LIVE TEST: DAIWA SPECTRON ULTRA 11ft FEEDER
New Gear Revealed, On The Bank Tests & Expert Advice
After eagerly waiting to fish with Daiwa’s new Spectron Ultra range, Mark Sawyer finally got to put one of the feeder models through its paces
DAIWA SPECTRON ULTRA 11FT FEEDER ROD RRP: £199.99
A FEW MONTHS ago I made the long trip up country to Daiwa’s Wishaw HQ in Scotland to take a gander at the firm’s late-summer product launches.
Amid a plethora of new kit (including some stunning new Tournament hardcase luggage items, Matchman reels and N’ZON distance feeder rods) were the latest incarnations of Daiwa’s famed Spectron brand.
I still use two 12ft/13ft Spectron Power Feeder rods, which were launched around 2014, and the all-black M2 12ft Spectron feeder rod – perfect for winter bread fishing – that was introduced even earlier, around 2004 if my memory serves me well.
In my humble opinion, Spectron rods, with the exception of some of the latest Tournament models, have always been the best that Daiwa has produced, and they are very affordably priced. But the new Spectron rods that I was being shown were in another league again – stunning to look at, with their exclusive Daiwa Air Sensor reel seats, hard full-length black EVA handles with Armlock, and new-style TDG guides. When flexed, tackle shop-style, against Daiwa’s showroom ceiling, they felt quite unlike any other rods that I have handled.
Tech spec
HVF Nanoplus carbon build with V-Alpha joints
Slim profile, softer actions
Exclusive Daiwa Air Sensor reel seats
SeaGuide TDG guides
Hard EVA handle with Armlock
Megatop quivertips
A modern classic
I didn’t say too much at the time, acting nonchalantly and seemingly not taking too much notice of the six rods in the range. All, apparently, are solely for commercial fishery use. Cool as you like, I asked if I could tie up with Daiwa’s media man, Ryan Hayden, at some point in the future, just to run the rule over them. In reality, I couldn’t wait to get my mitts on the rods and have my string pulled. I just knew there was something a little bit special about them.
Asking around about the new Spectrons, I was somewhat surprised to learn that young guns Pemb Wrighting, Tom Edwards and Adam Richards had a lot of input into the rods’ build characteristics.
Now, these three lads are all at the very top of their game. All are serial match winners, and all are fantastic anglers who will have their own ideas about how commercial rods, whether for float or feeder fishing, should function. I just needed to discove
