God bless America!
Built in the USA, the Truth SM beach multiplier raises the bar significantly on quality and performance
The Truth SM multiplier has arrived.
I sn’t it about time that someone took the high-performance beach multiplier market by the scruff of the neck and gave it a good old shake up? I think so and, thankfully, it seems our friends from across the pond have stepped up to the plate and have done just that.
Actually, the guys from the ‘land of the free’ and the ‘home of the brave’ haven’t just shaken it, they’ve squeezed life back into it.
The recently launched Truth SM multiplier is going to set tongues wagging among shore anglers all around the UK, and it seems likely to be a giant leap forward in beach multipliers since, dare I say, the original Penn 525 Mags were unveiled to us (weren’t they a creation from the Yanks too?).
At first glance, you wouldn’t think it was American because it looks incredibly British. There’s not a single hint of razzmatazz, bells and whistles or shiny plastic bits to tempt us. There aren’t even any stars and stripes to show it off. There is, though, a strong whiff of quality about it that is sure to create a huge amount of interest.
PLEASING ON THE EYE
As far as shore multipliers go, it’s not the lightest of reels and weighs a little over a pound – 16.8oz to be exact. First glances are also important, I suppose, and, to me, it’s a beauty that is very pleasing on the eye, and I liked it from the moment I picked it up.
Dressed in pure black, its looks are rather understated, while the wide-open frame reveals a lack of front and rear crossbars. The counter-balanced handle is short and stubby with a huge grip that is extremely comfortable and very easy to hold.
A smooth clutch wheel sits neatly behind the handle, giving way to the engine room that sits forward of the unit. Although this gearbox may appear chunky, it certainly doesn’t offer any balance issues when fixed to the rod.
The sideplate opposite shows off a mechanical spool tensioner, clicker button and the mag control knob that is slightly longer, making it easier to operate during a cast. The reel foot is part of the frame and solid, while a simple lever kicks the reel in and out of gear.
The spool is free-floating, and the thing that makes it stand head and shoulders above many other shore multipliers is its capacity. The SM’s spool will swallow a mammoth 275yd of 20lb mono, or a colossal 450yd of 50lb braid. If you’re fishing from high ledges, cliffs or other structures, it will be reassuring to know there’s plenty of line on the spool in reserve.
ON THE BEACH
When fixing it to the rod, it’s clearly evident just how low to the blank the SM sits. Couple this with no crossbars to worry
about, and it’s dead easy to wrap your thumb around the spool in readiness for a cast.
As much as I like every feature of the SM, it would all be meaningless if it casts like a bag of spanners, so it was time to get it on the beach and have a go.
I’m a reel-down-low shore angler, so that’s where it went on the rod. I decided to go easy at first before opening my arms and giving it my all.
After an hour the reel was singing a sweet tune as I gradually pushed each cast harder. I even sent a few higher so I could attempt to adjust the mag control knob as my sinker sailed away. The adjustment is incredibly good, and the reel operation is very smooth, even when the revs are maximised. This is probably due to the ceramic bearings (yes, there are ceramic spool bearings fitted) playing an important part. The 6.1 gear ratio is definitely a ticked box, in my book.
Happy with the reel and my efforts (I only managed two crack-offs), I began to wonder about how and where I would fish with it. To be honest, it’s perfect for using over mixed and rough ground where you need to pump and wind more.
If you fish for smoothhounds, rays, cod and huss from the beach, then the SM will suit it well. Shore anglers who target tope will love its big-bait casting capability and the extra amount of line on the spool to cope with long, hard runs. Match anglers will find winding three doggies in an absolute doddle, and who knows what tournament casters will achieve with it? Inshore dinghy and uptide anglers shouldn’t rule this reel out either; it will cast and serve you well afloat too.
I’m going to use the Truth SM extensively over the next 12 months to see just how well it performs, but I needn’t worry about pushing it too hard because there is a lifetime warranty included. It’s a great multiplier and I like it.
I thoroughly enjoyed using it and can’t wait to see how it performs with some decent fish over the coming year.