After their first-ever fish, the next most cherished memory for most anglers is probably the first proper rod they owned.
I can still picture mine as it felt back then. The cork in my hand, the balance as it sat over my knee and the firm feel as I struck into a fish.
The length and balance were perfect for my meagre child’s frame to handle. It cast well, and I can remember being amazed by how far I could fire a float with it.
I’d picked up other rods, but mine was better – probably just because it was mine! I still have that rod in the loft and I came across it the other day, so I decided to put it together.
With hindsight, how I ever managed to catch anything at all with it is beyond me as, by modern standards, it is beyond awful!
Being made of split cane, it was outdated decades before I even owned it. No wonder I liked the weight, as it’s only 7ft long! A two-piece design with a metal spigot joint, all the action is in the middle, leaving the top end to wobble around seemingly with a mind of its own. As for its casting ability, eight-year-old me was impressed that my float landed halfway across the mighty Grand Union Canal.
My discovery just goes to show that every piece of kit feels fantastic until you try something better. This is a concept that was proved to me yet again just this week.
The Guru Aventus range is a blinding set of rods – the pinnacle of engineering and technological performance at the time of their release.
That was nearing eight years ago, though, and things have moved on. If you are the owner of an Aventus or two, you will be more than happy with them and will struggle to believe there could be anything better. There is, however, and it’s the new Aventus Reborn.
So, what has changed? To put it simply... everything. Carbon fibre technology has improved, the most notable addition being Zero 90X, which features an additional layer wrapped at a 45-degree angle to the above and below zero and 90-degree layers.
This further reduces blank torque which, in layman’s terms, is the action where the rod twists when casting and makes your float or feeder veer off slightly to one side.
This carbon has also been integrated into the new RJS joints, so there is a smoother transfer of action between sections.
No expense has been spared on the guides, which are now Fuji KW throughout, even on the quivers.
Something less obvious, but equally important, is the way Guru has changed. They have got even better at designing rods, and consultants like Steve Ringer are even more formidable as anglers. These rods include seven years of tweaks and changes from the best in the business.
Speaking of Ringer, I think there are few people who would fancy having him on the next peg in a match situation. Fortunately, though, this was just a Live Test at Springvale, but Steve and our cameraman for the day, Frankie Gianoncelli, quickly made me feel like it was me who was on test!
Not only was I to be using a rod they had both helped to design, but Steve had chosen to fish with the same 10ft model as me!
Verdict
The first cast with an unfamiliar rod is always a learning curve and, as expected, my Hybrid feeder landed a bit short of the island and not entirely gracefully which is understandable, considering the distance and hacking side wind. I thought my ‘friends’ would understand this, but immediately the scrutiny started.
Trying not to feel or show the pressure, soon enough I was confidently whacking the feeder up the island’s margin, where there were carp to be caught, but Gold Two Lake is paved with ide and chub, who were adding to the fantastic sport. The wind had made things a challenge, but I could land my feeder more or less where I wanted.
If my casting was good, Steve’s could only be described as unbelievable.
He was placing his feeder perilously up the side of the island, clipping the same piece of grass every time. That would have been a challenging cast in normal conditions, but in that wind, it was almost superhuman. The result was fewer ide and a lot more carp!
Give the best in the business the highest quality tool for the job, and the result is near magical. So I think that is where I’m trying to get to with this review. It doesn’t matter how good you think your rod is, or what you can do with it, there is always a better one just around the corner.
A new contender in the premium end of the carp feeder market, the Guru Aventus R 10ft Feeder is a rod that makes plenty of sense. Built for short to medium-range work, it is right at home when fishing a bomb, method feeder or hybrid feeder for carp and F1s, and it has the kind of crisp, well-balanced feel that gives you confidence from the very first cast.
Guru has redesigned these rods from the butt section upwards, and that shows in the blank. An evolution of the now 7 year old Aventus range of rods. The slimmer, faster taper makes the rod feel lighter and sharper in the hand, while the balance is noticeably improved too. That matters on commercial venues, where accuracy, comfort and control often count for as much as outright power. The new Zero90 LT quivertips are another big plus, offering excellent bite detection and a more progressive transition into the blank, so the rod feels responsive without becoming tippy or overly stiff.
The fittings are exactly what you would expect on a rod at this level. Fuji KW Anti-Tangle guides with Alconite rings are a quality touch, the Fuji reel seat keeps things secure and comfortable, and the shorter handle helps the rod feel compact and easy to use, especially when playing fish at close quarters.
Pros
- Zero90X virtually eliminating torsional twist giving a crisp cast
- Fast recovery aiding casting distance
- Smooth progressive action with power in the butt
Cons
- Premium end of the market so isn't cheap
| Zero90X carbon technology | |
| RJS rigid joint system | |
| Fuji KW anti-tangle guides with Alconite rings | |
| Fuji TVS downlocking reel seat | |
| Premium grade Armlock cork handle | |
| Two-piece construction | |
| Casting weight 1g - 60g | |
| Line rating 3lb -10lb | |
| Weight 175g | |
| LT 0.75oz, 1oz, 1.5oz quivertips |
Our pick of the alternatives
I don’t part with tackle easily. When I find something, I like, I hang on to it with the kind of stubbornness typical of a Yorkshireman. So, retiring my beloved Daiwa Tournament Pro rods wasn’t a decision I took lightly. They’d been my go-to for years, reliable, balanced, everything you need in a feeder rod, but then the Airity X-Slims landed in my hands, and that was it. Time for an upgrade. I haven’t looked back.
