if I owned a Sphere I would probably invest in the new PT 4th, 5th and 6th sections and use them when really big fish are on the cards.
If, however, you don’t own a Sphere F1, and are in the market for the best commercial fishery pole that money can buy, then you need look no further.
Price: £3,999
For more information please visit: http://browning-poles.com/sphere/zero-g-f1-plus/
Or find a local retailer here: https://www.zebco-europe.biz/en/store-locator/
Middy Reactacore XP35-3 16m pole review
If you’re in the market for a budget-priced 16m pole but don’t need to use it at that length every trip, Middy’s latest Reactacore XP35-3 may be just the thing.
The two earlier XP-35 and XP35-2 models were very popular, but this new XP35-3 sets new standards for poles of this price. On commercial carp venues, where you need to mix and match your pole tactics with the odd excursion out to 16m, the XP35-3 will cope with anything and everything, from extracting margin munters, through to near-shelf paste tactics, shallow slapping, and fishing long against islands.
How is this possible? Well, for starters there’s an exceptional spares package consisting of three Ultra Control top-2 kits, an Ultra Control Phantom kit, a Cupp kit, a Short No4 section, an Adaptive Q parallel short No3 and an 11.5m-13m Safe Zone butt.
The short fourth and Adaptive Q parallel sections stiffen the pole up considerably and make it ideal for tackling deeper water. The XP35-3 is more rigid, lighter and stiffer than many other mid-level poles, and as it’s rated to an 18 elastic it’s safe to use on commercial lakes for big carp, while still retaining enough finesse for silver fish and F1 work. Built using the latest ‘Quad’ carbon technology, the pole’s Safe Zone mini butts have domed ends to protect them when shipping through bushes. This feature also applies to the fourth and fifth joints, safeguarding them against chipping.
All joints also have Middy’s latest ‘Maximus Wrap’ system which helps to keep wear and tear to a minimum, increasing the life of the pole. My work colleague Richard Grange live tested last year’s XP35-2 model and thought it a half-decent pole at a very affordable price, so I thought I’d run the rule over the latest model to see if it had undergone any significant changes. Well, other than welcome improvements to the spares package, the pole is still as strong as an ox and well up to commercial bagging sessions.
Stand-out features on the XP35-3
Adaptive Q mini extension extends top-2 kits to same length as the Match top-3.
Foam dome topped sections – protects and extends the life of the pole.
Maximum elastic ratings are clearly marked on all top kits to avoid confusion.
Numbered distance markers on all butt sections are a useful feature.
The pole is rated up to No 18 elastic for use with big carp on waters.
Reinforced side puller area on the 4th section will be handy in deeper swims.
The S-Slide finish makes shipping in and out an easy process in all weathers.
The short 4th section adds stiffness, useful when fishing deep swims.
Price: £1,099 (but shop around)
Daiwa Connoisseur G90 16m pole package
You might find this hard to believe, but in all my years of tackle testing I have never waved a Daiwa Connoisseur pole over the water.
Given that the evergreen and award winning Connoisseur has been Daiwa’s best-selling pole for nearly 30 years, that is a quite remarkable statement!
The pole has been produced under many guises, starting way back in 1991 with the original Connoisseur Ultra model. Subsequent decades have been graced with the G8, G20, G50 and the latest G90.
I may never have live-tested a Connoisseur or, for that matter, owned one, but I have been lucky enough to have fished with some of the UK’s best match anglers who were devoted ‘Connie’ disciples. To me that speaks volumes.
The Connoisseur is reckoned by matchmen to be Daiwa’s best power model, and therefore well suited to big-fish situations. However, this preconceived ‘firepower without finesse’ idea has always been a bit of a head scratcher for me, because I know two absolute top-of-the-pile speed merchants who could smash out literally hundreds of roach at lightning pace with a Connoisseur – proving it to be much more than a one-trick pony.
So, after years of waiting and wondering about this pole’s potential, the moment of truth finally arrived! And as I assembled the latest G90 on the well-worn banks of Decoy’s carp-infested Lou’s Lake, my mind drifted to watching Essex County’s awesome Garry Miller slaying big roach on the Trent Embankment with his own ‘Connie’.
However, that was all back in the day stuff. Modern match tactics and venues require that the seasoned match angler will frequent a commercial fishery where bagging tactics, or big-fish pole methods, are the order of the day – hence Decoy, my choice of live test venue.
There is little doubt in my mind that Daiwa has developed the all UK-built Connoisseur over the years to keep pace with the demands of ever more stressful match situations, and to that end, this latest model is definitely the strongest, stiffest, most responsive and most powerful yet built. This is clearly reflected in its construction.
Daiwa’s Super MSG carbon cloths with Nanoplus resin technology combine to produce a high performance tool.
It’s a fact that the pole handles better at 13m than it does at 14.5m or 16m, and that’s not rocket science. Poles that are super-quick and slick at longer lengths come with much heftier price tags than this G90.
That said, it is more than useable at any length. It’s proper tough, and will handle a purple Hydro kit with consummate ease.
Daiwa’s packages allow you to keep your top kits all the same length, while having the right sized PTFEs for the elastics.
The pre-fitted Interlastic side puller kits come with tip sizes of 4.7mm and 5.8mm, to cover every size of elastic you are likely to need to commercial work.
The match kits – which really do help to impart a bit more stiffness and tip speed to the pole’s overall action when used with lighter solid elastics – are ideal for all silver fish work.
Verdict: This latest ‘Conny’ is a true all-rounder. The unmistakeably steely feel of a top-end Daiwa pole is there, and coupled with key features such as ITS taping across the top sections and a Diamond Satin finish on the larger sections, this make the pole quick and easy to handle in any weather.
The kit package and choice is hugely impressive too, and will provide you with enough kits for any match without having to shell out for any extras.
