Long Term Test: Tournament Pro Float Rods - 02/07/2009

To be honest you only appreciate just how good they are when you actually use them, and after landing hundreds of pounds of fish with them I feel well qualified to pass comment.

So why are the rods so good? Well, for starters they’re very light and well balanced, even the 15ft model, and the actions are perfect for small and big fish. When I first tried them I wasn’t sure whether they would have the backbone for big fish, but watching Will Raison drag big carp in with the 12ft model a couple of days after I got mine confirmed that this wouldn’t be a problem! Since then I’ve landed countless weights of chub, roach, barbel and carp with mine and I wouldn’t change them for anything right now. The reel fittings are perfect, the rings are ultra-smooth and the finish, as you would expect with rods as expensive as these, are exceptional.

My only criticism of the range is that Daiwa keep marketing the longer two of the three models only as 13ft or 13ft/15ft combo rods. If a 14ft option was available, and it would only mean including a one-foot section in the bag or even as an optional extra, the 13ft/15ft rod would be even better. And probably be called a 13/14/15W! Everyone that I know who owns one or two of these rods feels the same way, so Daiwa please take note!

• DH