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New Gear Revealed, On The Bank Tests & Expert Advice
Tony Grigorjevs puts a product under the spotlight that claims to be just as good for small silvers as it is for hard-fighting carp
11FT 6’ GARBOLINO SUPRA MATCH WAGGLER ROD RRP £104.99
WAGGLER fishing has changed a lot since the commercial fishery boom swept the nation.
A tactic that was once renowned for its finesse with light, slimline floats that subtly broke the surface, it’s now a very different story. Chunky floats that intentionally cause a commotion when they hit the water to draw carp in perhaps more accurately represent the modern face of wagglers, for many.
As a result, there has been a big shift in rod design, with stiffer and shorter models that are well-suited to chucking out heavy pellet waggler floats and playing big fish now being produced by every manufacturer.
They perform admirably when power is of the essence in taming big fish, but try to use one with a more traditional waggler set-up and, more often than not, these modern rods simply won’t cut the mustard.
But does that matter? Has the old-school style of waggler fishing been and gone, never to return? Or are anglers that first started fishing before the birth of day-ticket carp and F1 fisheries still quietly relying on a traditional set-up and approach? Take a walk around any venue and it seems that the latter scenario is still in evidence. You’ll see plenty of anglers trickling in maggots or corn just a few metres out, with their eyes trained on a peacock waggler as the rod sits on the rests.
There are a handful of rods on the market that claim to be a jack of all trades on the floatfishing front, and the 11ft 6’ Garbolino Supra Match is one of them.
Whether you fancy trying to winkle out a few soft-mouthed skimmers from a local club stillwater or fish the shallow pellet waggler at range, this tool is marketed as having all the attributes to do both, and plenty in between besides.
Striking the right balance to qualify as a true all-rounder is a tricky thing for a rod to achieve, but with Garbolino UK chief Darren Cox having had a big say in its creation, I had an inkling it would be a strong performer.
So, the car was packed on an unseasonably warm autumn day, and I headed off to Manor Farm Leisure near Evesham to see just what it was capable of.
Ideal setting
There are six waters to sample at this prolifi