Price (promo): £1,499 for the full package
Preston Innovations response XS90 pole review
Once you commit to owning a flagship pole you’re talking in the region of three grand, so you need to be sure your investment will be a sound one.
Never fear – Preston Innovations’ latest 16m Response XS90 pole is one of the best that money can buy. All you need concern yourself about is finding the model or package that suits you best.
Now, I don’t often mention the competition when live testing an item of tackle, but I’ll make an exception in this case because Preston’s new pole is up against some tough opposition in the flagship category.
In no particular order of merit we have Daiwa’s Air Z, Middy’s Reactacore XK55-3, Browning’s Zero G Sphere, Matrix MTX Ultra 4, Drennan Acolyte Pro, Garbolino UK 1 Accomplice, Maver Signature Pro 1000, Tri-Cast Excellence, Sensas UK Nanoflex 1074, MAP TKS 1001 and Frenzee FXT 6E. Phew! I apologise if I have missed anyone out.
Each has its own special merits, from stiffness and power through to comprehensive spares packages. I know matchmen are brand-loyal, and tend to stick with what they know and trust, so let me tell you why the new Response XS90 is up there with the best.
For a start you get bucketloads of the finest grade Japanese Torayca carbon in the shape of a stunning 10-piece pole. Following in the footsteps of its Response M90 predecessor, it’s a strong contender for the accolade of ‘stiffest pole ever’.
Changes to the carbons used make all sections stronger and more hard-wearing – although in the case of the M90 they were pretty tough in the first place.
I haven’t seen my old match fishing mentor and great friend Des Shipp to ask him about the new pole (who said arch-rivals Dorking and Essex County couldn’t be pals?) but it’s my bet that the England ace has played a leading role developing the XS90.
The signs of a master craftsman’s touches are all there in the pole’s performance. It’s phenomenally stiff without feeling brittle, and superbly well balanced at its longer lengths.
I don’t mind if poles of this quality are made slightly heavier – I reckon they perform better and with more stability in the wind, and that’s very important. Commercial carp aren’t much given to chasing a pellet around a peg! Its shipping qualities are, as you might expect, ‘quicksilver’ and, in the right hands, it’s as fast as any pole on the market.
Slip on one of its 2.4m Roller Pulla Power top kits (capable of handling the heaviest of elastics) and the pole has section wall strength and linear flexibility in abundance to quickly tame the very largest commercial carp.
My live test session on the lump-infested Horseshoe Lake at Decoy Fisheries confirmed the pole’s mettle in every department.
Fishing long into open water with corn at 16m, and despite a nasty side wind, rig presentation remained easy.
That, teamed with a lightning-fast non-recoil tip action, meant missed bites were a rarity. Even with the odd foul-hooker, every tug-of-war ended favourably, and not once did I get the feeling the pole was being over-stressed, even with fish to 8lb.
I had a go short on the maggot, where the pole’s Bi-Conical sections that fit on to sections 5-6 and 7-8 gave me the confidence to strike as though I meant it, with no fear of the episode ending in tears and splintered carbon.
All female section ends have been internally reinforced, while there are now extra weaves on the male joint ends which greatly reduce carbon fatigue and wear. This pole’s real ‘wow’ factor, though, has to be its nonsensical degree of stiffness.
I have been lucky enough to see and handle poles with this degree of rigidity before, not necessarily in the UK, but let me tell you, they never had any sort of elastic rating and were likely to snap in half in the event of anything more shocking than the sun disappearing behind a cloud.
Take my word for it, in the XS90, Preston Innovations has a very special pole on its hands, and it ought to be in yours too.
Verdict: No-one who has seen or handled the new Response XS90 would argue that it is Preston Innovations’ best yet. It’s sharp as a tack, with the reaction speed of a striking cobra. Built from the finest Japanese carbons, its steely strong sections inspire the kind of confidence that you only get from using the very best. Plus, it comes with the most impressive array of pre-bushed side puller top kits and carbon add-on sections you will find anywhere.
Price: £2,999.99
Browning Black Magic gold II Review
The original Browning Black Magic was an iconic pole that passed into match fishing history but is fondly remembered as the stuff of legend.
When it first appeared in the mid-1980s, Bob Nudd – the man everyone tried to beat – championed it. Frankie had Two Tribes, Oxford bag trousers were all the rage away from the bank, and the Ford Sierra estate was the fishing vehicle of choice.
The first Black Magics to arrive in the UK superseded Browning’s Red Spiral Titanium pole, which back in the day would have set you back a whopping £800 or so.
However, many anglers still bit the bullet because when it came to long-lining on deep venues such as Ireland’s lower River Bann, the Black Magic power pole delivered in spades. With its put-in joints and super-slim profile, it was strong and easy to use... a must-have tackle item of its time.
It also had enough linear action to swing out a hefty float, and would have been fitted with long, solid carbon flick-tips (preferred to elastics back then because hook-ups were quicker and fish could be plucked from the water and swung to hand double-quick).
The fishing in Ireland went a bit pear-shaped not long after that, and big sponsored events such as the Embassy Pairs dwindled as their advertising budgets evaporated into thin air along with the cigarette smoke that had made them possible in the first place.
Happily, though, things have changed. The Irish festival scene is back on track, and quite possibly healthier than ever before… all of which brings me nicely on to Browning’s latest incarnation, the Black Magic II Gold.
The seven-sectioned 12.5m pole is built from the same carbon fibre, and to the same high standards, as its more expensive Xitan cousins. Yet it carries a price tag of around £459.99, or £399 for the 11m version… and for that you get three spare pre-bushed (no cutting back needed) top kits and a cupping kit.
Venue for the live test was the ever-reliable Willows Lake on the Decoy complex near Peterborough. Several easy-to-reach islands lend the water nicely to medium-length pole fishing on the 11m line.
