There’s plenty of options on the market for short feeder rods but the 10ft Middy 5G Method Feeder may be the tool you’ve been looking for.
Take the rod out of its cloth bag and it instantly looks like a piece of kit that has been made to out-muscle big carp. It’s got a reasonably thick blank for a 10ft rod which plays a big part in giving it the required strength for both launching out loaded feeders and piling on the pressure. There’s also a reinforced section of carbon just after the cork handle that will give you even more assurance.
Another aspect worth noting is the rod’s claim that it can handle feeders of up to 50g. That is a fairly hefty load and many 10ft rods wouldn’t have the grunt to chuck such weights without risking a calamity. I wanted to test that this rod was the real deal and I had the perfect venue in mind, Meadowlands Fishery near Coventry. Both lakes are a vast expanse of open water and double-figure carp are plentiful. If this product wasn’t built properly, it would get found out in no time at all.
With a 10ft rod, I was never going to reach particularly big distances but I wanted it to go as far as was realistically possible. A medium 32g Hybrid feeder was run on to the mainline and once that was loaded with dampened micros, it give the rod more than 40g of casting weight to deal with.
A cast to see what could be achieved got me to around 45 yards with relative ease so a little more line was peeled off to allow for the extra weight which once loaded that would propel it a little further.
Around five minutes after setting the hook into a savage bite, the fish was under the rod tip, a stunning double-figure carp was my reward and it wasn’t alone with another three all over 8lb coming in a very enjoyable final 45 minutes of fishing.
THE VERDICT
If you want to have confidence from the off that your rod is going to deal with the rigours of casting hefty feeders and beating the runs of big carp, then you need to consider adding this kit to your armoury. With shops asking between £75 and £100, it is going to come into the equation for a lot of anglers who want to add a beefier product to their collection without breaking the bank.
The rod is described as having a parabolic action which means it bends from the butt through to the tip. I’d agree that is the case although I did notice a slight flat spot in its action as I went in for the kill. Had it been made for silvers or F1s with more finesse in mind, that could lead to hook-pulls if a fish suddenly shook its head at the landing net. But as this is a weapon for big fish that surge off as opposed to lulling around, I didn’t feel that would cause me any issues.
The Meadowlands carp had tried their awesome best to demonstrate muscle power but the 5G 10ft Method had proven it was a true heavyweight that wasn’t to be messed with.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS PRODUCT AND OTHERS FROM MIDDY HERE.
TECH SPEC
- Casting weight: 15g-50g
- Woven carbon stiff assist butt wrap
- Cork/EVA curve handle design
- 3 tips (Light, medium and heavy)
- Line rating 10lb
www.ebay.co.uk
Pros
- Ideal for using with a method feeder.
- Lots of power to subdue large fish.
Cons
- 10ft does reduce the distances that can be achieved.
Our pick of the alternatives
www.gooutdoors.co.uk
A slim and lightweight rod, perfect for tackling all sizes of commercial fish at intimate range, be it underarming a Method feeder down the edge or casting to the far bank of snake lakes. HMC carbon blank, stainless steel ceramic
lined guides, cork foregrip and reel lock, EVA rear armlock, downlocking DPS reel seat and hook holder finish this bargain model.
Casting weight: 30g
Tips supplied: Carbon 1oz and 1.5oz
Pros
- Softer action to prevent hookpulls.
- Perfect for commercials.
Cons
- Will struggle to cast larger feeders.
www.ebay.co.uk
A versatile and affordable feeder rod for those looking to do a variety of different styles of feeder fishing on a budget. Built on 24Ton carbon these rods far outweigh their price tags, they are durable and have a fantastic action to make sure the biggest and the smallest fish can be landed without any fuss.
The Method feeder rod weighs 180g and comes with a line rating upto 10lb, so it's more than capable of dealing with large fish and the constant casting that comes with fishing a method. Casting weights of up to 40g, it will cast an average 30g Method with ease up to 25-35m and comes with a 1.5oz and 2oz quiver tip.
Pros
- Great for small commercials.
- The blank makes the rod very accurate.
Cons
- Not designed for fishing at range.
www.fishingtackleandbait.co.uk
A beautiful super-light version of the popular Preston Innovations 10ft Supera rod. Although mega-soft, it has a slightly more parabolic action than the longer 11ft version, making it a great winter commercial rod for use with small feeders or a straight lead approach for carp, or F1s, roach and skimmers all-year-round.
"A sublime rod that just keeps on bending instead of your line breaking! When that fish needs to end up in your net, you’re going to want one of these in your hands." Read our full review here.
Pros
- Amazing fish playing action.
- Perfect for all species.
Cons
- A little long for really short chucks and snake lakes.
**Author Tony Grigorjevs_ has worked in various roles within both Angling Times and Improve Your Coarse Fishing, getting involved in news and feature writing, photography, filming and editing.**_