The 10ft 30g model is the one I reach for most often. It’s spot on for stocky carp and F1s on typical commercials. Crisp on the cast, forgiving on the strike, and it bends beautifully when something angry charges off under the tip. The blank loads like a dream, and with V-Joint Alpha doing its job, there are no flat spots, just a smooth, progressive curve that makes playing fish feel like part of the fun again, not just a formality.
I also use the XP version, still 10ft, but rated to 50g and with a bit more grunt in the butt. It’s ideal for venues where the average stamp of fish is a size up and you’re into proper lumps. It handles the extra weight and power with no fuss at all.
What really stands out, though, is how slim these blanks are. Seriously slim. You pick one up and it instantly feels like it’s going to do something special. And it does. The HVF Nanoplus and X45X Full Shield tech isn’t just for show, it translates into a rod that’s lighter, quicker, and more accurate.
The handles are tailored to suit each model, and it makes a noticeable difference. You’re not overreaching or fighting the rod. The Tournament reel seat locks the reel in beautifully, and the two-tone EVA handle finishes it off nicely. It’s secure in the wet, comfortable in the dry, and there’s a subtle touch of class with the laser-cut Airity logo on the Armlock. A posh touch, but not over the top.
They come supplied with three Megatop tops, two with standard guides and one with a ‘big guide’ version, which is ideal if you’re using shockleaders. All of them are sensitive but strong, and the anti-tangle stainless Zirconia guides genuinely help keep wrap-overs and tangles to a minimum.
Daiwa say these are the ultimate rods for commercial fishery tactics. And for once, I think they might be right. I use them every week, not just testing, they’ve fully replaced my old “tournys’ and I couldn’t be happier with the switch.
Pros
- Super slim profile blank giving precision and control
- With X45X technology the rod is ultra rigid aiding accuracy
Cons
- The handle may not be to everyone's liking
Well, with the help of five-time World Champion Alan Scotthorne, the company has tweaked the actions, increased the size of the guides, and increased the taper on the Acolyte Commercial feeder rods. The reduced recoil in the rod will stop it breaking when committing to fishing for bigger fish with repeated casting and reeling.
All this sounds great, but I was still a little shocked when I took one of the rods out of the bag.
Acolyte rods boast possibly the thinnest blanks on the market, and the Commercials are no exception. In fact, the thickest part of the longest 12ft model is near half the diameter of a five-pence piece!
Combine this with the oversized guides that we are more used to seeing on distance rods, and you get a very unusual look. It almost tricks your eyes with its unexpected proportions. This illusion only becomes more dramatic the shorter the rod you look at. However, I needn't have worried about its capabilities, as this sensationally thin blank absorbed every movement of really big fish with ease, while still allowing me to feel exactly what was going on.
Despite being short and soft, with a progressive action, the 10ft model has a stunning casting potential, even more unexpected considering the super-thin blank.
Casts nearing 50m were easily achievable, the sort of range I would normally pick an 11ft rod up for. This now nicely categorised the rods for me – 9ft for small commercials, 10ft for big commercials.
These rods have been built to favour commercial tactics like Method feeder and bomb fishing and they do it with remarkable ease, they are simply sublime!
So, will my beloved 11ft Medium Feeder finally be retired? Yes, it will, but unexpectedly its replacement will be the shorter 10ft-long Acolyte Commercial. It really is that good!
READ OUR FULL REVIEW HERE...
Pros
- Fantastic rod for commercial feeder fishing
- Versatile rod, built for use on variety of venues
- Great casting rod
Cons
- Not the best rod if you are primarily targeting silverfish
| Casting weight: | 30g |
| Tips supplied: | Carbon 1oz, 1.5oz and 2oz |
The new Daiwa Spectron Ultra Feeder Rods are something special, especially for the price bracket it situates itself in, whilst its by no means a budget rod, the performance and materials used makes you feel it should command a far more premium price than it does.
Still owning and using the original Spectron rods, it may well be time for an upgrade as these rods are superb, when casting the whole rod performs flawlessly helping propel a feeder with the minimal of effort and when we reviewed the casting footage from the day, you couldn't see where the joint in the rod was, truly remarkable.
The fish playing action as you would expect is stunning, there are no flat spots and the 'notably progressive' action Daiwa have labelled the rod with is accurate, but rather than the usual scenario of the rod powering up along the top section of the rod, the Spectron Feeder Rod allows the pressure to flow through the V-Joint and further down the blank, this not only allows more pressure to be put on the fish, it will reduce hook pulls and give you a sense that the rod can just keep on giving should you need it too, sublime.
The rod is an out and out commercial fishery tool and no matter the fishery you take it to or what size fish you subject it to, the rod will handle them whilst asking "is that all you've got?" The handle of the rod is fairly unique, with full length EVA being the choice as opposed to any cork, whilst this may not be for everyone, I personally thought it was a lovely edition to the rods, it helps with the balance and if I do say so, made them look fantastic too.
Read our full Daiwa Spectron Commercial Ultra review
Pros
- Latest in design and technology giving, excellent all-round performance
- Premium components and technologies including Nanoplus Carbon, SeaGuide TDG guides and Megatops
Cons
- The progressive action may be too through and soft for some as this is very subjective