Match Fishing’s Joe Carass takes a look at a new feeder range from MAP that is one of the most versatile on the market. As regular readers of this magazine will know, we are huge fans of what the lads at MAP are doing. They keep coming up with clever and innovative products that are a little bit different from the norm. All of these products aim to solve a problem that exists in the world of match fishing.
Alex Bones checks out the all-new range from MAP that’s got designs on ripping the pole market to pieces!In the corner of a dimly lit office sat Mike Robinson, brand manager of MAP and the man charged with the task of keeping innovation in motion for the Redditch-based tackle giant. Success seemed to follow success with its previous TKS 225 to 825 Competition and Professional models, but he sat head in hands wondering how an already impressive range could be bettered. But from the mysterious depths of a creative mind sprang a well of innovation, leading to what we believe will be a booming success. If you’ve ever handled the existing models, and you liked what you saw, then the new TKS 101 to 801 versions for 2012/2013 will have you, quite simply, head over heels!My first experience of these models, that supersede the existing range, came at a recent trade show hosted by the company.
Carpy Class…. Joe Carass checks out the latest pole from the MAP stable that is built to handle even the largest carp!Producing quality poles is something that MAP does well these days. Every pole that comes out bearing the TKS name really is a brilliant bit of kit, and for the past three or four years they have been gaining a great reputation. It all came to a head last year when the awesome 901 was released, a pole we simply couldn’t believe at the time.
I have been very impressed with Marukyu bait over the past two years and have had some very memorable days when using the stuff. This bait, however, is something completely different to what Marukyu has produced before in that it is specifically designed to target silver fish. I have been fortunate enough to be involved with this mix before it was released. I have used it on several occasions after Roy Marlow showed it to me on a feature I shot with him several months ago.
Joe Carass checks out the latest bait development from Japanese bait giant Marukyu. Is there such thing as a wonder bait? Over my years in angling I have seen all manner of weird and wonderful baits come along that are supposedly the ‘next big thing’, and guaranteed to put more fish in the net. But let’s be honest, most of these things catch the angler and not the fish and most are no more successful than the last big thing. When I first saw JPz I must admit to thinking that same thought that I’d had many times before.
With Marukyu starting to take the bait market by storm, Joe Carass decided to take a look at one of its most popular products… krill!Marukyu is still a fairly new name on the UK bait market. The baits are clearly very good but, never one to follow fads, I must admit to being fairly sceptical about them at first. I mean, I have always been of the opinion that as long as the bait we use is fresh and good quality and the fish are in front of you, then you will catch them! My opinion has changed somewhat of late, however, after going on several features with Jamie Masson, and also noticing the continuing list of results that Andy Kinder has been getting. With both of these top anglers using Marukyu products I felt I really needed to take a closer look.
Despite the ‘Method’ tag these rods are far more than one-trick ponies! While they’re perfect for the bolt-rig tactic that has taken a stranglehold on commercial waters they are just the ticket for many styles and not just carp traps either. The 8ft, 9ft and 12ft Method rods, which form part of the extensive Carpmaster range, have already proven popular with many anglers around the country. Those people, and newcomers to the unique Matrix concept, will find the 11ft and 13ft models equally as appealing and allow avid fans of the blank design and bespoke way in which the rods break down to increase their artillery for all occasions. Let’s not forget that the Carpmaster feeder and float range already offers six rods before these two new additions.
Alex Bones gets an exclusive first look at three of the short feeder rods on offer from a new brand set to take match fishing by storm!Matrix is the all-new brand with all-new ideas, and was shown to me in its entirety by the man responsible for it… Mr Ricky Teale. Most of you will know or know of Ricky, but for those who don’t he’s been a formidable name in the trade for many, many years. And, he’s responsible for a great deal of the developments that present themselves before your very eyes when you visit your local tackle shop. So, what’s new about these rods and what makes them different from those sitting in your holdall already? I wanted to find out.
Innovation is hard to come by these days with so many companies hotly competing for the same goal. So, here’s why Matrix’s latest feeders impressed Alex Bones. So, picture the scene; you’ve been responsible for one of the most influential products of modern fishing – the push-button Method mould. You’ve patented the design to the hilt so it can’t be copied by anyone! Then you move to another tackle company where you’re presented with a blank drawing board.
I was privy to a sneak peek at the company’s latest tackle gadget some time before the T&G Show – its micro match lead clip. But before you say you’ve seen it all before, this is something a bit different! Having designed the micro version for the Guru range I know a little bit about lead clips, but this version is better as it features a slot along the underside, allowing it to be removed from the line in under a second! Nifty, but consider that the existing Method feeders, and the soon-to-be-launched pellet feeders, feature the same slotted attachment system and you begin to see the result – an ultra-versatile system that allows you to change between all styles of presentation without breaking your rig down completely. A major benefit for some will be that you don’t have to set up multiple rods when you want to fish the bomb and a feeder on the same session. That also means carting less kit to the bankside – something I’m all in favour of! Plus, the rigs are all super-safe when they’re assembled as intended!The arm of the clip will easily house a swivel, meaning you can mount a lead, open-ended or blockend feeder onto it with ease.
Joe Carass checks out the all-new Matrix Match Master seatbox. Regular readers will know that I am a huge fan of the original Fox MSB box from a couple of years ago. I used to absolutely love this box and still believe it to be at the top of the tree when it comes to compact storage. When Matrix was launched, its gaffer, Ricky Teale, assured me there was to be a new model that would pick up where the MSB left off.
Joe Carass gets his hands on the latest range of rods from the formidable Matrix stable. Become A Method Master!Matrix is a brand travelling at full throttle. You only have to take one look on its social-media channels to see that it is pushing hard… incredibly hard in fact. Its innovative and functional gear seems to be really catching on and Matrix continues to grow at an alarming rate.
Joe Carass checks out the Super 36, the new flagship seatbox from Matrix. We are spoilt for choice nowadays when it comes to choosing a seatbox. There seems to be no end of quality offerings around at the moment and choosing the one for you has never been trickier – they are all so good!I have long been a fan of the Matrix boxes. They took what I loved about the previous Fox MSB system and improved them by integration into the more modern frame-style boxes.
Joe Carass takes a look at the latest addition to the Maver Competition range – a pole that is set to turn heads in 2012!For all the poles that I get my hands on I still have a soft spot for a Maver! My first ‘proper’ pole was a Maver and since then I have owned several others. The company has produced some of the finest poles available and, together with its manufacturer, Reglass Spa, has developed new technologies that have taken poles to a new level in the last 10 years. Maver’s top-end poles have always been a touch special, starting with the 801 that, way back in the 1990s, had a colossal £8,000 price tag, right up to the present-day Elite 88 that is arguably the stiffest pole around. But these poles have high price tags and it is the mid-range offerings that most people are interested in spending their hard-earned cash on.
Joe Carass takes a close look at a new pole from Maver that has been designed for a variety of match situations. . . Maver has a huge reputation for producing some of the finest poles on the market.