The latest Black Magic Gold shares some of the original pole’s traits, being strong, with a good section wall thickness. This enables it to cope with big fish and the occasional ‘agricultural’ strike.
Its stiffness at 11m is more apparent than at its full 12.5m, as it does have a bit of bounce and play during shipping. But it’s nothing less than easy to fish with. Its flexible power-playing action makes it ideal for targeting big lumps in the margins, or fishing up against snags.
Other big plus points include an exemplary gloss finish that sees the pole run through your hands like a greased grass snake. Its put-over joints come together and apart with a reassuring swish, and never jam.
Three spare top kits and a cupping kit enable you to fish the margins, up in the water, or with a paste rig, so it’s ideal for commercial fisheries.
The verdict: This latest Black Magic II Gold bears very few similarities to its predecessors. But it is nicely on trend for the modern commercial angler, and very well suited to the keen club matchman. Built with abounding strength that will cope with the largest commercial fish, it has faultless, reliable section joints and is definitely built to last.
Price: £599 (12.5m) or £499 (11m), cheaper if you shop around. Spare Power top kits are available for £45.95
Fox Matrix MTX 1 Power Pole review
Having recently run the rule over Matrix’s classy top-of-the-range MTX 4 Ultra pole, I was keen to find out if the somewhat more modestly priced entry-level MTX 1 Power Pole could offer a comparable performance.
Obviously, the differences in pole lengths, balance, weights and prices would need to be taken into account. After all, the flagship 16m MTX 4 will set you back around £2,999.99 whereas the 13m MTX 1 will relieve you of less than a quarter that amount, at £500.
All four versions of the new Matrix MTX poles are pitched as viable all-rounders, with a slight leaning towards commercial fishery tactics with regard to the two cheaper Power models. Moreover, from what I have seen, Matrix has called that about right. I can assure you that no corners have been cut in terms of materials and workmanship; in fact, attention to detail comes shining through. All models boast the latest hi-tech carbon materials, finishes and decals. The poles also feature a series of extras such as mini extensions, cupping kits, and pre-bushed side puller Power top kits as standard, which combined offer the angler a very high level of tactical flexibility.
So to the live test itself, and there few better venues for this style of all-round commercial Power Pole than Lincolnshire’s Rushfield Lakes complex. It offers multiple lake choices all requiring different tactical approaches from deep-water with pellets and corn on Horseshoe Lake, through to shallow far bank work on Canal and Mallard Pools. You can add in a fair amount of margin tactics on all of the lakes, making the new entry level Matrix, that incidentally comes with a raft of spare kits, the ideal tool.
With a midweek match on Horseshoe Lake, and Mallard Pool busy with pleasure anglers, I settled into a swim on Canal, which, like most snake lakes, is bossed by a far-bank approach using ‘rat-hole’ tactics with pellet, corn, maggots or bread hookbaits. The pool is quite small with an average width of around 13m, and hosts around 30 pegs. It still holds some seriously weighty finned inhabitants, and the venue is super-popular with local anglers and gets fished most days, so the carp have seen it all before!
It’s all about the far bank where the depths are fairly shallow, from 1ft-18ins. When you hook a fish, it pays to get it out of the shallow water as quickly as possible, before it gets a chance to spook everything else in the swim.
Having said that, almost everything that you do hook tears off down the canal at an astonishing rate of knots. As the fish are also able to dive back towards the near bank this can cause havoc with your top kits, especially if you’re using a hefty hollow elastic. The pole needs to be fast through the hands, and have enough stopping power to cope with a fair amount of downward stress if it’s not all going to end in tears and expense for the angler. You’re left with little choice but to employ bully-boy tactics. However, on such a hard-fished water you’re unlikely to even get a bite using heavy line and big hooks. You need to get your kit perfectly balanced to stand a chance of catching a few.
My arsenal of choice was a hollow size 11 elastic, 0.15mm hooklength line and a size 16 hook with a banded pellet hookbait, which is standard stuff for most commercial fisheries.
The MTX 1’s pre-bushed, and new Revolve side puller Power top kits proved ideal for this type of normal commercial set-up, and could easily be fitted with much heavier elastics.
Starting by fishing across to the far bank at the pole’s full 13m length with its mini extension fitted into the back of the butt section, the MTX 1 shipped smoothly enough to be able to feed accurately with a small pot.
The pole proved stiff enough for me to be able to feed with a catapult while holding it. It isn’t unduly wobbly, top-heavy or unbalanced. Playing fish proved a doddle as the MTX1 is indeed a Power Pole. Understandably, it isn’t as rigidly stiff or lightweight as the flagship superstar MTX 4. However, it is a very impressive all-round commercial venue performer considering its price!
Verdict: If you’re into commercial fishing for fish of all sizes, and you don’t need to fish beyond 13m, then the Matrix MTX 1 Power Pole at its asking price has to seriously looked at. As an introductory model its one of the best I have used, stiff, well balanced, and pleasingly lightweight (940g at 13m) so it’s not going to give you any backache or gip. In addition, Matrix’s new Revolve side puller kits are quite superb, and it comes as standard with three of these, plus a match kit inside the pole
Price: £500.
Bob-Co Sensas Nanoflex 855 Power Match 16m & 14.5m poles
Every so often an item of fishing kit passes across our tackle desk that represents outstanding value for money, with a massive saving on recommended retail.
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That was certainly the case when I got wind of the Sensas 855 Power Match pole designed exclusively for tackle shop Bob-Co. There’s a choice between a 16m or 14.5m out-and-out power pole at way below half the normal asking price. A 16m pole for £599... now that surely demanded further investigation!
Bob-Co asked for a power pole armed only with pulla power kits, something you won’t find in any other pole package in the current or older Sensas ranges. The French giant duly obliged, and the end result is a top-flight long pole at a jaw-droppingly low price.
