Shakespeare Sigma 10ft Commercial Feeder Rod
The Shakespeare Sigma Commercial rod range features two-piece carbon blanks with powerful, but progressive, actions. These rods are designed to allow for accurate casting and making the playing of hard-fighting fish easier and faster.
THE RANGE
Sigma Commercial 11ft Float
Sigma Commercial 10ft Float
Sigma Commercial 11ft Feeder
Sigma Commercial 10ft Feeder
PAY AROUND
£39.99
Every match or pleasure angler who catches big fish on commercial pools should have a rod like this in their holdall.
Carrying a full recommended retail price of just £39.99 (although you’ll find it even cheaper if you shop around a bit), it’s eminently affordable.
With two equal-length sections, the 10ft rod is easy to carry ready rigged for action. Its composite carbon and glass construction generates a fast casting action, and it plays fish firmly yet forgivingly.
I was soon to experience its qualities at close range as I ran the rule over this Shakespeare 10ft Feeder, part of the famous firm’s new four-rod Sigma Commercial range.
The kind of venue I would choose for a feeder/lead rod of this type is a small to medium-sized commercial pool of between 20 and 40 pegs, with required casting distances of 15m-40m. The open-water strip lakes at fish-filled Decoy Lakes near Peterborough fit the bill perfectly, and so armed with some timely advice from Angling Times deputy editor Kevin Wilmot, I aimed for a peg at the top end of Oak Lake.
A few exploratory casts down the lake with different weights of feeder confirmed the casting credentials of the new Sigma, which are amazing for such a short rod. The fast tapering blank has a high weight loading point, matched with impressive poke from its butt section, and will cast feeders and straight leads of up to 40g more than 35 metres. This is more than enough for most commercials.
My casting target on the day was actually little more than 25m, enough to position a 15g flatbed Method feeder tight up against the only feature in the lake, a paddle-type aerator. Pinpoint accuracy was needed, and the sparky little Sigma didn’t disappoint.
The blank is recommended for use with reel lines up to 8lb – quite heavy, in other words – and hooklengths from 0.12mm upwards.
The rod’s most outstanding asset, though, has to be its splendid progressive action. Far from being wetter than a haddock’s bathing costume, it manages to blend a soft tip with a fast-tapering mid-section, which makes the playing of big fish quick and easy, never stiff or overpowering.
My first fish of the day proved the point when the quivertip (two graded carbon tips of 1.5oz and 2oz are supplied) slammed round hard as a big kipper made off with my double corn hookbait. The rod did its job nicely, absorbing every lunge and run all the way to the net.
This is normally when most big fishtend to come off the hook, but not this time! The blank kept the fish under close arrest without any worries that it was about to slip the handcuffs and escape.
VERDICT
A very impressive rod from Shakespeare, and impossible to fault, given such a low asking price. It casts well, has a super power-playing progressive action, and could turn its cork handle to conquer most feeder and straight lead commercial fishery situations.
Mark Sawyer
Middy 4GS Micro Muscle Waggler Rod
TECH SPEC
- 11ft Super slim Supplex high-modulus carbon two-piece blank
- Soft-touch EVA thumb grip
- Ergonomic lock-down reel seat
- Hook retainer
- SIC Feather-Lite gunsmoke guides
- Max mainline 12lb
- Max hooklength 8lb
- Casting weight 25g
PAY AROUND
Price (RRP): £139
Shop-around price: £99.99
I take my hat off to Middy, and I’ll tell you why. Not that long ago, very few serious matchmen would have believed the Derbyshire firm capable of producing commercial fishery pellet waggler and float rods to the high standards they demanded.
However, that’s all water under the bridge. Since Middy introduced its original, superb and hugely successful X Flex 3G Pellet Waggler rod series the company has firmly established itself as a market leader for rods of that ilk.
The all new Middy 4GS offerings definitely continue the tradition, with several key improvements, including Supplex carbon technology.
This leads to a refined tip action, allowing fish to be landed even more quickly, as extra power is available through the butt section without risking hook-pulls or snapped hooklengths. Other improvements include an upgraded, progressive fish-playing action and better handling and balance.
