Rods, Reels & Poles

A Kind Of Magic!

Tom Scholey joins Bob Nudd on the banks of the River Yare to try out a very special piece of kit!

Bob spent a long time designing this latest tool to do a demanding job!

I have always read with envy about the weights that are caught on long pole to hand tactics in Ireland. Indeed, in the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s weights in excess of 200lb of roach were recorded from some of Ireland’s more prolific waters, and still today, pole to hand tactics figure on many festivals. Sadly, most of the fishing that we have on offer here in the UK rarely calls for such demanding tactics, and for this reason I am largely unfamiliar with them. One man who does know his onions when it comes to this kind of fishing, though, is Bob Nudd – and because he was instrumental in designing the original iconic Black Magic pole, I thought it made sense to ask him to not only talk me through this latest offering from the Browning camp, but also offer some advice on how best to use it.

Irish Inspiration Bob explained that pole to hand tactics really come into their own when you are after a large number of fish, in weather conditions that allow a rig to be easily swung into position accurately. This year, Browning has released the Black Magic Classic, which they dub “a true legend among poles.” For sure, the original Black Magic was a favourite among anglers who liked to fish in Ireland, and as Bob rightly points out, the number of massive weights of roach and hybrids caught on a Black Magic over the years must stretch into the thousands. So what makes the model so perfect for this kind of fishing? First up is a slim blank, which means that even at the long lengths, the pole can be easily and comfortably held in one hand. This is a must for comfortable fishing. Next up is the actual strength and quality of the blank.

Obviously, this is something that is vital when it is likely that big fish will be swung to the chest. This demands not only strength, but also a degree of stiffness to allow the fish to be lifted crisply out of the water. Firstly, Bob talked me through how he goes about setting the pole up – which involves a 3ft length of Powergum through the top section of the pole. He explains that this acts as a shock absorber that is a little more harsh than elastic, so that fish can be easily swung to hand, but are still cushioned on the strike. To this, he ties a standard connector, to which he attaches his rig. Obviously, robust tackle is a must when fishing to hand, so 0.14mm main line is incorporated to a 0.10mm hooklength. All that remained was for me to have a go at using the tool, and after a brief lesson from Bob I was on his box having a try for myself! It took some getting used to but before long I was swinging a 6oz roach to the chest – and what a great style of fishing it proved to be! For sure this is a specialist tool, but for anyone who fishes venues where pole to hand tactics are an option, then I would certainly advise checking out this pole.

Tech Spec:
Browning Black Magic Classic Pole Length: 11m

RRP: £549

www.browning-fishing.com