TECH SPEC

8ft version
Casting weight: Up to 20g
Line rating: 2lb-6lb

10ft version
Casting weight: Up to 25g
Line rating: 2lb-6lb

11ft version
Casting weight: Up to 30g
Line rating: 2lb-8lb

PAY AROUND

8ft £145.99
10ft £182.99
11ft £196.99

Who remembers (and probably laments the passing of) Carbotec Fast Play Feeder rods? They were so good that they retain their old face value, or even more for the right model.

This new Trilogy Commercial Feeder shares more than a few of its traits. The two-piece blank is probably a bit lighter and slimmer, and doesn’t have quite the same degree of casting clout, but it still has an extraordinary amount of fish-playing elasticity. There’s not a sign of flat spotting, nor does the rod form anything other than a perfect hoop when put under strain. The more you pressure it, the better it gets.

The casting action has a fair bit of hidden backbone spliced into it, and the 11ft model on test threw a 40g flatbed Method feeder more than 40m with little more than a swish.

The rod comes complete with light, medium and heavy push-in carbon quivertips that do nothing to mar its seamless flat-free fighting curve – very commendable of Tri-Cast.

But why on Earth they didn’t add an inch of blaze-coloured paint to the end of each quiver defeats me. Irritating, but that small detail wouldn’t stop me buying one.

VERDICT

I can’t wait to try the shorter 10ft version of this Tri-Cast rod.

I have a feeling it just might be the ultimate snake lake, small pond F1 and big-fish lead rod.

Meanwhile the 11ft model on test casts straight and well, is light in the hand, and has what seems to be a limitless supply of progressive fish-playing clout – it’s pretty special.

Mark Sawyer