All very impressive – but why would Middy need to make changes to a model that was voted rod of the year a couple of seasons back?
Any doubts along the lines of ‘has Middy mended something that clearly wasn’t broken in the first place?’ were all laid to rest as I spent a few hours putting the new 11ft 4GS Micro Muscle Waggler through its paces at Oakfield Fisheries’ day-ticket Red Kite lake.
The ultra-wary carp in here grow big, really big… which is handy, as the new Micro Muscle is rated more than capable of dealing with zoo creatures into double figures.
At first glance the ultra-slim and very lightweight 11ft blank didn’t look capable of dealing with an awful lot more than disorderly dace, rampant roach or badly behaved bleak. But, as they say, looks can be deceiving, and beneath the rod’s cold gunsmoke grey finish beats the heart of lion. Here we have a lean, mean, mauling, brawling battler – disguised as Clark Kent.
It has power to burn through its middle section, and just look at the main picture – have you ever seen a sweeter, more progressive fighting curve in a rod? Certainly not on one that can be found for just under a hundred quid, as this one can.
Another thing that had bothered me a bit about this rod also resolved itself during the live test. Why didn’t it get the obligatory ‘Pellet Waggler’ label? The answer was simple enough – and it was no oversight on Middy’s part. Basically, the softer tip allows it to be used with a much wider range of floats, and it will cast normal and pellet wagglers up to 25g.
Casting distance was pretty good too. With full compression, a maximum range of around 25m can be achieved. Middy gives it a mainline rating of up to 12lb, way too high in my opinion. You’ll get far more performance out of it with 6lb-8lb line.
Fittings are all top-notch, with a comfy lock-down reel seat on a cork and EVA handle, and quality matching gunsmoke grey SiC Feather-Lite lined guides. Ideal for all short to mid-range work on commercial fisheries, this rod is without a doubt another winner from the Middy stable.
VERDICT
THE 11ft Middy Micro is one of the finest rods released this year. Its almost elastic ‘never ending’ progressive fish playing action is right up there with the best I have used,
but at a price that belies this lofty accolade. If your mate owns one, and lets you have a go with it, it’s a given that you’ll have one in your holdall by the following weekend.
Mark Sawyer
Maver Genesis Black Ice 11ft Match rod
• EVA twist grip
• High quality lined guides throughout
• Quality graphite screw reel fitting
• Folding hook keeper ring
• Action: Tip; Through action
• Casting Weight: 60g-90g
• Line Rating: 3lb-8lb
• Weight: 185g inc tips
• Featuring the stunning ‘Black Ice’ carbon finish and top quality fittings throughout. Supplied with three carefully graded tips.
Sometimes tackle can suffer from being labelled ‘one method and one method alone’. Margin poles are one example.
Pellet waggler rods are another, leading the customer into thinking that they can only be used for very specific tactics. The truth is often very different.
Match rods are a case in point. The tag may evoke images of stick float fishing on rivers with 2lb hooklengths, but with modern design, materials and build techniques your standard match tool can actually achieve a great many things. Maver’s Genesis Black Ice 11ft Match rod falls nicely into that category.
Don’t let the ‘Match’ part of its name put you off – this rod has been designed for pellet waggler fishing on well-stocked commercial waters, but its action and softness make it perfect for a spot of roach bashing on lakes and rivers too. It’s the ideal all-rounder for the angler who may only be able to afford or want one rod in their rod bag.
Made from high modulus carbon, the two-piece Black Ice packs a lovely through action, with ample softness in the tip to allow you to fish with light lines when needed.
However, Maver had both eyes on carp when building this rod, and it’s when you gear it up with a 6lb mainline and a loaded pellet waggler that the Black Ice really comes to life.
Soft it may be, but it’s not so sloppy that your casting will be all over the place. There’s enough poke to pick up line to hit fast bites, and more than enough guts to land big fish.
It’s also very light, weighing just 185g, so you can fish with it in your hand all day with no fatigue at all.
Testing took place on Magpie Lake at the up-and-coming Rookery Waters in Cambridgeshire, chucking a loaded 8g waggler to a bed of lily pads at around 40 yards.
