Up Close

Sort By: Post DateTitle Publish Date
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jan 06, 2015  |  0 comments
Joe Carass gets his hands on ABC’s latest hit bait range, the formidable MI7. I am always interested when new bait ranges are released. Most are well publicised through various social-media platforms these days and you generally know when something is about to hit the shop shelves. One new launch that snuck under my radar, though, was ABC’s MI7 range of baits.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Feb 19, 2016  |  0 comments
Match Fishing’s chief sub editor and river aficionado, David Haynes, takes a look at an updated classic reel – the ABU 507 MkII. Quick history lesson: Back in the days before commercials, when there was ‘just’ river fishing, the Abu 507 closed-face reel was the weapon of choice for the serious flowing-water matchman. Bigger than the equally popular 506 model, once a few ‘insider knowledge’ adjustments had been made its push-button line release and instant line pick-up were deemed perfect for flicking a stick or waggler out and running them down the flow to haul out big bags of chub, roach and dace. So good was it that after production ceased they changed hands on the second-hand market for many times their original cost, and top river angler Dave Harrell is known to have owned at least 11 of them at one time.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jul 21, 2011  |  0 comments
Abu Garcia is a name synonymous with quality reel developments. Dave Harrell checks out the company’s latest two offerings…Abu Garcia Cardinal 504i SDH FD & 506i SDH RD ReelsThe first thing that struck me when I took these reels out of the box was how impressive they looked. In terms of cosmetics and finish they seemed like much more expensive reels, but of course it’s what’s under the cover that really matters. Cardinal reels are famous for being reliable and strong and I reckon these reels will be able to take some serious punishment.
Match Fishing Staff  |  May 24, 2013  |  0 comments
Bait-Tech seems to go from strength to strength and its two latest Method mixes could be right up your street. Let’s be frank, there has been a resurgence in groundbait popularity, thanks largely to the undeniable impact of fishing with it loose down the edge – hallelujah!The majority of anglers fish 2mm softened pellets around or inside the feeder these days, spelling a slump in its use for the feeder, but what if there was a mix that could give you the edge over pellets?Well that’s exactly what bait specialist Bait-Tech set out to create with its latest Tuna & Krill Big Carp Method Mix and spicy Super Method Mix. The impact and popularity of krill can't have failed to grab your attention and that’s exactly what’s packed into the powerful fishy-smelling Tuna & Krill mix. When you open the bag you’re hit with one of the smelliest mixes available; it really stinks.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jul 21, 2011  |  0 comments
Joe Carass reveals his thoughts on Browning’s new Xitan Z7. 5 pole. Will it be another success for the tackle giant?With Browning’s Xitan range of poles growing in popularity, I couldn’t wait to have a look at the latest addition to the range – the Z7. 5 – to see if it could live up to the standard set by its predecessors.
Match Fishing Staff  |  May 24, 2012  |  0 comments
Everyone loves it when an underdog comes good! Browning has produced good poles for years but never seemed to reach the cult ‘must-have’ status of manufacturers like Daiwa, Maver, Garbolino and Preston. However, Alex Bones says the Z12 could change all that…Now and then certain products really excite me. Many we get for review I could take or leave – in fact they never make the printed pages – but this, however, is something very special indeed!Wind the clock back a couple of years and Browning admitted it was struggling to break into the pole market. Then came the Z12’s predecessor – the Z9.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jan 28, 2014  |  0 comments
Alex Bones takes a look at the mid-price-range Xitan model that’s already receiving rave reviews!Having tested Browning’s fantastic Xitan Z8 pole earlier in 2013 I expected great things of the less-expensive Z6 model. It boasts many of the same features as the more expensive Z8, Z10 and flagship Z12 models, but comes in at just £999 for the standard 14. 5m pole and package and £1,199 for the 16m setup!It’s a pole based around strength, but without the usual unwieldy stigmas attached – by employing nanocarbon technology Browning has made this pole crisp and manageable. Boy, what a powerful punch it packs!It’s always little details that make all the difference to the overall product and among many other features are the 2.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jul 26, 2013  |  0 comments
Poles – there are literally hundreds to choose from! Browning seems to be pulling no punches with its fantastic Xitan range, though. Alex Bones tests the £1,699 Z8 Power. When I took Browning’s flagship Z12 out for a spin last year I was exceptionally impressed. Not only was the pole’s performance outstanding, the spares package and entire concept was faultless.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Dec 17, 2014  |  0 comments
At £299 this is well worth a look for anyone looking for something new to park their derrière on while out on the bank. Colmic has a reputation for producing good-quality tackle and, if you look at its new and existing portfolio of products, it’s easy to see why. This competition seatbox has been designed with weight and practicality in mind – it tips the scales at just under 12kg, which is lightweight for a box in this day and age. The module slides on four telescopic legs, making it very easy to adjust and adapt to almost any bankside terrain.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jun 09, 2023  |  0 comments

