Took out my new Megabass F2-64XS Ltd / Daiwa TD-R for it's first session this afternoon.
Couldn't fish the river as it's well over the banks after the torrential rain that we've had over the past week. So, I ventured to the lake, to have a go at the pike. The water is about 14"-16" above normal levels and is akin to liquid mud. The weather was mild, overcast and blowing a hooley. Lovely conditions to test a new ultra light kit.
I attatched a 7cm, orange Rapala CDJ to the trace and made my first cast into the corner of a reed bed, half way through the retrieve had a small tap but nowt else. Another cast to the same spot, same tap. Third cast and the tap was a solid hit, fish on. After an energetic scrap a 3lb pike was duly banked and released. During a two hour session I banked four pike to 6lb and lost one.
My obervations on the rod are: It is described by Plat as regular actioned, I would firmly put in to the fast category. The handle is extremely comfortable, and with the TD-R fitted the balance point is about 1cm forward of the spool lip. On casting it coped with all I threw at it, and tip recovery was exceptionally good. It's sensitivity is like nothing that I have experienced previously on a rod, every single wiggle of the CDJ tail was transmitted up the rod to my hand. I also threw a couple of spinners and the transmitted vibration was unbelievable. With a fish on the end it had ample power to subdue the quarry without undue stress.
On downside was with the reel. I put the rod down in the bottom of a boat that I took out to retrieve a lure that I lost on October 1st. The lovely gloss blue finish had scratched through to the frame leaving a nasty mark. On a reel costing £170 / $328 I expected a tougher, longer lasting finish. The reels predecessor a Daiwa 2500ia lasted me five years of hard use without a mark.
I can't wait for conditions to improve so as I can test with some Snap Beans on the river.
Simon