Whether you go for the 16m or 14.5m package, you get the same list of goodies. The main pole comes with a Pulla kit inside plus four spares, a rigid cupping kit and pole cups, all stashed away in a Sensas pole holdall.
The kits are rated to No18-No20 elastic and feature a reinforced side puller slot. Another bonus of the 885 is that it is totally compatible with other Nanoflex poles in the Sensas range.
The test
Leighton’s Pool at the recently redeveloped Yoke Hill Fishery near Oundle, Northants, is a typical mixed fishery – 16m wide and stocked with more than a dozen species.
It’s just the job for an on-the-bank test and the plan was to fish the pole at its full length to the far bank, then come shorter for a bit of shallow fishing. These approaches would ask different questions of it.
Potting in a little groundbait and corn at 16m, there was little bounce in the pole as it snaked out to its full length. I can’t lie and say the pole was arrow-straight at 16m because there is some droop, but certainly not enough to make fishing with the 855 a chore.
First drop resulted in a bite and a crisp response on the strike. You need to put a bit of effort into the lift, but nothing Herculean, and with a small carp dispatched into the net I was soon back out and nobbling another.
The average stamp was around 1lb, and good fun they were too on a light elastic that allowed the fish to power off and put a real bend in the pole. I could now feel the power of the pole – it’s got a very solid feel to it, with no creaking or crazy bending that leaves you feeling the least bit out of control.
Now, it’s often said of long poles that they lose a bit in terms of balance and response when you go out to 16m, but take a section or two off and they become a different beast.
I gave that theory a crack to fish at 14.5m on the deck and 13m with a shallow rig, and found it indeed to be the case.
Any droop and bounce vanishes, and reaction time on the strike is vastly improved.
The shallow rig produced plenty of F1s around the 1lb 8oz mark, and these can be real fast-biters. The Yoke Hill fish are no different, but the speed of the 885 on the strike is reassuringly quick – and it’s rigid enough to keep lifting, dropping and slapping the rig without busting a gut.
Eventually, something bigger found the banded 6mm pellet and tore off for a tour of the peg. Steering the fish away from snags was easy and, like all good power poles, the 885 lets you really pull and transfer the effort you’re putting in through the pole to be in total command. A 5lb carp was soon in the bag. Super stuff!
Not only is the pole great to fish with, but it’s robust into the bargain.
I can be a little ‘enthusiastic’ with a pole, and the 885 was also thrown around a fair bit. Not a mark was left on it, and it went back into the bag looking as though it had never been used.
Verdict:
If you want a long pole for carp fishing then get hold of one these as soon as you can, as I doubt they’ll be in stock for too long!
Strong, robust, balanced and responsive, the 885 does everything that you want from a pole for carp fishing. While it may not be the best at full length, for fishing back from the 13m length little will beat it for the price.
How to buy:
To get your hands on these incredible pole deals, visit the Bob-Co website at www.bobcotackle.co.uk, give them a call on 01132 499943 or pop in and see them at their Leeds superstore.
Preston Innovations 16m Response XS carp pole
This new Response XS Carp pole from Preston Innovations, like its predecessor, is aimed squarely at the commercial match angler.
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Durable and hard-wearing, it’s a tool for bagging big weights and taming powerful carp, while at the same time retaining exceptional balance and responsiveness.
Because it’s built around the same mandrel as all the other poles in the range, all sections are fully interchangeable. This makes it the ideal second pole for existing Response owners.
An attractive feature of the new XS Carp are nine (yes, NINE) spare 2.4m top kits, including a Kupping Kit. All are pre-fitted with genuine internal PTFE bushes, and supplied with Preston Roller Pulla bushes. These all but eliminate elastic damage and significantly improve the pole’s fish-playing performance.
FItted with the reinforced half-extension that comes as standard, the pole measures a true 16m.
To that little lot you can add three Bi-Conical mini extensions that fit from the fifth section upward, section alignment arrows, and an Easy Ship finish that ensures your fishing will not be compromised whatever the British weather may throw at you.
Taking a closer look at the new XS Carp pole, it’s noticeably heavier than its stablemates. Indeed, it’s made from same high modulus Torayca Japanese carbon fibre as all other top-end Response poles, but as you might expect of an out-and-out power carp pole, the cut of the cloth makes for awesome section wall strength, while re-designed section joints are as tough as old boots.
Built like a tank it may be, but it certainly doesn’t handle like one – it’s as nimble as sports car, with a fair turn of pace thanks to its superb Easy Slide finish.
I discovered that and much more about the pole while testing it on a very windy afternoon at Decoy’s Beastie Lake.
At this time of year, most of the lake’s heavyweight occupants can be found loitering around the margins, and as they have a proper fondness for corn and micros several lines can be fed – waving tails and muddied water betray their ponderous presence.
The fact that this pole comes with three Bi-Conical extensions makes it ideal for margin work. They not only provide that bit of extra reach, but they give you something to really hang on to when a big fish is hooked.
On the day, perverse as only carp can be, they didn’t seem overly keen on feeding close in, so it was a case of going long, starting at 13m. The pole’s extra bit of weight actually helps when it’s blowing a hooley, as it offers some semblance of steadiness without the angler having to constantly lean against the wind.
Anway, fishing at this longer length it wasn’t long before the first Beastie bruiser arrived and elastic streamed from the tip. I leant hard into the fish just to see how much pulling power the new XS Carp can generate, and I can tell you, it was impressive.
As you can see from the image, I was fishing from a peg on the strip at Beastie. This can be a real pain when you’re using a long pole, as it needs to be broken down several times when shipping back so as not to interfere with the peg behind you. However, the live test proved how easy the pole is to unship under pressure – new ones don’t always want to come apart until they are worn in a bit, but the toughened joints of the XS Carp are not only bullet-proof, but they glide together and come apart with a reassuring swish.