Despite a brisk Fenland cross wind, the control that the Black Ice gives you on the cast sees the float landing time after time in the right place, essential when you’re building up a swim.
Landing the float is only part of the battle, though – some rods can fall down on the strike. Too sloppy an action and you simply can’t pick up the line in time, but the Black Ice is deceptively good at doing this.
Even with a bit of a bow in the line, a forceful strike made short work of those lighting bites that often come just as the waggler settles.
There’s also enough grunt to get carp away from snags quickly when you need to ‘hit and hold’ as soon as the hook is set. Get a fish within netting range, though, and the rod takes on a very soft action, bending right the way through the blank at times but never leaving you with the feeling that you’re in any way undergunned!
Finished with top-quality SiC guides, graphite screw reel fitting, EVA twist grip and folding hook keeper ring, the Maver Black Ice is the ideal rod to carry made up in a rod sleeve, all ready to take on whatever your summer of fishing is about to throw at you!
Richard Grange
Preston Innovations Carbonactive Mini Plus 11ft 6ins Method Feeder rod
PAY AROUND
£169.99
Preston Innovations has given its best- selling Carbonactive Mini-Plus rods a significant makeover and added this two-piece 11ft 6ins Method feeder tool to the range. Right from the start Mini-Plus rods were a hit with commercial match anglers, as the reduced-length blanks, with their trademark forgiving yet powerful action, were ideal for getting carp to the net very quickly.
Despite significant changes, all the new Preston Mini-Plus rods retain their non-locking action and trademark ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ feel. However, they do appear to have been built around slightly faster tapering blanks. This, far from being a negative quality, gives them more casting speed at the tip when they are wound up, always a useful quality when going for extra distance.
Cosmetics and furnishings on the new rods have been upgraded too. The whippings on the glossy jet-black blanks now boast classy red trimmings, and depending on the model you get either single or double-legged low profile ceramic-lined guides.
The cork and EVA handle is fitted with a soft-touch reel seat which is not only pleasingly comfy to hold, but clamps the reel stem close to the blank. This is handy if, like, me you have short fingers. To round off the technicalities there’s a fold-down keeper ring, always nice to see.
So how did the Carbonactive Mini-Plus actually perform? After all, the two-piece 11ft 6ins blank is an unusual length for a Method feeder rod, which would more commonly be found in standard 12ft and power 13ft versions. Yes, even shorter method feeder rods are available, but these are really designed for fishing down the edge, not for distance casting.
A rare creature our test rod may be, but with the help of match aces Des Shipp and Tommy Pickering Prestons has come up with something that’s absolutely spot-on for commercials with islands and features at the 30m-60m mark.
That point was brought home to me when live-testing the model at Suffolk’s day-ticket Hinderclay fishery. Like so many others, this complex has centre islands on a couple of its lakes, and accurate 40m chucks to these are essential from the relevant pegs.
The Mini-Plus will cast a small 30g fully loaded feeder with little effort on the angler’s part, and I would suggest that at a push it could propel a large 45g Method feeder a fair distance. That said, don’t buy it if you are just looking for an out-and-out power casting tool, which it isn’t.
The blank has enough backbone to keep a straight cast, even if you need to lean into the cast in the teeth of a strong headwind, and the lack of tip recoil and bounce helps as you approach the casting distance limit.
I am fast becoming a fan of the longer-than-normal quivertips Preston is using these days on its feeder models, blending as they do into the blanks with no flat spots. The Mini-Plus comes with a glass tip rated at 2oz and a 2.5oz carbon tip. In truth, because bites are usually bold wrap-rounds as the fish hook themselves against the weight of the feeder, I reckon an even heavier 3oz tip would be useful, and contribute to longer casts.
That said, the softer glass tip does make the rod a little more flexible, should you want to use it for open-end feeder work for bream. Thanks to the blank’s forgiving action, it is well suited to this tactic.
Svendsen Desperado
PAY AROUND
£49.99
This beefy rod has loads of firepower down the blank to beat the biggest river species throughout four seasons of fishing.
The rod has an official line rating of between 4lb and 8lb, but it will fish heavier lines if required in winter floodwater/snaggy swim conditions.
