I am going to be completely honest from the outset – the price of this reel was the key factor in the purchase.
After having a good look around at the options, I simply couldn’t find anything else remotely close in terms of value. For £20 not only was I promised a reel capable of general feeder and Method fishing work, but an incredible eight spools were included in the price. So, I took a punt.
And you know what? I can honestly say I’ve been left very pleasantly surprised with the result.
As soon as I picked it up, the reel felt ‘right’. From a purely aesthetical point of view, it’s lightweight yet sturdy, features a soft rubber coating on the body and is finished with chrome effects on the handle, spool and rear drag. So far, so good.
But what about the performance? Again, on first inspection it ticked the right boxes.
The double handle (with grippable ends) provided balance, the rear drag ‘purred’ nicely, the bail arm felt sturdy, the anti-reverse lever engaged instantly and all the spools clicked on an off with ease. However, had style taken precedence over substance? Not a bit of it.
I spooled up with 6lb line and headed off to my local carp pool to fish the Method. The line lay – always a sure indication of a reel’s quality – was very good and it cast like a dream. My opening session was hardly red letter, but I did manage to bank a few fish near to double-figures and the reel behaved perfectly.
When you factor in the cost, and the extras (like the eight spools) this has to be one of the best-value reels on the market.
Click to buy now