My only slight gripe about Preston’s latest carp clatterer is that it’s definitely better at 13m than at 14.5m, and obviously it follows that it’s better at 14.5m than it is at the full 16m. That said, it’s very usable at its longer lengths, and there’s no denying its serious stopping power, superb section wall and joint strength, and a spares package as good as you’ll find anywhere.
Verdict: If you're an out-and-out commercial match angler looking for a strong pole that will last you a long time, Preston’s latest Response XS Carp pole could well be for you. The spares package is quite outstanding, as are its tough build and bagging performance.
Price: £1,499.99
Matrix Torque Carp 8.5m Margin Pole Review
A good margin pole always earns its keep on commercial fisheries.
True, it may not see sunlight that often but when the occasion demands, gearing up with an out-and-out brute of a tool will give you something no amount of money, good pegs or pristine bait can – confidence!
Matrix bills its new Torque Carp Margin model as being incredibly strong. After punishing tests on big-weight UK fisheries it’s come through with flying colours.
Measuring 8.5m long with the included Strike mini section fitted, the Torque is long enough for most margin situations where the fish may put some distance between themselves and you. It’s rated to a fearful 20-plus elastic and gets its power from the ultra-durable cross-layered carbon sections used in its construction. This effectively locks in the strength, resulting in sections that won’t creak or budge and inch when you put your shoulder into the fight.
Its supplied Power top kit has an enlarged ceramic side puller slot that’ll take thick hollow elastics with ease. A large tip bore means no cutting back is needed, and the Torque weighs just 490g at 8m, making it perfectly manageable when fished for two or three hours solid. Last but not least, the price is a bit of a snip!
The enduring heatwave might be a bit too much for river fishing but it couldn’t be better for commercials, with big weights aplenty being caught from the margins all around the country.
Magpie Lake at Rookery Waters, near Huntingdon, is one such venue in fine form – so it didn’t take long to pick it as a test venue.
Gearing up with the recently-released Matrix Slik elastic in the 14-16 yellow grade through the top kit, I reckoned a pot of corn and pellet would soon get the carp climbing up the pole. As I poked a rig just inches away from a thick bed of reeds at the full 8.5m length the Torque did feel heavy compared to a lighter match pole, but that’s the nature of the beast.
It’s very stiff, though, with no bounce when shipping out. That means no spillages if you are using a small pot on the tip for feeding, and no annoying tangles when you get halfway out into the swim. Don’t lie, we’ve all been there before!
There’s a lovely finish on all sections to help with shipping and unshipping... full marks so far.
Fish number one was a small stockie mirror that didn’t put up much of a scrap, but the quick bite did show the rapid response of the Torque when hitting sharp dips on the float. It’s as quick as match pole, and that’s impressive for such a powerful beast.
Next drop, a 4lb common was dragged from the reeds in quick time. This was what I’d been waiting for – I didn’t hold back and heaved like billy-o to put maximum pressure on the pole.
It bends nicely (unlike some very powerful poles where a lack of flex can cause them to break), allowing the elastic to do the work while absorbing each run and lunge.
There’s a very ‘solid’ feel to the Torque, which harks back to that confidence I talked about earlier.
I was in no doubt that I could pile more pressure on if need be, and the fish enjoyed a view of the landing net within mere minutes.
Half a dozen more similar-sized fish followed, along with a few stockies, and I was now into the swing of things, knowing how much hammer I could give the pole. The answer – if you ever doubted it – is a lot.
The ultimate test came when I hooked a big carp somewhere other than in the mouth. It charged off at breakneck speed and it was all I could do to hold the pole steady and trust in its strength and power to stop Mr Carp in his tracks. It did, too, resulting in that familiar foul-hooked sideways waggle as the fish was unable to muster any more power against the might of the Torque.
Yes, the hook pulled out of the tail at the net but by now I’d seen and felt enough of the Torque to know it’s going to be a winner!
Our verdict: The size of fish in commercials now warrants a proper margin pole if you’re serious about your fishing, and I reckon Matrix is on to a winner with the Torque.
It’s supremely strong, yet doesn’t fish like a broom handle, and is long enough to reach where you want to be on most pegs. The price is attractive too and won’t be money wasted when a bit of edge bagging rolls round every summer!
Price: £189.99
preston innovations 8.5m Response Margin pole review
Spurred on by the continuing success of its iconic Response poles, Preston Innovations has extended the range to include a new 8.5m Response Margin, the subject of this week’s live test.
This Response beauty comes with two spare pre-bushed, Roller Pulla Power top kits, and together with the one that comes inside the pole, these provide enough flexibility to tackle most margin scenarios.
The pole, which Preston claims to be the highest-grade margin model it has ever produced, uses the same super-high modulus Japanese carbon cloth as the three longer Response poles and, rather handily, the top kits all interchange. This is great news, particularly if you’re already a Response owner.
The new 8.5m Response Margin, though, is obviously a fair bit more ‘robust’ than its longer stablemates. It’s more in its comfort zone subduing angry match-winning margin munters than it is sacking on silvers.
As you might expect of a top-end power carp pole, the carbon cloth from which it is built is applied in a totally different way from its less gutsy amigos. That means added linear power, awesome section wall strength and reinforced, super-reliable joints.
Built like a tank it may well be, but it certainly doesn’t handle like one. It’s as nimble as a sports car, with a fair turn of handling speed courtesy of its superb easy-slide finish.
I chauffeured the pole up to Miracle Baits boss Steve Gregory’s super-popular Rushfield Lakes complex near Lincoln where, pulling into the car park late on a Monday afternoon, I was amazed to find the big fish-dominated Horsehoe Lake angler-free, giving me carte blanche on peg choice.
