N-GAUGE FEEDER ROD We hit the bank to test Guru’s versatile new rod

Tony Grigorjevs checks out how Guru’s new rod performs

THERE are some venues that tick all the boxes when I want to test new tackle, and Barston Lakes is one of them.

Located on the outskirts of Birmingham, the 25-acre water enables you to put equipment through its paces in a number of ways.

Its giant swathes of open water enable you to discover a rod’s true casting ability, and the hard-fighting carp test just how much power it has in store. The resident silvers are also particularly soft-mouthed, and if the product is over-gunned, you’ll definitely lose your fair share of them.

So when the new Guru N-Gauge rods arrived, you’ll probably guess where I directed my satnav to head for!

Hitting the mark

Four feeder rods ranging from 9ft to 12ft and a brace of waggler rods of 10ft and 11ft make up the new range, and with the wind gusting at a fair rate of knots, fishing the tip was the only tactical option on the day.

Choosing the 11ft feeder, my first task was to see how well it could chuck out a proper payload. With a casting rating of up to 60g, a Hybrid feeder fully loaded with micro pellets was punched to the horizon.

Using measuring sticks, I had clipped up for the feeder to stop at 50 yards and it hit that mark with no issues. Not only did it achieve the target, it did

so with accuracy. There’s no doubt that the well-spaced and sized eyes along the two-piece product helped it achieve this goal, so that the mainline flowed without restriction. Its long handle also aided the effort, with the wider positioning of both hands enabling me to generate plenty of power.

A good run of big skimmers and a bonus F1 fell before action slowed up. This was expected on a chilly day and I had an inkling the fish would back off at some point. It was time to peel a little line off and reclip and this time it would be set to 60 yards. But could the rod handle the extra distance?

Convincing scoreline

An 11ft rod can struggle to hit this mark when put in the wrong hands. I’m certainly no casting wizard, but I managed it without trouble while using the N-Gauge and I reckon the feeder could have been chucked further had I needed too.

Set at the new distance, it didn’t take long to get another run of skimmers. That made it 8-0 to me because not one had bounced off.

The 2oz tip I used is the stiffest of three provided but it blended in well with the rod to provide a soft cushion that is a big factor in reducing hook-pulls.

“I had clipped up for the feeder to stop at 50 yards and it hit that mark.”

The final test

With the light fading, it was prime time for a bigger fish to appear and, sure enough, that is exactly what happened.

The gentle nods on the rod tip that the skimmers had provided to indicate a bite were replaced with a fast-paced wrap round. Quick to pick up the rod, the culprit pushed hard against the clip.

Using a 9lb hooklength was part of making sure I beat any big fish, but the rod needed to play its part too. As it ploughed off, the rod arched round and the power in the butt end soon kicked in. This enabled me to nudge it towards me before I could quickly put a few turns on the reel and really command control.

Several sudden lunges were cushioned and despite a few nervy moments, I was the overwhelming favourite to win the battle and so it proved with a 9lb common eventually banked.

The rod’s performance had impressed me, as had its overall look. The bright orange the brand is synonymous with had been incorporated neatly within the design and other clever little edges such as finger grips and a flat spot for your forearm on the handle also got the thumbs up.

“The rod’s performance had impressed me, as had its overall look.”