In the world of match fishing, Tommy Pickering's endorsement carries some serious weight. So when he told me about the rod he uses for 99% of his commercial feeder fishing, the Nytro TPS Marvelist Light Carp Feeder, I knew it was likely to be a bit special**.**
Nytro commissioned Tommy to develop a feeder rod range tailored for UK match anglers. But rather than just trot out your bog-standard feeder and pellet waggler rods, the TPS Marvelist lineup offers a totally new concept spanning a wide range of fishing styles, tactical applications and venue types.
Allow me to explain further – the 9ft, 10ft and 11ft two-piece Marvelist Carp models are also available in a Light Carp version best suited to winter carp and F1s, although Tommy was keen to point out that, being so versatile, they are also ideal for summer bream and skimmer tactics.
To that you can add the all-rounder models that come in longer 11ft, 12ft and 13ft lengths. All have three-piece builds and are dressed throughout in oversized guides, enabling them to be used with shockleaders if and when needed.
The rods are made from 30 tonne and 40 tonne carbon cloths, for an impressive casting performance, fast post-cast tip recovery speed and a great fish-playing action. Yet there’s enough backbone power in reserve to cope with any big fish that happen along. Other key features include three dedicated carbon quivers, a secure screw-down reel seat, and lightweight guides that are mono and braid-friendly.
Tommy Pickering's favourite among the lineup is the 11ft Light Carp and I could think of no better place to test it than at Decoy Lakes near Peterborough.
Verdict
The rod felt crisper than a freshly fridged iceberg lettuce, and the lightweight guides added little discernible weight. I was also mightily impressed with the supplied 2.5mm graded carbon quivertips – ideal test curves for a rod with this sort of action, just the right length and clearly something that had been presided over by a top-class angler.
Obviously, if you need to cast big distances you'd probably need a rod with a bit more 'grunt' but for short to medium range casts on commercial fishery lakes it is perfect. The standard carp rods, however, are out-and-out bag-up machines, and perfect for use with bigger hooks and heavier mainlines and feeders. The inclusion of a single glass quivertip with the package wouldn't have gone amiss though.
Tech spec
- Reel lines: 4lb to 8lb
- Flat-grip cork handle with Duplon
- Lightweight and braid-friendly guides
- Three, graded carbon quiver tips
- Oversized keeper ring
- Carbon wrap on handle
- Secure screw-down reel seat
- High modulus Diamond Carbon-curve blanks combining 30T and 40T cloths
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
Pros
- Great all-round rod.
- Superb fish-playing action.
Cons
- Not the best for really big fish.
Our pick of the alternatives
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The Daiwa N'zon Super Slim 11ft Feeder just oozes quality and the performance highlights the rigorous testing these rods have undergone from anglers at the top of their game. There will be a rod in the range for whatever discipline you have in mind, with the emphasise pushed more towards the commercial style of angling.
Don't think for one second however, that these rods wouldn't be suitable for catching weights of silverfish on natural venues or rivers, as they are just as suited to feeder fishing for silvers on a short line as they are waiting for a carp to drag the rod in.
Pros
- Ridiculously lightweight rods.
- Flawless cushioned blank.
Cons
- Limited casting potential.
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
Advances in technology have allowed the Preston Monster X Feeder Rod to vastly improve on the Monster range whilst retaining excellent value for the angler. This 50g rated rod has a forgiving top but a more powerful bottom end, which enables it to achieve longer casts.
Don't be fooled by the name, this rod is a perfect bream-catching tool and about as typical a medium feeder rod as you'll ever see. It comes with smooth-actioned and sensitive 1oz, 1.5oz and 2oz tips and is a joy to play fish on.
Pros
- Great casting rod.
- Lots of power in the blank.
Cons
- We would have liked to see an even lighter tip for species other than carp.
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
The 11ft Drennan Vertex Feeder rod is ideal for stillwater Bream and skimmers as well as river work for Chub and Bream.
Both have the required mellow actions which help play fish softly and so avoiding hook pulls. At the same time these have enough backbone to put the brakes on a chub diving for cover and even small commercial Carp.
Pros
- Great for both rivers and stillwaters.
- Powerful blank.
Cons
- More suited to carp than skimmers.
Author Mark Sawyer holds the position of Tackle Editor at Angling Times, boasting more than thirty years of experience working within different fields of the angling industry.