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Pure Class! Tom Scholey inspects a new range of match rods from Free Spirit, a brand that has been synonymous with fine-quality carp fishing tackle for many years…

Making a break into the super-competitive match rod market is not an easy move to make, especially when your company’s past presence in the match fishing market has been, well, non-existent!

But this move is one that Free Spirit is making – and in Match Fishing’s opinion, its entry into this market will not be good news for the competition, simply because they make exceptional fishing tackle. Speaking to some of my friends from the carp fishing world (where Free Spirit carp rods are among the most highly respected available) I was told to expect quality, and when the rods arrived in the office I knew that we were in for something special.

I was actually shown two ranges of rods – the CTX range (showcased here) and a range known as HiS – which were still prototypes when we saw them, but will soon hit the shelves as the company’s flagship rod range. Look for the review in a forthcoming issue. But what of the CTX Range? These are an affordable range of match rods including carp waggler rods, carp feeder rods and multi feeder rods. The waggler and feeder rods come in 9ft, 10ft, 11ft and 12ft versions, and each also features a version with a slightly longer handle to aid distance casting at venues where a long cast is required. The multi feeder rods are available in 10 to 12ft and 11 to 13ft lengths.

So what makes these rods unique and different? Firstly, the materials. Although the CTX carbons that are used are new in the match fishing world, they are tried and tested on Free Spirit’s award-winning range of carp rods. They feature 40t carbon, which makes the rods light and well balanced, and feature A grade cork handles for supreme comfort when on the bankside. Perhaps the most notable feature to the casual observer is the finish, which is actually just untreated (unlacquered) carbon that is virtually scratchproof. The thing that struck me when I first got hold of these rods is how light they are, comparative to how nice their actions are. They are simply sublime! The action is probably best described as progressive from tip to butt, giving a steady build-up of power. All rods are supplied in a ‘ready rod’ cloth bag, and feeder rods come supplied with two carbon and one glass tip, to cover a range of match fishing situations.

RRP CTX Carp Feeder 9ft £94.99 10ft £99.99 11ft £104.99 CTX Carp Feeder BW (longer handles) 11ft £114.99 12ft £119.99 CTX Carp Waggler 9ft £89.99 10ft £94.99 11ft £99.99 CTX Carp Waggler S (longer handles) 11ft £104.99 12ft £109.99 CTX Multi Feeder 10 to 12ft £119.99 11 to 13ft £129.99

http://www.freespiritfishing.com/