The downside of such situations is that everything with fins descends on your bait, rather than the just the targeted big fish.
So with this in mind I rigged up with a hard 8mm hard pellet on a hair-rigged lasso, to try and deter the ravenous mini hordes.
Despite my efforts, Plan A failed abysmally as everything from rampant roach to marauding micro carp swarmed around any feed that went in… foulers rubbed fins with fish that didn’t look big enough to tackle an 8mm hard pellet, and it drove me potty.
A change to two big pieces of worm merely served to encourage wasp-sized perch, which had stayed out of the way but now joined in the feeding fiasco. Then, out of nowhere, my half-hearted swipe at yet another sideways movement of the float saw the No14 Preston Hollo elastic disappear from the pole-tip at a rate of knots – so fast, in fact, that I’d have bet on another foul-hooker. Not until the elastic had all but bottomed out did I realise the Response had barely any curve in it. It was as stress and strain-free as a dormouse on tranquillisers as it and I battled what seemed to be a double-figure carp.
The lightness, agility and all-round pleasing handling belied the awesome stopping power packed by this poker-like 8.5m pole.
How big that fish was I will never know – as is often the case with foulers, at the point when I started stripping elastic from the Roller Pulla top kit my unseen opponent made a bid for freedom, and the hook pulled. However, it had provided me with enough of an insight to tell that the latest Response is, as Preston claims, by far the best it has ever produced.
As the evening progressed, a few more proper fish were duly hooked the old-fashioned way – in the mouth – and netted within a few seconds, proving that Preston’s latest carbon offering is not a pole to be messed with.
Our Verdict:
The 8.5m Preston Response Margin is a quite outstanding margin pole, offering everything you’ve come to expect in the way of fish-stopping power, super-tough section walls, and reliably smooth anti-ovalling joints – not to mention an easy-slide finish and top-notch handling. Well balanced, light and rigid, with an ultra-responsive tip speed, it feels quite unlike your normal margin pole.
If you already own an M50, M70 or M90 you’d be mad not to have the Response Margin in your holdall to tackle snag pits and big brawling fish.
Price: £269.99
Browning Black Magic Carp 11M pole review
Now in their third decade of production, Browning’s evergreen multi-award-winning Black Magic poles rank among the most popular of all time.
The originals were no-nonsense tools to cope with large fish using hefty elastics and resolute rigs.
As time moved on, though, all Black Magic models acquired a more modern feel, their added section wall strength making them much stiffer and more robust than their predecessors.
They also handle better, and their top-kit packages are designed in keeping with modern commercial tactics. That said, the Black Magic tradition of performance at an affordable price remains unchanged. And to that end, this latest Black Magic Carp is a proper chip off the old block.
This all-carbon 11m pole is reasonably light at 958g, given that its thick section walls defy ovalling or splitting even in the hands of the most Shrek-like angler. Browning uses the same technology brought into play for its European Hyper Carp models, but with a slightly toned-down linear action that allows it to absorb and cushion pressure, rather than destroy all in its path!
Make no mistake, though, it can really dish out the punishment if need be. That I found out for myself on the live test at Decoy’s lump-filled Oak strip lake in Cambridgeshire.
The fish in Oak are big, very big in fact, with the potential to cause you much grief and lose you a lot of tackle if you don’t come properly tooled-up for the job.
With that in mind, I prepared the Black Magic by cutting 10ins or so off the top of its supplied Power top kit, stiffening it right up.
More importantly, that made it possible to fit it with a large internal diameter PTFE bush.
Next I threaded through what must be the mother of all elastics… Browning’s 30mm Xitan Microbore Rocket Red, which laughably carries a 17-21 rating.
If your car breaks down on your way home from fishing, just take this stuff out of your top kit, tie it on to your bumper and get someone to tow you home.
To see this type of pole perform at its best you have to take it as close to its limits as you dare. I reckoned if the Power top kit could stand the pounding it was likely to get on Oak, using the car breaker’s choice of elastic, then surely it could subdue just about anything else that took a pull at it!
While tying up a suitable rig I had thrown a few handfuls of soaked micro pellets and corn down the margin. Goodness... glancing down, all I could see were whale-like tails waving at me, and feeding vortices large enough to capsize a canoe.
Wondering why on earth I’d tied on one of my favourite floats, I lowered the double corn-baited size 16 hook into the maelstrom.
To quote A Question of Sport: “What happened next?” Well, I didn’t actually see the bite, just an awful lot of bright red elastic between me and whatever was was charging headlong up the pond.
One moment it was slowing down, the next it was coming up in the water and running towards me. Yet there I was, shipping back with nothing broken. Guess what? I had the top kit back in my hand (as you can see from the image, right) and the rest, as they say, is history.
This Black Magic Carp is a great power pole at an affordable price, well capable of dealing with double-figure fish without so much as a creak.
Oh, hang on, it’s the phone. “Hello Sue, yes of course, I would love to come on A Question of Sport... if I can bring my pole!”
Verdict: By my reckoning one of the best Black Magic poles yet, this does just what it says on its butt section – ‘Specialist Carp and Big Fish Pole’.
It’s not the stiffest pole I’ve ever handled, but it doesn’t need to be, as it’s a proper workhorse that will last you for years.
The reinforced joints won’t let you down, it ships well enough, and its 11m length puts you well within reach of the nearside shelf and, on most commercial fisheries, the next vacant platform.
My sole criticism is that I would rather it came with two spare top kits rather than just the one.
Price: £249
FRENZEE PRECISION FXT 6E POLE Review
I had two very good reasons for wanting to get Frenzee’s new flagship pole in my sights.
Having live tested the awesome powerhouse FXT Edge pole a couple of seasons ago, then handled the original 16m Frenzee Precision FXT long pole, I was keen to pinpoint any improvements made.
