- Joined
- Feb 26, 2009
- Messages
- 277,087
- Reaction score
- 8
This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Review - Garbolino Squad Super Picker rod
Review - Garbolino Squad Super Picker rod
- Thread starter FishingMagic
- Start date
Graham Whatmore
Senior Member
Garbolino are becoming a force to be reckoned with in match circles especially, what they do is good and sometimes very good but my only criticism of them is that their products are priced up to the UK market and can sometimes be a bit prohibitive compared to established UK companies products.
No one could say this "picker" price is prohibitive at £40 but like you rightly say Jeff it is a very selective tool, the sort I used often on a river when I was scratting for bites down the inside and I can accept that it is probably excellent for that type of fishing.
No one could say this "picker" price is prohibitive at £40 but like you rightly say Jeff it is a very selective tool, the sort I used often on a river when I was scratting for bites down the inside and I can accept that it is probably excellent for that type of fishing.
slime monster
Senior Member
It looks the part given the price ,pity the spare tips dont store in the butt.
Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
Hmmmm!
Had a Shaky once like that, nice rod, but I just couldn't stand the rattling about when fighting a fish. Wouldn't go down that route again. There is a fairly strong-ish plastic tube for these and a slot for it in the rod bag. That's the best solution.
Jeff,
How would you rate this rod compared to, say, a Drennan IM8 Bomb rod or the Diawa Winkle Picker?
Admittedly there is a difference in price, but in modern terms, not all that much.
How would you rate this rod compared to, say, a Drennan IM8 Bomb rod or the Diawa Winkle Picker?
Admittedly there is a difference in price, but in modern terms, not all that much.
Due to my missus getting angry and breaking my shaky mach2 wand, how would this compare?
i really liked the wand, but have been playing with my mates garbolino rocket carp picker (which is even cheaper!) and been impressed, so would this be a worthy replacement?
i really liked the wand, but have been playing with my mates garbolino rocket carp picker (which is even cheaper!) and been impressed, so would this be a worthy replacement?
Lord Paul of Sheffield
Well-known member
she was pregnant with my boy at the time, she's now the fiance, and tackle shed has a new padlock!
i know you like the wand, i bought it on yours and others recommendation, lol. one of my first ever threads that was.
Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
Yes, a bit unfair. You'd be better comparing the Garbolino Super G bomb rod with those, Peter. However, what you have to ask yourself is, would you get any more use or wear or catch more with those you mention. Like I said, this one's sweet enough to use as far as I'm concerned and I was comparing it to the action of my old Shimano TwinPower Winklepicker(approx £95 when new).
I don't know the Shaky one, Ben, but if you like the Rocket, you'll be doubly pleased with the Squad, I'm sure. Just a tad better I suspect.
It would seem that your partner and carbon do not mix. Best to keep her well away from them in future. :wh
I recently bought a Garbolino Rocket 9' picker rod from my local shop. They were selling them on discount for £15, amazingly with a small front drag reel thrown in. Looking at the description of this rod, they seem very similiar. If the 'Squad' is an upgrade on the 'Rocket', then it definitely gets a thumbs up from me.
I have been made up using the Rocket picker rod. I've fished it in a couple of matches on canals and a slow river, and am now using it for light winter chubbing on a small river. At 9' it is ideal for getting into tight swims, and it is great fun and ideal for catching chub to 4lb+. I have even had a couple of small barbel on it. It has a nice through action, and soaks up every lunge of the fish. My only criticism is that the tips are very soft. Even the stiffest of the three tips provided (the red one) is still a lot softer than standard tips on other rods I have used.
There's no need to fork out big money for decent tackle. Decent brands like Garbolino produce stuff which does the job just fine. The free reel is a bit naff, but for £15 what did I expect?
I have been made up using the Rocket picker rod. I've fished it in a couple of matches on canals and a slow river, and am now using it for light winter chubbing on a small river. At 9' it is ideal for getting into tight swims, and it is great fun and ideal for catching chub to 4lb+. I have even had a couple of small barbel on it. It has a nice through action, and soaks up every lunge of the fish. My only criticism is that the tips are very soft. Even the stiffest of the three tips provided (the red one) is still a lot softer than standard tips on other rods I have used.
There's no need to fork out big money for decent tackle. Decent brands like Garbolino produce stuff which does the job just fine. The free reel is a bit naff, but for £15 what did I expect?
Last edited:
Jeff Woodhouse
Moaning Marlow Meldrew
That is typical of a picker-type rod though. They're only for picking out the more delicate bites that normal tips would miss.
Glad you like the rocket though. I had a 4lb barbel on my 9ft Twinpower once and it played me up and down the Colne, in and out of weed beds a streamer grass. Best fight I've ever had perhaps.
Windy
Well-known member
Good review. I was so impressed by it that I bought one, the 9 footer.
Nice neat piece of kit that would have been unbelieveable value at a hundred quid fifteen years ago. Now... cheap as chips but no less effective.
Perfect for use in confined spaces too. 9 - 9 1/2 foot used to be the conventional length for ledger rods way back when with swing tip et al, and I've never either understood or been terribly comfortable with the modern fashion for longer ledger style rods.
This little beastie is like a wand in the hand and perfect for my preferred style of holding the rod and touch ledgering without the arm wearing out after an hour or so.
PS. Don't confuse the "Squad" with the "Rocket" - the S is for dedicated silver fishing, the R intended more towards small carp / commercials. I don't know what the physical difference between the S and R ranges are, they don't say and they are both rated to the same line strengths, but the R is a little heavier, which probably reflects in greater stiffness I suspect.
Nice neat piece of kit that would have been unbelieveable value at a hundred quid fifteen years ago. Now... cheap as chips but no less effective.
Perfect for use in confined spaces too. 9 - 9 1/2 foot used to be the conventional length for ledger rods way back when with swing tip et al, and I've never either understood or been terribly comfortable with the modern fashion for longer ledger style rods.
This little beastie is like a wand in the hand and perfect for my preferred style of holding the rod and touch ledgering without the arm wearing out after an hour or so.
PS. Don't confuse the "Squad" with the "Rocket" - the S is for dedicated silver fishing, the R intended more towards small carp / commercials. I don't know what the physical difference between the S and R ranges are, they don't say and they are both rated to the same line strengths, but the R is a little heavier, which probably reflects in greater stiffness I suspect.