The post threw up several responses, with the two most likely sounding contenders, rods I wouldn't easily be able to see/hold, before buying, they were the Cadence 10' wand with glass tips in 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 oz ratings and the Cresta Blackthorne range. Not much info on the Cresta that I could find, whereas Cadence had a video or two showing the wand being used.
In the end, as much as I try to support the retail tackle trade, I couldn't get one of these locally, so ordered the Cadence wand on Thursday morning at 0930, it was with me by Friday at 1430. I was a little apprehensive, as I bought a rod once before that had been recommended and even raved about on the forum, but when I got it out the bag and looked at it, I knew I'd never use it and gave it away not having even taken to the bankside. Poor finish, terrible ring spacing and action, so my experience of cheaper rods, wasn't good, this Cadence wand came in at £69.99 including postage, so a cheap rod compared to my usual buys.
Opening it, I was pleasantly surprised by the finish, top quality varnish job, quality eyes, eye spacing good. The glass tips have small wire rings on and look not quite finished, I can accept that, as heavier eyes, and loads of whippings, varnish would spoil the action of these gossamer like tips.
I had threaded the rod up and had a feel in the garage, it wasn't as soft as I'd imagined from comments I'd received, or from the companies video, but it wasn't so powerful that it put me off, maybe with a feeder and a fish on it would feel differently. the action and curve of the rod was smooth and progressive, with a very small flat spot at the glass tip/carrier joint, but not enough to affect the rod.
On to today, a couple of drop outs saw the field down to 16 and that was the peg number I plucked out, probably wouldn't have been my first (or second) choice, but thought I would get a few fish from the peg. It's nice and simple at Viaduct in the winter, a pellet ban, so worms, casters, maggots, pinkies and corn, along with some GB.
First out of the bag was the new wand, also on trial today was the Preston sinking feeder line in 4lb, I had put this fresh on the reel this week, I have previously just used sensor or the blue Preston stuff. This had a 3 square feeder on it, free running as per Viaduct rules, with a .010 hooklength and 20 Guru F1 maggot hook.
Two wagglers, one with a 18 F1 hook .010 hooklength and a 3AAA waggler to fish corn, this on a Normark Microlite II and a Drennan float whose name eludes me (like a still water blue) with a .008 hooklength and a 20 this was on an original Microlite, still can't find a modern rod that can compare.
4 topkits, one to fish to the tree on my right, hoping for a perch or two, another with a double bulk rig, not too much about these as the double bulk stayed in the roost all day and the perch rig didn't go under once. The other two, were both on my favourite skimmer elastic - Middy 1-5 hollow, a .3g HB Frostie, with a bulk and two droppers, a 20 F1 hook on .008 and a .2g Frostie with strung 11's, .008 and a 18 Gamma green hook.
On the all in I started on the feeder, clipped up about 20m, first cast I had just settled the rod in the rest, the tip went round and a skimmer christened the wand, a fish about 7/8oz. I fished this for 40 minutes, having another 3 or 4 skimmers and a couple of roach. The bites were minute twitches of the 0.5 oz tip, pretty sure I wouldn't have seen them on a 1 oz carbon tip. The rod performed well, it casts well, short distance I know, but that's why I bought it, the bite indication is exceptional and whilst I'd like a little more softness in it, I didn't lose a fish or feel it was over gunned.
After 40 minutes all indications stopped and that was the end of the feeder fishing, I did have several more looks on the line during the match, but no more bites, so not a comprehensive work out for the new rod, but one that will see me happy to use it again. If Cadence make a rod soft enough to replace my old Microlite, they may have another sale on their hands!!
It had rained hard in the night, it rained during the match and whether that affected the fish who knows, but they wouldn't settle, I had intended to feed two long pole lines, but felt a bit hemmed in by Paddy on 15 and Tucks on 17, so made the decision to fish one line at 14m, the feeder line at 18/20m, a caster line at 6 joints and the corn waggler at 25m. This may have been a mistake, as the 14m line was the most productive, but kept dying, I did have a little spell when I had a couple of better skimmers and instead of sitting patiently and waiting for bites (which I think would have been the right tactic today) I tried to force it, probably overfed and overfished the one line and gave myself a real barren spell. Double caster picked out the better fish, with few smaller ones tempted by dead red tipped with a flouro pinkie. Worm on the hook saw the float remain motionless, so whilst I had chopped some, it remained in the tub.
The waggler and corn was no good, I had two bites on it, one a carp just over the 'Barney Rubble' mark and a bite (or liner, who knows) that I missed. I'm not convinced there was loads of fish in front of me, as Tucks was struggling on 17, but Paddy on 15 was putting together a steady net of fish, albeit, no quality. I think the space to his right helped, as he could rotate lines, but that said, he fished a tidy match and gave me a lesson.
Enjoyable day, fishing the last few weeks for silvers has restored my angling mojo, which had been waning a little after a poor run. I think a framing place was on the cards from my peg today, not sure it could have done a winning weight, but my over enthusiasm with the cupping kit and catapult pushed me into an also ran place coming exactly half way..
Sam Powell was outright winner today, well done Sam, great result on the back of your sponsorship announcement.
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