I’m often sceptical when new products come out that claim to offer ‘ground-breaking technology’ with new materials. After a quick phone call to the nice folks at Fladen I learnt a bit more about the materials in its new rod and was keen to take it out on test. I explained that I’d be on holiday in Norway, targeting hard-fighting coalfish and asked whether the rod would stand up to them. Itsanswer was an emphatic: “Yes!”
There are three rods in the Xtra Flexx range: the shortest is 2.1 metres long for casting 10g to 30g lures, the 2.4m model will handle 20 grams to 50 grams and the 2.7m rod is for casting lures of 20 grams to 60 grams.
Xtra Flexx rods are constructed using extremely fine basalt fibres, as used in the aerospace industry, to give exceptional durability and resistance to extremes of heat, moisture and UV light.
The properties of basalt are similar to those of carbon fibre and fibreglass and this material makes a tough, slim, incredibly strong blank with excellent lifting power.
These are bold claims and a few fit coalies would soon find any flaws. For those of you that haven’t experienced the fight of a coalfish, but have hooked crash-diving pollack, let me describe the scene for you: take a pollack, pump it with steroids, stick a rocket up its rear end and you have a coalfish.
Live Test
The trip was to the island of Værøy at the southwestern end of Norway’s Lofoten Islands, an area famed for the size and number of coalfish. I chose to test the 2.4m rod, which was matched with a small, fixed-spool reel loaded with 20lb braid to cast self-weighted soft plastics.
The fishfinder was showing a vast shoal of fish 30 metres down. So, the lures were cast away from the boat and allowed to sink towards the shoal and then retrieved fast until they were hit.
You must have the reel’s drag set to give line, because when a coalfish grabs the lure, it makes an unstoppable dive and all you can do is hang on. These crash dives were the perfect test for the Xtra Flexx and as you can see in the main image, it was tested to the limit cast after cast.
We’d drifted for three miles and caught fish every drop and I was getting tired. Hence after casting I paid out some slack line, closed the bail arm and sat down for a rest. As I sat down, the rod tip was slammed over by yet another coalie: it had got to the stage where we didn’t have to work the lures, just let them drop.
The first few fish came on heavier gear before I used the spinning rod, as later on I became aware that it was far easier to fight the fish with a spinning rod than 20 to 30lb-class gear. The softer action of the Xtra Flexx was far less tiring for me and often beat the fish quicker than the other guys who were fighting them on heavier gear. Also, it was simply far more fun!
Summing Up
Having tamed dozens of coalfish to 12lb, the rod performed faultlessly – even after seven days of abuse. I’d given the rod a lot of stick and so I feel it passed the test with flying colours and also made fishing a lot of fun!
We should soon have a video clip of the rod in action on our website www.totalseafishing.com, where you’ll see how the rod was used and abused while providing maximum enjoyment!
INFORMATION
Blank material: Basalt fibres
Overall length: 2.4 metres
Sections: Two
Rings: Five plus tip
Whippings: Black
Reel seat: Fixed screw-up
RRP: £19.99
TSF RATINGS
Appearance: ★★★★★★★★★★
Casting: ★★★★★★★★★★
Fishing: ★★★★★★★★★★
Value for money: ★★★★★★★★★★
Contact: Fladen Fishing UK on 01305 821111
Website: www.fladenfishing.co.uk
