Lightweight and very balanced with a crisp fast action which gives excellent line and float control. When playing bigger fish the action comes through more into the middle joint providing quite a powerful progressive curve and making the rod extremely versatile. Ideal reel lines 2 1/2 lb to 5lb suitable for everything from roach and chub through to bream, tench and carp.
Appearance As with all Drennan rods this one has a business-like appearance that gives the impression before you even handle it that it is more than capable of doing the job it was designed for. Full cork handle, professional minimal graphics on a matt charcoal grey blank with a light carbon weave on the first two pieces. Black whippings with silver trim to the whippings on the butt section.
Verdict
This rod is an ideal tool for those traditional float fishing enthusiasts who require a 13ft rod that will fish hooklengths down to 1lb (it will cope with 12oz if you’re careful) and will make fishing small sticks and wagglers a joy.
Its fine hollow, soft tip, helps reduce the chances of bumping off fish, yet the rod stiffens nicely giving just a fast enough action to rapidly pick up line and hit those lightning fast bites with ease. Its mainstay is fishing medium to large wagglers, and trotting floats, for small to medium sized silver fish, but in reserve it has the backbone to cope with the odd lump, ie, 4lb plus chub or tench, should you be lucky enough to connect with one.
No nonsense reel fitting, wrap and quality whippings
You wouldn’t take it out of the rod bag first on a commercial fishery unless you were specifically targeting silvers, yet I have no doubt should you connect with a low double figure carp on a commercial with a little skill and patience the rod could cope. But small carp after small carp would prove hard work with this rod.
Two small minus points though, the first is the fragility of the two legged guides; but this is a problem with all quality match rods that utilise such guides to keep weight down, and you just need to be careful when placing the rod back in its bag or keep it well protected when in transit. That being said, this rod has encountered plenty of branches, bushes, fences and occasionally the floor due to my clumsy winter wanderings and has suffered no ill effects. The second is the absence of a keeper ring, okay I know that you can use one of the butt ring legs, but a keeper ring just is one of those “icing on the cake” touches that so many manufacturers miss out on. (See ‘For Keep’s Sake!’)
Sturdy 3 leg butt guides, fragile 2 leggers for the rest
If you’re in the market for what I would term “a good old fashioned traditional 13ft match rod”, then for the angler who does not have £ 100 + to spend, this rod is unbeatable, and will match anything under that £ 100+ barrier.
Having used this rod on stillwaters, canals, and running water, using a variety of wagglers and trotting floats, I have to say in each scenario it is a joy to use. This rod can be purchased for a few pounds over £ 70 if you shop around, a rod that oozes traditional float fishing class combined with a modern appearance and Drennan’s usual superb build quality is unbeatable at that price. I think Drennan have once again captured a market that others will struggle to compete with. This is by no means a newly released rod, being on the market for getting on for four years, yet after all this time, for quality at an affordable price it remains unbeatable.