The butt section is massively stiff to provide casting backbone and the ability to deliver larger-than-normal feeders though it is a bit thick at the butt end.
The three heavy glass quivertips aren’t officially rated but are estimated at around 2.5oz, 3oz and 4oz. This makes this rod great for throwing loads up to 3.5oz and waiting for big drop-back bites. It is not a rod capable of showing up shy silverfish taps, rattles and knocks.
A good choice if you want a ‘power’ rated rod on a limited budget in these hard times!
Stillwater Pro Matchstix 15ft Power Float Rod
PAY AROUND
£49.99
This great rod suggests a multitude of uses, from lowering a float down over lilies for wily crucians and tench, to running a stick float down the river for chub and barbel or fishing deep reservoirs where the extra length can be an advantage.
The three-piece blank has a great fish-playing action while retaining crispness in the tip for a quick line pick-up.
Stillwater Pro Matchstix 12ft Float Rod
PAY AROUND
£29.99
This two-piece equal length float rod packs that extra bit of power for playing big fish, yet remains an impressively slim and lightweight blank.
This is the perfect tool for targeting big carp, tench and chub, rated to 10lb mainline and 8lb hooklengths.
Stillwater Pro Matchstix 13ft Float Rod
PAY AROUND
£34.99
A traditional three-piece waggler rod, this is perhaps the most versatile of the Matchstix rod range. It will punch out long-range pellet wagglers for large carp and yet has the subtlety to fish fine hooklengths for silverfish.
Light, slim and responsive, there is plenty of power reserve as you get into the butt section of the blank.
Stillwater Pro Matchstix Mini Float Rods (10ft and 11ft)
PAY AROUND
10ft Mini Float £27.99, 11ft Mini Float £29.99
The two Matchstix Pro Mini Float Rods are so slim and light you can barely feel them in the hand, and yet are so crisp on the strike as to defy belief.
The rods take up a faultless curve when bending into powerful fish. They have a line rating of 8lb mainline and up to 6lb hooklengths. Both the 10ft and 11ft versions are two-piece blanks with equal length sections to allow them to be easily stored made up.
Matrix Horizon S Class 12ft Feeder
The three-piece Horizon S Class Feeder is a traditional tool for bream and skimmer fishing. The high gloss black blank has a softly progressive action, but with enough power in the lower butt section to achieve casts up to 60m. Large-diameter guides throughout (quivertips too) allow the use of shockleaders with no fear of the leader knot jamming into a guide and causing a crack-off.
PAY AROUND
£149.99
THIS rod owes many of its superb specifications to the fishing talent and knowledge of Matrix boss Ricky Teale, who has spent years match fishing for bream here in the UK and in Europe, where long-distance bream tactics are seen as the pinnacle of angling achievement.
The Horizons S rod’s middle and tip sections are both longer than you would find on a standard three-piece feeder model, helping it to deliver a seamlessly smooth progressive playing action while maximising tip speed when going for a really long cast. A short butt section with an extra-long spigot joint adds to its casting clout.
During the live test Angling Times editor Steve Fitzpatrick, not noted for his smooth distance-casting style, had a go with the set-up and was so shocked at the instant extra yards he attained that he wouldn’t give it back.
During the trial it handled Method, open-end, cage and maggot feeders with equal aplomb, as well as dealing with casting weights from 15g-45g.
Nash H-Gun Retract
PAY AROUND
£65.99
Nash’s shorter Scope and Dwarf rods have proved massively popular in the last couple of years, but not everyone is ready to abandon their 12-footers.
Enter the Retract rods, which remain 12ft long but have a collapsible butt section, like the Dwarf and Scope range, so they can pack down to just 155cm (61ins). There is a full range of test curves and a 4.5lb spod/marker rod too.
Sonik Gravity X
RRP from £249.99
The boffins at Sonik are proud of this flagship creation, and they have every right to be.
Made from NanoAlloy, these rods are incredibly slim yet massively powerful. The recoil on the tip is also lightning-fast to boost casting capability.
With titanium guides and some striking blue cosmetics, these rods deliver the perfect blend of looks and performance.
