Rods, Reels & Poles

Designed in conjunction specifically with leading tackle outlet Bobco, this 16m pack has been built to their exacting specification. Purpose-made to hit this specific price point Garbolino says that: “It’s everything the commercial match angler needs in a pole, at a very sensible price.”

It’s designed with strength in mind to cope with the rigours of modern commercial fishing where you might be catching double-figure carp short on paste, slapping pellets long, or even getting yourself latched into an occasional 20-pounder down the edge! The UK Special Carp Match is designed to cope with most commercial water situations you could throw at it.

The package is impressive too – you get the 16m pole (of course), which includes a match kit. Then you get five Express ELC carp top kits, a half reversible extension (that fits the 14.5 and 16m joints), an Express Cupping kit and it all comes packaged in tubes in a six-tube holdall. If you don’t quite need 16 metres then there is also a 14.5m package available with the same spares package at just £699 SSP, too!I’ve joined Garbolino’s Darren Cox on the bank today to test the pole out. And, removing the brand new pole from the holdall you’d have to agree that it’s an impressive deal at a penny under £1,000 for a 16m package. The pole is no slouch either. Yes, you’re not going to get the absolute ultimate in stiffness like Garbolino’s outright flagship models, but by the same token this pole is nowhere near the price. Swings and roundabouts and all that!

That’s not to say this pole isn’t good. For a £1,000 pole it’s perfectly manageable at full length and today at Makins we’re fishing a long line, a short line and a margin line to the right-hand side in the hope of getting in among some of this lake’s big, old crafty carp.Let’s look at the finer points and features for a minute because Garbolino hasn’t skimped here. Firstly, all of the joints feature reinforcement in the higher wear areas on every section as well as a joint aligner (foam type nose cone) on the No4 to help alignment when constantly putting the top kits on and off. All of the top kits come ready-cut and pre bushed so you won’t lose any length of the pole having to cut back the tops to fit bushes. The tops also feature Garbolino’s fitted, unique PTFE side pullers with a reinforced section to strengthen the area. These points alone (for a £999.99 pole) are very handy and will all help to save you cost and time so you can get fishing with it sooner.

After an hour or so fishing with the pole and several F1s and carp caught, the pole feels good to fish with at all the lengths we’ve tried. Tapping fishery 6mm pellets in on the long line the action is steady with F1s on a hard banded pellet. This is a deep lake too, which presents its own challenges for any pole as well. Throwing some meat and pellets on to the short line a quick look results in a couple more F1s before the carp rock up. A couple of big fish test the pole before heading down the edge on three worms and ‘clonk’, one first drop! The pole takes it all in its stride – it’s plenty fishable at long lengths and plenty strong enough to cope with anything we threw at it on this session.It’ll double as a perfect short/margin pole too, so there’s no need to be buying a separate one of those either. This pole will do it! As I mentioned at the start of the review, Garbolino has designed this exclusively with Bobco Tackle so that is the only place you’re able to purchase this pole package. The sections feel reassuringly strong in the hand and it’s an investment that’ll give you years of reliable service if it’s looked after properly. If you’re the type of angler who wants to cover their 16m bases, but realistically spends most of their pole fishing sessions fishing shorter than that, or down the edge (like I do), then this offering from Garbolino should be a serious contender. Sure you can blow £5K on a flagship pole, but if you rarely venture past 14.5 metres then is there really any point? 

If you’re looking to spend £1,000 and no more on a 16m package then have a look at this one. If you can get to Bobco for a waggle first then even better. If it gets the stamp of approval from Darren Cox himself then it’ll surely tick enough boxes for most people looking for a pole in this price bracket.

SSP: 16m package £999.99 | 14.5m package £699

16m Package:
• 16m pole (with a match kit included)
• Five Express ELC bushed top kits with PTFE side pullers fitted
• Reversible half extension
• Express cupping kit
• Six-tube holdall

WEBSITE: www.bobcotackle.co.uk

To find out more about the UK Special Carp Match 16m package, watch the video below.

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