Equally important to me, my old Essex County team mate Jon Whincup, a man with more big match wins under his belt than Alex Ferguson, has been banging on about how damn good the new FXT 6E is. He recently wielded one brilliantly to brush aside a very talented Decoy winter league field, myself included!
So arrangements were made to live test the Precision FXT 6E at Decoy’s fish-stuffed Six Islands Lake. However, rather than ask Frenzee to send along a shiny new pole, I thought it would be much more interesting to get the man himself to come along with his well-used example and talk me through why he thinks it’s the bee’s knees. He did, after all, have plenty of input into its design.
Okay, I hear you say, as a sponsored Frenzee angler surely Mr Whincup is bound to sing the pole’s praises. Fair comment!
However, this quietly spoken and very modest giant of a man, who has trousered more match winnings in a single season than anyone else in the history of our sport, wouldn’t use anything he wasn’t 100 per cent satisfied with, and much the same can be said for all the top boys!
Plenty of banter set the tone of the test. Which one of the seven dwarfs was the height my seatbox set for? Then, of course, ‘Whinny’ just had to single out the only pole rig in my entire box with a bent stemmed float and a slightly dodgy hook.
This was always the Essex County way – everything perfect, nothing left to chance. Jon had lost none of his perfectionism.
He told me that significant improvements in wall strength have been made to all the butt sections, which I know first-hand cannot be ovalled or squashed in the hand – basically they are bullet-proof.
This does increase the overall weight, but there’s a case to be made for slightly heavier poles performing better in the wind, as they are inherently more stable.
However, the new FXT 6E is pleasingly crisp and responsive at its tip-end, making easy work of connecting with fast bites and controlling short line rigs, even at its longest lengths.
The super-slick finish kicks in from its third section, helping to slide the pole through the hands faster than a soapy stoat.
Precision marker points, equally spaced along every section from the fifth downwards, definitely make it easier to judge fishing and feeding distances. Another big plus point is the ‘one top kit does it all’ side-fitted Eeze Glide arrangement. This certainly helps to simplify which elastics to carry.
That said, it’s also worth noting that the new light-coloured ‘Stubby’ No1 kits that fit on to the second sections are also available. These pre-bushed 3.2mm, 4.3mm and 5.2mm tips provide you with a wickedly stiff top kit that’s just the ticket for F1s and big carp alike.
Our Verdict:
Clearly, this is a pole for all seasons, built to last and able to withstand as much punishment as you care to dish out.
A bagger’s delight, it’s every bit as much at home being used at its shorter lengths to plunder nearside cover for margin munters as it is splashing shallow rigs for F1s up in the water.
Actual lengths are on the generous side – 13.1m (13m stated), 14.8m (14.5m) and 16.5m (16m). Weights are 1,055g, 1,305g and 1,520g respectively.
For my money, it’s more of a top-end commercial pole. However, as Mr Whincup was quick to point out, he’s won plenty of silver fish matches using his.
Price: £2,799
browning xitan advance 716L 16m pole review
Browning's third generation flagship Xitan Z16L pole is a bit special – hardly surprising, considering that the Xitan range (starting in 2008 with the Z3 and Z4 models) has been a pace-setter ever since.
The company was the first to introduce long butt sections, pre-cut and bushed top kits (and top-kit package choices) – not to mention factory-fitted side pullers.
Now, anglers in the upper echelons of match fishing tend to stick with their favourite make of pole… or rod, or reel, for that matter. I have half-a-dozen or so mates who all own Xitan poles. They love them to bits, catch loads of fish with them, and rarely break sections in the process. They think these poles are brilliant, and nearly all these characters have upgraded their Xitans every time a new model appears.
I was lucky enough to have a quick waggle with a prototype Advance Z16L late last year when I visited Browning’s Bremen factory, and for my own reasons I was desperate to get out on the bank with the finished product. Here’s why...
Let’s not pull any punches here, this is a top-end flagship pole costing around three grand, not cheap by anyone’s reckoning. But here’s the rub. Browning already has a top-end flagship pole in the Sphere Zero, that I rate as one of the top three poles in the world today. The Sphere is a bit dearer than the latest Xitan, but not by much. So I was intrigued to find out how, if at all, the two flagship poles differ.
As far as top kit, spare and short fourth sections and mini extensions go, both come with more than enough to divvy up among your friends. The real clue to how and why these two exceptional poles are completely separate entities became apparent even before I wet a line.
It just so happened that I had a Sphere Zero pole in the car with me as I pulled into Steve Gregory’s Rushfield Lakes car park. Putting this, and the Xitan, together, it’s apparent they are built on completely different mandrels.
As for performance, the Xitan Advance Z16L would make a perfect all-rounder but is the ultimate pole for commercial carp fishing. Its long sections impart a real feel of sturdiness, enhanced when you fit the square-sectioned ergonomic pole protector.
It’s also clear that Browning has used the experience gained from developing the Sphere to make the Z16L significantly lighter and stiffer than any previous model, without sacrificing any of the strength and reliability that Xitan poles are renowned for.
The Z16L is a true length 16m pole without the need for mini-extensions or extra-long top kits to reach its full length. With its pole protector fitted it measures 16.7m, and, with further extensions available, that can go up to 18m.
The Z16L package also includes a radical new multi-length top kit design, which allows the same kit to be used as a conventional 2.6m two-piece item or as a one-piece kit of 1.95m – perfect for F1s, fishing shallow or when using short elastics for silver fish.
Even when taking the one-piece route the pole still reaches a true 16m. The pre-bushed and side puller fitted Multikit it comes with is an ultra-stiff top kit that should meet your every need in the elastic department.
Our Verdict: On the day, I handed the Xitan Z16L Advance over to Steve Gregory, a Sheffield lad who has caught as many big carp on a pole as anyone you’ll ever meet. He certainly doesn’t mess about!