Colmic has long had a reputation for producing strong, high quality, high performance poles. Alex Bones checks out its flagship top class all-rounder – the 16m Nucleare Sixteen S31, currently available as a new ‘Silver Pack’ at a promo RRP of £2,999.

Match Fishing Staff  |  Jul 21, 2011  |  0 comments
Dave Harrell runs the rule over the latest family of rods to come out of the Japanese tackle giant’s factory in Scotland… Every so often I find myself wondering if tackle companies can actually come up with anything new in terms of rod developments. The raw carbon fibre materials now being used haven’t changed significantly for a number of years so the only things that can be worked with are actions and cosmetics. This new family of six rods from Daiwa actually came about as a result of rods that the Scottish factory developed for the Italian market and, to use Daiwa’s words, they ‘break the rules of rod making. ’There’s no cork in sight on any of these new Airity rods as each one has a tapered butt section, which blends into its own sculptured handle and unique reel seat.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Jul 22, 2014  |  0 comments
If you’re thinking about shelling out for a pole around the £1,000 mark, don’t do anything until you’ve read this! Alex Bones takes the new Daiwa Match Winner for a whirl. Having heard rave reviews about this pole in the run-up to its launch I was already expecting good things. A trip to Warwickshire’s Makins Fishery saw me on Reptile Pool where an island at full length, 14. 4 metres, and a fishy-looking margin were to be the prime target areas for a no-holds-barred test session.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Sep 26, 2013  |  0 comments
Daiwa’s original TDR reels, introduced at the 2008 trade shows, were nothing short of an overnight success story! And, I have word from Daiwa Sports’ HQ that they were its best-selling match reels of the modern era – no wonder that they were, and still are, such a popular sight on the bankside! Big boots to fill for the new version then, but just how is it different? Is it simply a tarted-up version that’s received a lick of paint and a few cosmetic enhances? No, no, no – it’s so much more! The instantly recognisable blue livery stays the same, but the reel’s features are what gives this new model the WOW factor. As some of you will know I am a fan, and user, of the incredible Daiwa Certates. But the TDR, for half the price, offers many of the same features including what I believe to be one of the most important for reel longevity – the Mag Seal. In Daiwa’s tech speak this delivers “a water impermeable liquid seal around the rotor and main shaft, protecting the mechanism from ingress of water and debris.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Nov 18, 2014  |  0 comments
Never a company to do things by halves, Drennan’s new Acolyte Carp pole is set to shake up the mid- price bracket. With package prices starting at just £995, here’s what editor Alex Bones thought. My introduction to this pole was on a morning fishing session arranged by Drennan at a local commercial. Sat on a swim offering a long margin my first foray with it was exciting – latching into a hard- fighting carp only moments after sitting on the box!As always it’s Drennan’s meticulous attention to detail that often wins anglers over.
Match Fishing Staff  |  Feb 22, 2012  |  0 comments
Drennan has launched a new reel line! So what? There are dozens out there to choose from so why buy this one? Well, it just happens to be one of the best monofilaments we’ve clapped eyes on! Alex Bones gives his thoughts. We all fish our own way, so if you asked 10 anglers what their favourite reel line is they could all have a different answer. Drennan is well established in the line arena and has some super variants on offer already, so during a recent meeting at Drennan HQ my first thought was what did this line offer that others didn’t?Peter Drennan, founder of the company, was highly enthused about this product as he removed it from the simple, clear packaging. “Have a close look at that gentlemen!” he exclaimed, as he handed Jon Arthur, Joe Carass, Tom Scholey and me (the Match Fishing and Pole Fishing teams) a spool of his brand-new Supplex monofilament.

Pages

X