WITH the whole world seemingly obsessed with catching a PB, you’d have thought that great silverfish rods would be a rare find.
Luckily, there are still loads of great float and feeder rods out there for the river or lake angler looking to catch roach and skimmers with the occasional F1, carp, chub or barbel mixed in.
Here are 10 that we particularly like – from budget to top-end models, there’s something to suit every pocket.
MIDDY 5G TRINITY WAGGLER 13FT THREE-PIECE
A LONGER rod with a light, fast action, suited to river work but equally good for lighter winter waggler fishing for F1s and carp. A stiffish middle matched with a forgiving tip end gives a surprisingly fast recovery for a rod at this price point – ideal for picking up line and hitting bites at distance.
+ Same quality reel seat and guides as found on Middy’s top range models
+ Conventional waggler rod
+ Ideal river rod too
- Slight wobble on the strike
Price: £119.99, www.middytackle.com
LEEDA CONCEPT GT 11FT FEEDER
FOR very little money, this rod offers a quality carbon blank, screw-down reel seat with a mixed cork and EVA handle, and a progressive through action – the ideal all-rounder. It chucks a feeder well, has a pleasing action, and comes with sensible 1oz and 1.5oz tips – what’s not to like? It lacks the feel of a top-end rod, but does a more than adequate job, and at this price we can’t fault it. Perfect for a beginner or the angler on a tight budget.
+ Superb price with an adequate performance
+ Enough power for longer casts
- Tips are a little clumsy and unresponsive
Price: £39.99, www.leeda.co.uk
DAIWA MATCHMAN 9FT METHOD FEEDER
THIS brand-new rod, in the shops soon, would make an ideal short-range tool for silvers. Light and smooth, with a fast recovery, it can be fished with smaller hooks and modest feeders for roach and skimmers at the range usually reserved for pole fishing. Perfect for feeder-only events, or days when the wind makes pole fishing difficult.
+ Faultless performance rivalling rods at twice the price
+ Fast recovering blank yet with a huge amount of flex
- A little too soft and short for bigger casts
- The contrasting finishes along the blank might put off anglers with a fussy nature
Price: £49.99, www.daiwasports.co.uk
MIDDY REACTACORE XZ ULTRA CONTROL WAGGLER 14FT
CRISPER than a freshly-fridged lettuce, this beauty harmoniously blends a lightning-fast tip response with a fast-taper build that picks up line very quickly, even at distance. The 14ft length makes mending the line behind the float a cinch – little more than a quick flick of the wrist is needed to keep everything in position.
+ Stunningly light and crisp blank
+ Top-quality guides and fittings
- Costly, although this rod can often be found discounted
Price £249.99, www.middytackle.com
PRESTON CARBONACTIVE SUPERA 12FT 6INS 50G FEEDER
WHILE casts of up to 60m are possible, the blank is light and forgiving, with a seamless non-locking parabolic fish-playing action that deals equally well with skimmers, chub and commercial carp.
You get high-quality fittings and handy features such as a flat handle base and graded 1oz, 1.5oz and 2oz carbon quivers.
+ The feel and action of a true silverfish rod, with surprising good casting potential
+ Excellent quality fittings
- A little too light for use with heavy feeders or at extreme range
Price: £209.99, www.prestoninnovations.com
ADVANTA X5 12FT FLOAT
THIS slim three-piece carbon rod is comfy and light in the hand. It boasts a full-length cork and EVA handle, exclusive Advanta screw-down reel seat, and quality lightweight guides offering minimal line resistance and maximum casting potential. It’s still nicely responsive under pressure from any large fish.
+ Great balance between finesse and power
+ Superbly priced for beginners or occasional floatfishers
+ Perfect for silvers and bigger fish alike
- Experienced float anglers will find its performance underwhelming
- Action is a little heavy
Price: £44.99, www.anglingdirect.co.uk
DAIWA N’ZON S 12FT TWO-PIECE 60G
PROBABLY the best Daiwa feeder rod at this price point. This one is perfect for feeders from 30g-50g and mid-range casts up to 50m, making it ideal for a wide range of silverfish work, from skimmers right through to bigger bream and chub.
+ Great all-round feeder and bomb rod
+ Exceptional quality for the price
- A third tip would be welcome
Price: £105, www.daiwasports.co.uk
FREE SPIRIT HI-S FEEDERLITE 12ft
A ROD favoured by many top match aces, including England internationals, it’s lightweight with a cushioned through action. A hint of stiffer resistance will cope with bigger fish. Ideal for slow-flowing rivers, canals and drains, as well as commercials, it suits maggot or small open-end feeder work for silvers at up to 50 yards.
It’s built around a non-scratch Perdurable blank and has anti-frap guides. It has hollow quivers of 0.5oz and 0.75oz.
+ The pencil-thin blank and cutaway reel seat give it an amazing feel
- The inclusion of a 1oz hollow quiver would offer more versatility and improve casting performance.
- Formidable price tag
- A third tip should be supplied at this sort of price
Price: £299, www.freespiritmatch.co.uk
DRENNAN ACOLYTE ULTRA 11FT
A SLIM, light rod with a surprisingly forgiving action, given such a fast recovery. Hooklengths as light as 0.08mm (1lb) can be used with confidence for silverfish.
Weighing in at only 128g, it’s a mere slip of a rod, and is beautifully finished with a Fuji reel seat and fully visible carbon detailing.
+ Minimal hook pulls and fish losses thanks to the superb action
+ Premium Fuji reel seat and light twin-legged guides
+ Suited to smaller rivers
- Too soft for chub and barbel on heavier floats
Price: £189.99, www.drennantackle.com
SHIMANO AERO X5 13FT FLOAT
A GORGEOUS-looking rod, its discreet graphics give it the appearance of being hand-crafted. Its performance matches its looks, as its progressive action is ideally suited to silvers, but with plenty of power for the odd big fish.
The rod’s a great one-stop shop purchase to cover many different angling scenarios.
+ Stunning looking carbon finish and a glorious quality feel
+ Multi-purpose rod for a range of styles
- Blank is a little chunky at the lower end
Price £139.99, www.shimano.com
