TECH SPEC

In this range, there is a choice of 9ft, 10ft, or 11ft, all with casting weights of 20gms to 50gms.

• High modulus carbon blank.
• Semi-parabolic fish-playing action.
• Designed for up to 25m.
• Casting weight: 20gms - 50gms.
• Ideal for fishing the method on the pole line of on snake type lakes.
• Short handle for easy manouvering when casting and playing fish.
• Lightweight, strong double and single leg guides positioned for easy made-up transportation.
• Cork/EVA handle with soft-touch screw down hood reel seat.
• EVA transport holder block holds all sections parallel for easy made-up transport.
• Ideal for all method feeder\pellet feeder fishing.
• Rods break down into two equal lengths.
• Supplied with two (3/4oz, 1oz) interchangeable tips.
• Line rating 4lb - 8lb.

PAY AROUND

9ft £59.99, 10ft £64.99, 11ft £69.99

Matrix has added three new Method Master feeder rods to its range designed to tackle commercial fisheries.

In 9ft, 10ft or 11ft lengths, all three blanks will cast Method feeders weighing between 20g and 50g (0.7oz and 1.7oz), which will cover nine out of 10 pools you’re likely to find yourself pegged on.

At a time when quality short feeder rods can set you back a considerable chunk of wedgeit’s quite refreshing to find that these superbly appointed rods can be had at under £70 a chuck.

So, what’s the catch – if indeed there is one? To find out, and hopefully make a decent catch of my own, I settled into a peg fringed with Norfolk reed on the day-ticket Kingsland Reservoir, just outside Peterborough, equipped with the 11ft version of the Matrix Method Master.

The fish in this deep lake – mainly carp – show a definite taste for baits presented on the Method, especially close in to the margins. This tactic obviously doesn’t test a rod’s casting attributes, but it does put its fish-playing mettle under the spotlight.

Before you even wet a line, one of the first things you will notice when putting together the two equal-length sections of this 11ft blank is its fast taper from butt to tip.

This gives it a high weight loading area toward the tip end of the carrier section and enables the rod to hold pretty much rock-steady before casting.

There’s none of that bouncing around of the feeder that can be such a pain in the butt section – yours!

This lack of movement improves the rod’s distance casting and accuracy, and after half-an-hour of trying out different weights of feeder I can happily report that it will handle 30g flatbed models with very little effort. That said, I felt that the manufacturer’s recommended maximum casting weight of 50g would be overstretching the rod.

No matter, the plus points way outstrip this small negative. The blank is a composite of carbon, glass and resins which together produce a rod lacking in flat spots, and with enough backbone and grunt to tame the odd Barney Rubble.

This rod is immensely enjoyable to use. Bend it like Beckham and it will put fish in the net time and time again.

Indeed, if you’re into your commercial match fishing, it should help you score a good few points over the opposition.

VERDICT

The new Matrix Method Master casts accurately and sufficiently far to cope with the majority of commercial fisheries. The equal length two-piece blank has lots of feel and transmission, and its controlled progressive bend will cope with fish big and small.

This very affordable rod can be used with reel lines between 3lb and 8lb, and is destined to become a firm favourite with all club match anglers on a budget.

Mark Sawyer