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This is Colmic’s ‘pinnacle of pole design’ and its answer for any angler looking to own one pole that can ‘do it all’. It’s purpose-made to meet the uncompromising demands of the UK market and is loaded with unique features and processes. The pole itself has been available for a year or so now, but specifically the new ‘Silver Pack’ is the Italian brand’s answer to a comprehensive flagship pole package at a seriously competitive price point. Don’t confuse the word ‘silver’ with this being a pole designed with only silver fish in mind though. Oh no!

The S31 (for short) is at home hauling carp weights and catching double-figure margin monsters on commercials, just as much as it is finesse fishing for small roach and silvers on canals and rivers.

Quite some feat really and when you think of poles that badge themselves as ‘all-rounders’, sometimes they can lack some finesse and balance in favour of the demands expected of such a tool. However, Colmic’s answer to achieving this very responsive, very manageable balance lies in what it calls its Tech Tube technology, which has been proven on some of their other products. This allows thinner carbon cloth to be wrapped around the mandrel during the manufacturing process, reducing weight and improving rigidity, lightness and responsiveness WITHOUT sacrificing strength in any way. Colmic says this can reduce the weight of the sections by up to as much as 15 per cent, with no trade-offs!For the existing Colmic fans already out there the S31 replaces their Airon F66, while retaining all of the strength and durability that Colmic poles are renowned for. Additionally the EC Series top kits from the F66 (and some other pole models with a 22mm diameter in fact) are fully interchangeable with the S31. Good news if you have a raft of existing top kits that you want to keep.

So what do you get for your money? Well specifically for the ‘Silver Pack’ you get the 16m pole itself, five extra top-two kits, a cupping kit, three dolly butts, tubes and a PR215 XXL rod holdall. A comprehensive package for a promo RRP of £2,999 we think you’ll agree. However, if you decide that’s not enough there’s also a ‘Platinum Pack’ available. This offers everything you get with the Silver Pack, plus an additional five spare top two kits (making it 10 spare kits in total) as well as a Force-6 No3 section for a current promo RRP of £3,499. There’s a pole-only option also available (which includes the dolly butts and tubes) for £2,899, but if you’re spending that sort of money you may as well plump for the silver pack at just £100 more anyway.

If you’re an F1 or shallow fishing fan there are also one-piece 1.8m Combat shallow top kits and San Siro New Evolution Short No3 sections. Available for £72.99 and £55.99 each respectively. As you would expect these stiffen up an already stiff pole even further. Personally I use short one-piece tops exclusively for my pole fishing anyway, so this is always a welcome option that appeals to me.I particularly like the titanium foil reinforcements featured on the female end of each joint, too. The extra protection on typical wear areas that get the most knocks, bangs and hammer when you’re fishing is a welcome addition. And something that can’t fail to help prolong the longevity of your investment. It comprises 10 sections at full length, with the EC-150 top kits each being 2.8m long. The top kits also have a reinforced area so your preferred side puller can be fitted. The No10 butt (graphic) section can be used as a butt section at both 14.5 and 16m lengths – Colmic says this is to aid balance and maximise the pole’s responsiveness at longer lengths. The three short dolly sections are designed to fit sections 4 to 10, so you can have these under your elbow if preferred.

What’s it like to fish with then? Well this being Colmic’s flagship pole I fail to see how anyone could be disappointed! Today we’ve come to the popular Meadowlands Fishery in the West Midlands to put it through its paces and set about fishing for skimmers on a longer line to get a feel for the pole’s balance and performance at 13 metres and beyond. At 13 metres the pole is sublime, as you would expect from any flagship pole. At 14.5 metres the S31 remains super-stiff, responsive and very fishable at a full 16 metres. With the No9 ‘Performance’ section being a parallel section, you also have the option of adding an additional No9 to take the pole to 17.5 metres.

The pole supplied for the feature was already rigged up with elastics (but the pole doesn’t come elasticated as standard). I fished a 4x14 slim body float with a 1.5mm hollow bristle, 0.13mm line to a 0.11mm hooklength and a size 18 hook. Loose feeding 4mm fishery pellets the response was almost instant with a 4mm or 6mm expander pellet on the hook – this place is stuffed with fish like this. Shy bites are easy to hit and the responsiveness is impressive; nothing short of what you’d expect from a top of the range Italian number.

Flagship poles these days are pretty phenomenal. Don’t get me wrong – investing this sort of money in any pole is a considered decision for most. But when you look at what you’re getting nowadays for your money (versus what you’d get for the same money just a few years ago) you can’t fail to be impressed.As technologies, materials and processes have improved, so too have the overall products. For us as consumers it’s a win-win and Colmic’s Tech Tube technology seems to be making a significant difference here from what Colmic is explaining. Although I didn’t have the S31’s predecessor (the Airon F66) on the day to put side-by-side I have no doubt, having now fished with the S31, that it’s absolutely worth some serious consideration if you’re looking at poles in this sort of price bracket.

Spares. Always a significant topic of consideration when you’re buying any new pole. And Colmic says that spares are plentiful and readily available should you need to add to your armoury of top kits, or purchase extra sections for any reason.

You’re getting a lot of pole and a lot of performance for £2,999. Plus, it also comes with a two-year warranty covering any manufacturer faults for added peace of mind. You can find more information at www.colmic.it and you can check out the short Match Fishing video on this pole on the MF YouTube channel. There are a couple of other videos on the pole that are well worth a watch if you have a look on Google/YouTube, too.

Nucleare Sixteen S31 Promo RRPs:
• Silver Pack £2,999
• Platinum Pack £3,499
• Pole only £2,899
• EC-150 2.8m top kit RRP £TBC
• One-piece 1.8m Combat Shallow top kit £72.99
• San Siro New Evolution Short (1m) No3 section £55.99

S31 Key Points In Brief:
• Flagship pole from Colmic
• Designed in collaboration with the Colmic UK team
• True all-round capability
• True 16m pole
• Ten sections at full length, including the top kit (which is 2.8 metres long)
• The single base section can be used for fishing at either 14.5 or 16 metres
• Female joint section is wrapped with a thin titanium foil to increase strength
• Generous spares packages
• EC-150 top kits are 2.8 metres long and reinforced for side pullers
• Colmic two-year warranty against manufacturer faults

Silver Pack
• 16m Pole
• Five extra top-two kits
• Cupping kit
• Three dolly butts (fitting sections 4 to 10)
• PR215 XXL holdall and tubes

Platinum Pack
• 16m Pole
• 10 extra top-two kits
• Force-6 No3 section
• Cupping kit
• Three dolly butts (fitting sections 4 to 10)
• PR215 XXL holdall and tube