Preston Innovations Pro Competition 13ft Heavy Feeder
PAY AROUND
£129.99
All fans of feeder fishing should keep their eyes peeled for this latest rod range from Preston Innovations.
The Pro Competition series features six models that between them cover everything from short-range feeder and bomb work for silvers and F1s to traditional bream fishing on natural venues, carp on commercials and even barbel and chub on big rivers – so they will appeal right across the board.
Built from quality high modulus carbon, the pencil-thin gunmetal grey blanks have progressive actions and are finished with SiC ceramic lined guides and cork and Duplon grip handles. They come with combinations of push-in quivertips.
This rod’s powerful blank is ideally suited to big river work where it is often imperative to keep as much line as possible out of the flow, especially when using large, heavy feeders. This powerhouse of a model doubles as a big-fish Method feeder tool for long casts and specimen-sized match carp on big open-water commercials. Line rating 6lb-10lb.
Preston Innovations Pro Competition 12ft 6ins Medium-Heavy Feeder
PAY AROUND
£119.99
All fans of feeder fishing should keep their eyes peeled for this latest rod range from Preston Innovations.
The Pro Competition series features six models that between them cover everything from short-range feeder and bomb work for silvers and F1s to traditional bream fishing on natural venues, carp on commercials and even barbel and chub on big rivers – so they will appeal right across the board.
Built from quality high modulus carbon, the pencil-thin gunmetal grey blanks have progressive actions and are finished with SiC ceramic lined guides and cork and Duplon grip handles. They come with combinations of push-in quivertips.
For medium to long-range stillwater feeder fishing as well as heavy feeder work on any type of river, this rod has the rigidity and power to punch heavy feeders a long way very accurately, and enough backbone to tame hard-fighting carp and barbel. Line rating 5lb-8lb.
Preston Innovations Pro Competition 12ft Medium Feeder
PAY AROUND
£109.99
All fans of feeder fishing should keep their eyes peeled for this latest rod range from Preston Innovations.
The Pro Competition series features six models that between them cover everything from short-range feeder and bomb work for silvers and F1s to traditional bream fishing on natural venues, carp on commercials and even barbel and chub on big rivers – so they will appeal right across the board.
Built from quality high modulus carbon, the pencil-thin gunmetal grey blanks have progressive actions and are finished with SiC ceramic lined guides and cork and Duplon grip handles. They come with combinations of push-in quivertips.
As the name suggests, this rod is primarily for medium-range feeder fishing at distances of up to 60m on commercials, but it doubles up as a great all-rounder for rivers and large natural lakes. A blend of balance, strength and finesse makes it the ideal choice for all species. Line rating 4lb-8lb.
Preston Innovations Pro Competition 11ft 4ins Light-Medium Feeder
PAY AROUND
£104.99
All fans of feeder fishing should keep their eyes peeled for this latest rod range from Preston Innovations.
The Pro Competition series features six models that between them cover everything from short-range feeder and bomb work for silvers and F1s to traditional bream fishing on natural venues, carp on commercials and even barbel and chub on big rivers – so they will appeal right across the board.
Built from quality high modulus carbon, the pencil-thin gunmetal grey blanks have progressive actions and are finished with SiC ceramic lined guides and cork and Duplon grip handles. They come with combinations of push-in quivertips.
The Light-Medium Feeder is the perfect bream rod, with a deceptively strong yet soft action capable of casting fully loaded groundbait or Method feeder weighing up to 50g.
Ideal for use on natural lakes, ponds and rivers, the thin-profiled blank has sufficient reserves of strength to cope with big bream and carp. Line rating 4lb-8lb.
Preston Innovations Pro Competition 10ft Light Feeder
PAY AROUND
£94.99
All fans of feeder fishing should keep their eyes peeled for this latest rod range from Preston Innovations.
The Pro Competition series features six models that between them cover everything from short-range feeder and bomb work for silvers and F1s to traditional bream fishing on natural venues, carp on commercials and even barbel and chub on big rivers – so they will appeal right across the board.
Built from quality high modulus carbon, the pencil-thin gunmetal grey blanks have progressive actions and are finished with SiC ceramic lined guides and cork and Duplon grip handles. They come with combinations of push-in quivertips.