I left him while I had a walk round the lake, all the while keeping an eye on what he was doing with the precious Xitan.
His verdict on the pole couldn’t have been better if he’d owned and fished with a Xitan for years, and was just what others had told me: “Brilliant!”
Price: £2,999 (16m UK set)
Tri-Cast Trophy X-Type 80 pole review
Tech Spec
Price: 14.4m £1,499.99
16.1m £1,749.99
Standard package: One Match top-4 kit; three Match top-3 kits; three Big Bore top-2 kits; one Interex short No3 section; one reversable power mini butt 8-9 section; one stiff top-2 cupping kit with two cups; deluxe holdall complete with all tubes; Tri-Cast baseball cap and towel
We don’t mess around at Angling Times, so when the very latest long pole from Tri-Cast arrived in the office it was elasticated and on its way to the bank just a couple of days later.
The Trophy X-Type 80 is built on the same mandrel as the flagship Excellence Pro model, although it uses a slightly different carbon, and Tri-Cast says that a new light resin has altered the way the fibres have been laid out, improving overall performance.
The operative word here is ‘reinforcement’, and as I put the pole together I couldn’t help but notice how well protected all the ends of the sections are.
This is something Tri-Cast has a reputation for. Its super-reinforced wraps eliminate wear and chipping, especially at the female ends. The top kits also feature wrapped areas to drill a hole for a puller bush, although I’m not quite sure why they feature on the top half of the top kits as well.
For the test I selected an end peg on the canal-style lake at Stretton Lakes near Stamford. If you’re going to sit on a peg, it might as well be a good one! It would have been all too easy to go out to the island in front of me, a ‘mere’ 13 or 14 metres away, and have a comfortable day.
But I decided to test the pole a bit more by fishing to the island in front of the next peg to the left, a full 16m away with the handy half butt added. No way was it going to be easy, as there were loads of branches overhanging the water and a slightly naughty cross wind that decided to get up shortly after I began fishing.
A massive plus point is the Super Slip finish. I haven’t actually sat down and fished with a Tri-Cast pole for a long while, so I was pleasantly surprised – it’s very easy on the hands. You can ship it at speed, and as I started hooking the carp of Stretton Lakes I began to appreciate this.
Most were small commons, but what they lacked in size they made up for in enthusiasm. They were soon trying to swim around the gaps in the small islands to the other side of the lake, meaning I had to have my wits about me in getting the pole back swiftly.
At its 13m and 14.4m lengths I found the pole good. At the full 16.1m there are stiffer poles out there for the price, but it was still perfectly acceptable. I fitted a Kinder pot to mimic a fishing situation and there was a little bit of bounce. Putting the short number three section in solved this somewhat, and if I didn’t need to fish at the absolute full length then I’d recommend making full use of this short piece, especially if you want to fish up in the water and slap the rig on the surface.
There’s no doubt that this is a solidly strong pole too, with the sections barely willing to budge when squeezed. I’d be happy to fit a grade 20 elastic. I can’t sign off without mentioning the total spares package here, as it’s impressive as standard (see panel).
If it’s not absolutely perfect you can tailor it to your own needs by contacting Tri-Cast first. You might want more big bore, power orientated kits, for example, so you can’t say fairer than that!
Our verdict: A good solid pole with a very nice finish. Everything about the sections inspires confidence, from the wraps to the overall feel, leaving no question about its strength. There are probably a few stiffer poles than this in the price range, but are they are as strong or as well made? I doubt it!
Browning Hyper Carp Brutale Review
Browning's 6m-long Brutale margin pole is the toughest member of the Hyper Carp family.
All are built to cope with the stresses and strains of tackling French ‘Carpdrome’ venues where the playing and landing of 20lb-plus carp on the strongest of tackle and heaviest of elastics is the name of the game.
The four-section Brutale, as its name suggests, is a proper ‘take no prisoners’ weapon, quite capable of taming the largest carp under any conditions, in any swim.
The ultra-strong pole comes ready to fish with no cutting back of the tip section required, while an unlimited elastic rating gives you some idea of its fish-stopping qualities.
For those of you that may already own a longer or higher spec Browning Hyper Carp pole, however, it’s fully section-compatible with all five of its family members.
It’s difficult to know just where to live-test a pole of this ilk – double-figure carp are more of a happy coincidence that turn up late on in matches than a regular occurrence, unless you’re a
boilie-bashing bivvy dweller.
If you fall into that category, of course, you are hardly likely to be even vaguely interested in the merits of this pole, other than to use it with great big baiting spoon attached to the end for carpet feeding the margins!
One of the best big-fish waters I know of is the Oaks strip lake on the Decoy complex. The lakebed is paved with elastic-stretching brutes averaging over 8lb, and each one you hook seems to be even angrier about it than its predecessor.
Big baits always sort out the better fish, so lowered gently into the margin went two cubes of gravy-dripping catmeat on a size 12 hook. Surely a ditch-pig of a carp would oblige?
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the thick-bristled float disappeared and out flowed yards and yards of size 14 hollow elastic.
The pole, which to be fair isn’t at all brutal, just dead strong, is surprisingly light at just 285g, and comes up nicely on the stiff side of rigid. It is neither clumsy, bendy, nor top-heavy when it comes to playing fish.
The section walls, of course, are as tough as a gendarme’s riot shield, as are the super-resilient reinforced carbon joints – but the Brutale is definitely not over the top in any department.
The Verdict: Don’t be fooled by the name, this isn’t a scaffold pole wrapped in carbon. Yes, of course it’s strong, but in a Bruce Lee rather than a Chuck Norris sort of way, and it can be comfortably used all day long without resorting to a back brace. Big fish from snaggy swims are what the Brutale is all about, and faced with such power, even double figure carp tend to come quietly…
Price: £149