Middy 5G Pellet Waggler rod test

I’LL START this review with a confession. Pellet waggler fishing isn’t something that I used to devote much time to, but over the past few months of balmy summer weather I realised I’d been missing out big-time on what is clearly one of the most exhilarating of all tactics.

The anticipation builds the moment the float plops into the water, and that excitement is often followed by an aggressive bite moments later.

Next thing you know, the clutch on your reel is going into overdrive and the rod arches over as a disgruntled carp or F1 does its best to shed the hook.

Clearly, the rod you are using can make all the difference between winning most of these battles or coming back empty-handed.

When the new 11ft Middy 5g Pellet Waggler rod was put into my hands I instantly pencilled in a session at a venue I know would respond well to this high-octane tactic – Manor Farm Leisure in Worcestershire.

I knew what I wanted from this rod, but would it come up trumps? There was only one way to find out…

The rod arches over as a disgruntled carp or F1 does its best to shed the hook.

LAUNCHING INTO ACTION

With the rod rigged up and a couple of pints of 8mm pellets on my side tray I was all set to try and extract a few massive F1s – they run to over 5lb – from Ash Pool.

They love to linger shallow out in the middle but they’ve been caught countless times and can be moody. With a small 3g pellet waggler on the line I went for a 30m chuck and it landed exactly where I had planned it to. It was then a case of feeding a few pellets every chuck, casting over the top and, if there was no response within 10 seconds, repeating the sequence.

As it happens, to begin with the fish were slow to respond to the trickle of freebies falling through the water column, but I wasn’t complaining too much as it gave me the chance to get to grips with the rod’s casting capabilities.

Accuracy was not an issue, as I could plant my small waggler on the button without breaking sweat. There was clearly a lot more fuel in the tank, and had I wanted to chuck a beefier float there was ample power in reserve to do so.

The weight of the rod barely registered in my hand, which gained it more brownie points because a light rod is essential for such an energetic tactic where you are casting so often.

Eventually the constant rain of pellets drew a response, with fish swirling at every pinch of bait that landed. The float duly dipped and it was time for the rod to earn its battle colours.

THE PERFECT ACTION

The fish surged off the moment it realised it had slipped up. The softly-set clutch got to work and the rod took on a healthy bend.

A good pellet waggler rod needs to be soft enough to absorb sudden lunges yet have enough grunt to let you take control. With the first fish safely in the net I felt confident it had both qualities in abundance.

A few bigger F1s fought even more ferociously later in the day and the rod handled them faultlessly.

Had I hooked a double-figure carp, I feel sure that a small yet significant design feature of the rod would have helped me land it. The woven carbon area next to the handle prevents the rod bending too much during particularly intense fights in the heat of summer, but I’d be equally happy using it on the deck in the colder months, when bites are hard-won and every fish counts. Its soft action would, I’m sure, keep losses to a minimum. Today the Middy 5G Pellet Waggler had put me in the driving seat, allowing me to cast accurately and then extract anything that took the bait with relative ease.

Rod cosmetics never caught anybody any more fish, but there is something of the tackle tart in us all – and if the aesthetics catch your attention in a shop there’s a much better chance you’ll part with your hard-earned cash!

Safe to say this rod looks the part. Starting at the reel seat, it seems a little unusual as it’s slimmer than the rest of the handle, but put your hand over the top of the reel and it all clicks into place to make holding the rod a pleasure.

Graphics are neatly etched into the blank, the eyes are appropriately sized and spaced throughout, and little extras such as a hook keeper add to its overall appeal.

Give this beauty a place in your holdall and you’ll have a tool that will never let you down when the bites are coming thick and fast!

Price: £99.99