Richard Slocock - Guideline

A ROD FOR ALL WATERS continuedRon Thompson V8 Fly AFTM 5/6 Price £59.99Vision Attack AFTM 5 Price £84.99A three-piece rod with over-fit joints. Darkgrey blank with black whippings. Linedbutt ring, nine snake intermediate ringsand loop tip ring. Keeper ring. Half wellscork handle. Up-locking double-nutscrew reel fitting. Divided rod bag andfabric-covered tube with handle.MIKE WEAVERExcellent performance and specification at less than £60,making this another ideal choice for the budgetconsciousfly-fisher. More proof that excellent castingcan be produced at a low cost.RICHARD SLOCOCKRemarkably good value. Came into the testers’ handsimmediately after the Sage but stood up to the peerpressure remarkably well. The perfect budget buy, puttingout a competent line every time for both testers. Thethinnest rod tube on test.A three-piece rod with over-fit joints. Darkbrown blank and whippings. Lined buttring, eight snake intermediate rings andloop tip ring. Keeper ring. Half wells corkhandle. Up-locking double-nut screw reelfitting. No rod bag but dividedfabric-covered tube with shoulder strap.MIKE WEAVERAn immediately likeable rod, which performed very wellon short to medium casts, but with a reserve of power atgreater distances. The short slim handle was verycomfortable. Excellent value.RICHARD SLOCOCKA splendid budget choice. Light in the hand and throws agood loop even in high wind. Overall, a nice feel.RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 9 Overall 8.5RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 8 Overall 8RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 8 Overall 8RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 8 Overall 8Wychwood Truefly AFTM 5/6 Price £59.99Cortland Big Sky AFTM 5 Price £125.95A three-piece rod with over-fit joints andalignment spots. Dark brown blank andwhippings. Lined butt ring, eight snakeintermediate rings and loop tip ring.Keeper ring. Half wells cork handle.Up-locking double-nut screw reel fitting.Divided rod bag and fabric-covered tube.with handle.MIKE WEAVERAnother rod at less than £60 that did everything asked ofit. The casting performance at all distances was smoothand efficient. Very close to the top of its class.RICHARD SLOCOCKA competent budget-priced rod. None could regret buyingthis rod. Competent but not quite best in class.A four-piece rod with over-fit joints andalignment spots. Dark olive-brown blankwith dark brown whippings. Two linedbutt rings, eight snake intermediate ringsand loop tip ring. Keeper ring. Half wellscork handle. Up-locking double-nut screwreel fitting. Fabric-covered tube withpartitions and “bulge” for holding reel.MIKE WEAVERThe test started badly with problems in tightening thereel lock, in spite of trying three popular makes ofreel. Otherwise, competent if average castingperformance, with a somewhat slower action thanmany of the rods tested.RICHARD SLOCOCKReel seat problem: three reel seats did not tighten.Slightly slow action was somewhat demanding, butcompetent enough when timing of action mastered.RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 8.5 Overall 8.25RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 7 Value for money 8 Overall 7.5RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 6.5 Value for money 5.5 Overall 6RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 6 Value for money 5 Overall 5.5Guideline Cool Water Outpack AFTM 5 Price £70Fulling Mill World Class Ti4 AFTM 5 Price £149.95A four-piece rod with over-fit joints. Darkblue-green blank and dark blue whippingswith light blue trim. Two lined butt rings,eight single-leg intermediate rings and looptip ring. No keeper ring. Half wells corkhandle. Up-locking single-nut screw reelfitting. Divided rod bag but no tube.MIKE WEAVERThis rod did everything well and cast efficiently at alldistances. The price makes this a good choice for thebudget-conscious angler, though without the protectivetube of others in its class.RICHARD SLOCOCKAction totally uncomplicated, an easy rod to usefor any standard of fisherman. An excellent rodat a budget price.A four-piece rod with over-fit joints andalignment spots. Grey blank with blackwhippings and red trim. Two lined buttrings, eight snake intermediates and looptip ring. Keeper ring. Half wells corkhandle. Up-locking single-nut screw reelfitting. No bag but divided tube with strap.MIKE WEAVERThis rod cast well enough but there was no sense ofbeing at one with the action. Being at the topend of its price bracket, it faces stiff oppositionat lower prices.RICHARD SLOCOCKThis rod had a thicker blank than many on test. It put theline out well enough but feel, sensitivity and castingpleasure were all a bit lacking. A better performance tobe found for less money.RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8.5 Value for money 7.5 Overall 8RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 7 Overall 7.5RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 7 Value for money 7 Overall 7RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 6 Value for money 7 Overall 6.5Shimano Biocraft EV AFTM 5 Price £79.99A three-piece rod with over-fit joints andalignment lettering. Dark blue blank andwhippings. Lined butt ring, eight single-legintermediate rings and loop tip ring.Keeper ring. Straight cork handle withrounded end. Up-locking double-nut screwreel fitting. Divided rod bag and tube.MIKE WEAVEROh dear! The casting performance of this rod was farbehind that of any other rod tested at any price. The floppytip section was very disconcerting and lacking in any realcontrol of the line. The straight handle was not particularlycomfortable.RICHARD SLOCOCKAlas, it would have been better if this blank had neverleft the drawing board. Utterly spineless tip actionallowing no sort of presentation.Very poor indeed.Snowbee Prestige AFTM 5 Price £159A four-piece rod with over-fit joints andalignment spots. Dark brown blank andwhippings. Lined butt ring, nine snakeintermediate rings and loop tip ring.Keeper ring. Half wells cork handle.Up-locking single-nut screw reel fitting.Divided rod bag and metal tube.MIKE WEAVERA well-finished rod that casts highly competently at alldistances, with very good presentation at short to mediumrange. The slim handle offers instant comfort. Excellentvalue for money at the bottom end of its price band,holding its own with far more expensive rods.RODS£150-£300RICHARD SLOCOCKCompetent in every way. A smart rod that lays down aneat line reliably, particularly at short distances. Notquite as powerful as some but not a disadvantage forriver fishers.RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 3 Value for money 4 Overall 3.5RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 2 Value for money 2 Overall 2RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8.5 Value for money 9 Overall 8.75RATINGS OUT OF 10Performance 8 Value for money 8 Overall 886 Trout and Salmon May 2008 May 2008 Trout and Salmon 87