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.
The G-Max poles keep going from strength to strength and it’s easy to see why with poles as good as the M3 in the catalogue. This superb 16m offering comes supplied with eight top kits, a short No4 and a holdall. RRP: £1,749. 99.
Joe Carass takes a look at a new addition to the Preston Mini rod range that is not quite so mini!The Mini range of rods from Preston Innovations has been one of the biggest success stories in fishing tackle in recent years, and if you walk around any commercial fishery in the country you are sure to see some of the rods on the bank. The range has, however, now been extended to cater for the huge variety of commercial fishing available in the UK. A recent trend has seen matches fished that require a long-distance approach; venues such as Barston Lakes in particular regularly see distances of 80 yards plus needed to reach the fish. Initially anglers turned to the Preston Dutch Master rods to reach the mark but the actions weren’t quite right for playing the F1s, carp and skimmers that make up the weights.
Three different-shaped bombs to cover all kinds of fishing situations. Available in flat pear, bullet cube and distance bomb to cater for different distances, all shapes are available in 0. 5oz to 1. 5oz.
Mid-Wales-based Frenzee is a company that excels in forward thinking and problem solving. It produces several items that have been designed because of specific needs encountered in our fishing. Alex Bones investigates…One of the items to be launched from this stable is the brand-new range of Soft Pots. Having spoken to the guys at Frenzee it’s clear they’re not happy producing products “just for the sake of it;” they want to be innovative and the Soft Pots certainly tick this box.
A short, two-piece landing-net handle that is perfect for commercial fisheries. The handle features a short top section that allows you to easily transfer the fish from landing net to keepnet. RRP: £15. .
This larger than standard bait bag is fully thermal lined to keep your bait cool and in pristine condition throughout the warmer months. The bag has two external pockets to keep any smaller accessories neatly stored. RRP: £44. 99.
This fantastic new pole from Maver features ground-breaking technology that has never been seen before in a pole in this price point. It has an RRP of well over £2,000 but for a limited time is to be sold at the special offer price. The pole is wonderfully stiff and extremely strong. It is also supplied with four Easy Flow Power kits.
These 2mm and 3mm pellets are made from high-quality GPS90 fishmeal. They also include feed stimulants betaine and spirulina and come in 600g bags. RRP: £2. 99.
Simple, straight wagglers that are perfect for presenting pellets on deep venues where short, stubby wagglers are simply no good. Also the perfect floats for river waggler work. RRP: £1. 15.
