Feeder Essentials: Middy Reactacore XZ Mini Commercial Feeder Rod

I was really impressed two years ago with the Middy XZ65 Feeder rods. They were beautiful slim rods with a very soft through action that felt like you could never lose a fish.

Fast-forward a few years and we have the new Reactacore XZ Mini Commercial Feeder. This is a 10ft 6in two-piece rod that is designed, as the name suggests, for commercial fisheries.

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We have been super-impressed with the Reactacore poles, particularly the inclusion of the Maximus Wrap and Quad Carbon Technology, and now Middy has taken that technology and utilised it within its latest rod range.

The result is rods that feel stiff and responsive in the hand yet retain a beautiful playing action. The two features combine to make these rods cast incredibly straight and true, yet they feel featherweight in the hand.

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One criticism of slim rods in the past is they can feel a little ‘dead’ in their actions; by this we mean they bend nicely but have little in the way of progressive power and easily bottom out. The Reactacore XZ Mini is totally different though, and while it retains that soft through action it has that bit more poke in the butt when you need to apply some pressure. Not only does that improve casting performance, but also gives you the oomph you need to battle large carp under your feet.

A new feature is the SCX Smooth Cast guides. These are angled forward to allow a smoother passage of line through the eyes. This means any ‘frap ups’ around the butt guide in particular are a thing of the past.

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Finally we have the two supplied ‘Motion-sensitive’ quivertips. These are responsive fast-taper tips perfect for spotting shy bites should you choose to use these rods for silver-fish work. They also blend seamlessly with the rod blank – flat spots are a distant memory that’s for sure.

This is a great new rod from Middy and the start of a new family of feeder and float rods. Everything about them is classy, from their looks right through to the performance. Great stuff!

RRP: £209.99

Verdict: A true flagship offering from Middy. 

Website: www.middytackle.com/

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