This 10ft rod is suitable for slightly longer casts up to around 40m, and has more power in reserve than the nine-footer for playing bonus fish.
It will suit all silverfish applications as well as winter fishing on commercials. The blank has a progressive tip action that is forgiving enough to cope with fine terminal tackle. Line rating 3lb-6lb.
Preston Innovations Pro Competition 9ft Super Light Feeder
PAY AROUND
£89.99
All fans of feeder fishing should keep their eyes peeled for this latest rod range from Preston Innovations.
The Pro Competition series features six models that between them cover everything from short-range feeder and bomb work for silvers and F1s to traditional bream fishing on natural venues, carp on commercials and even barbel and chub on big rivers – so they will appeal right across the board.
Built from quality high modulus carbon, the pencil-thin gunmetal grey blanks have progressive actions and are finished with SiC ceramic lined guides and cork and Duplon grip handles. They come with combinations of push-in quivertips.
For use with small feeders and bombs, this is the perfect rod for short-range work at up to 30m. Primarily intended as a silverfish model, it also lends itself well to light winter fishing on commercials for F1s.
The super-slim, lightweight blank is very responsive, perfect for light lines and small hooks. Line rating 3lb-6lb.
Matrix 12ft 6in Horizon S Class Feeder Rod
PAY AROUND
£149.99
Since their launch, the S Class feeder rods have become a bit of a cult classic for bream anglers fishing at distance on large lakes and reservoirs but when a bit of extra range was needed, the originals weren’t quite long enough – enter the new 12ft 6in model to solve all of those woes!
Featuring the same quality and performance of its shorter cousins, the new S Class has a short butt section with an extra-long spigot joint to generate more casting power in the lower section while the middle and tip sections have a lovely action to prevent hookpulls while still setting the hook at range. The rod comes supplied with three carbon quiver tips of differing grades to suit any conditions.
Shakespeare Agility EXP 12ft Specimen Rod
PAY AROUND
£59.99
Versatility with a capital V is what Shakespeare’s two new 12ft Agility EXP Specimen rods are all about.
Both rods – 2lb and 2.5lb test curve - have been developed to cover all general carp fishing tactics including method feeder, straight lead, PVA bags and mesh sticks, as well as floater fishing methods.
However, the lighter test curve model is said by its manufacturers to also make the perfect heavy barbel or long range stillwater bream and tench tool.
To make this possible, the clever rod designers at Shakespeare have come up with a four-piece blank with an interchangeable middle section, enabling it to be set up for your chosen tactic.
If you want to cast further, or need to beef-up the rods power a bit for snag fishing - you simply change the middle sections over.
For instance the 2lb test curve version with its stiffer middle section fitted, makes a great short distance or margin style carp rod, ideal for Method feeder and straight lead tactics whereas with its lighter section in place you have a more than tidy small-river barbel or carp floater rod.
The action is definitely a lot more old school through style, than Shakespeare’s claimed progressively powerful, but this shouldn’t necessarily be taken as a negative – there’s less casting potential, but less chance of losing fish during the fight or at the net.
The heavier 2.5lb test curve model has a fair bit more casting potential, but still has a slight lack of backbone. It is certainly strong enough to cast out a PVA bag or Stick, and as long as you don’t want to cast to the horizon, it shouldn’t ever let you down.
Armed with the 2lb rod and a matching Agility FS reel I headed to Barston’s busy main lake and with so many anglers on the bank I felt the fish were always going to back-off towards the middle of the lake, so selected the more beefy of the rod’s middle sections.
Talk about going through the book! Straight lead, method feeder, and even PVA mesh sticks all proved unsuccessful as the fish simply refused to play ball through the early morning but with the sun climbing ever higher, the odd fish stated to show on the water’s surface.
A quick change to a zig-rig was called for and moments later the alarm sounded as one of Barston’s larger residents ripped-off across the lake.
The change of tactic had paid off handsomely and, as I slipped the net under a stunning mirror, I reflected that the Shakespeare EXP Agility had handled a diversity of tactics nicely enough, and that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend either rod as a good all-rounder for the would be specialist angler.