Tested Middy’s Battlezone feeder rod
...and for the price, this Carp Feeder is worth a look
IF YOU’RE the kind of angler who fishes commercial snake lakes or pools for large carp within short casting distance, you’ll want to take a closer look at one of these very conservatively-priced rods.
The latest 9ft Middy Battlezone Carp Feeder has a wickedly fast progressive action that generates enough power in its butt section to cast up to 30 yards, but it still retains a reasonably soft cushioning action through the tip and mid-sections. That helps prevent hook pulls or snapped hooklengths when playing big fish at close range.
This vertically-challenged Middy powerhouse uses a two-sectioned carbon composite blank with a sufficiently flexible action to suit it to a host of feeder or straight lead applications.
It’s quite capable of handling reel lines from 5lb to 12lb breaking strain, with hooklengths from 5lb (0.15mm) upwards.
That wide tactical spread allows you to fish for all sizes of carp, from double-figure bruisers using heavier lines and big hooks, through to smaller pasties and stockies on lighter maggot feeder tactics.
The rod comes with two pushin glass quivertips which are in total synch with its aggressively progressive action, showing no signs of flat spotting along the carrier section.
These robust tips allow you to chuck feeders weighing up to about 2oz without the rod bucking around wildly post-cast.
The paler yellow quivertip would be my first choice for most fishing situations. However, for fixed Method feeder tactics when big carp are likely to be ripping the rod off the rest, I would go for the blaze-coloured tip.
Other key features of the Battlezone include a full-length cork-tipped wipe-clean EVA handle, and decent quality lined guides throughout.
I took the test rod to Stretton Lakes, a day-ticket fishery just off the A1 north of Peterborough. My swim was typical of many commercial lakes, with a short chuck of around 25 yards up to the back of an island to find the shallower water.
The rod was rigged with 5lb reel line and a 20g Method feeder loaded with 2mm micro pellets. For hookbait I opted for a single grain of sweetcorn hair-rigged on a size 16 hook.
Once a bit of bait had gone in I built up a steady casting rhythm, netting a procession of fish to 5lb almost every cast.
Under load, Middy’s tiny terror bends quickly into its full fighting curve, but even then its top section stays reasonably soft, cushioning the hooklength and making playing fish of all sizes a pleasure.
It should be remembered that the rod still packs a fair old punch that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
That steely mid-section takes a bit of getting used to if hook pulls are to be totally avoided, especially when smaller fish are at the sharp end.
Price: £45, but shop around – I found this rod being sold for as little as £29.99