Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Livee Test: Daiwa Powermesh feeder rod
The revived and overhauled Daiwa range is back with a bang, and perfect for specimens of all species
DAIWA POWERMESH SPECIALIST 12ft 6in FEEDER ROD RRP: £129.99
ALL big-fish anglers should keep their eyes peeled for Daiwa’s latest Powermesh Specialist rod range, designed to handle specimen chub, barbel, tench and bream on both float and feeder. Back in the 1970s the iconic Powermesh name was synonymous with cutting-edge carp rods. Now the brand has undergone a complete overhaul using the latest fitments and carbon cloths. Sadly, the original carp rod is missing from this latest seven-model Powermesh line-up. However, its striking looks and feel live on in the new range of general specimen rods, as well as in a dedicated barbel rod that looks ideal for tackling fast rivers with heavy leads and big floats. But it’s the 13ft, 14ft and 15ft Float rods, alongside the 11ft 6in, 12ft 6in (on live test) and 13ft 6in Feeder rods that are sure to raise most interest among avid big-fish fans. Having handled most of the rods in the Powermesh range, I can confirm that they are very aptly named; undoubtedly built to perform well under stress, they are nononsense specialist tools. You’ll find no namby-pamby line flickers here!
The three-piece carbon blanks feature a 1k carbon weave on the butt sections for added clout. The three Feeder rods will comfortably cast weights up to 50g, 70g and 90g respectively, while all three float rods can be used with reel lines from 3lb-10lb, allowing plenty of scope with tackle and target species. But it’s the 12ft 6in Feeder rod that this live test is all about, so let’s take a closer look at its build specification. It has same-length 132cm (4ft 4in) butt and middle sections, with a shorter 73cm (2ft 5in) carrier section taking graded 1.5oz, 2oz and 3oz carbon quivertips. As you’d expect from Daiwa, the matt grey non-flash blank is pleasingly furnished with robust black steel-framed guides with lightweight ceramic linings and a large enough diameter (including those on the push-in quivertips) to cope with shockleader knots. A full cork handle with a hardwood end and aluminium butt cap and an original screw-down reel seat complete a nice-looking rod with a custom-built feel. There’s casting power in abundance thanks to a fast tapering blank with a very high weight loading point. In practical terms that means it balances the weight of the feeder, allowing for heavier loads to be chucked long distances. This makes it ideal for specimen tench and bream on big open-water pits, or chub and barbel on wide, fast flowing rivers. This did mean the rod was a tad over-gunned for the placidly flowing River Nene below Peterborough, even though recent rains had injected more flow and colour than usual. In fact, the small open-end cage feeder packed with liquidised bread needed a little bit more lead to prevent it bouncing around all over the riverbed. During the session, tentative plucks from rig-shy chub showed up well enough on the rod’s lightest 1.5oz quivertip, but when a half-decent fifish picked up the breadflflake hookbait the wickedly powerful progressive action meant that there were no last-minute shenanigans large chub are famed for.