Total Sea Magazine

The Salt range of rods has been around for several years and is going from strength to strength, with each season seeing a revised ‘tweak’ on each blank to enhance its performance. The XT Surf MX is a dark-blue, three-piece blank carrying eight Fuji guides plus a tip ring, which are secured in place via black whippings that are edged with silver. The butt section is mostly covered in a cross-pattered shrink tube, which allows for either a high or low reel position to be used. Overall the rod is good looking, and another nice touch is that the tip is painted white to help you see bite indications at night.

First Impressions
I was surprised how short the rod is, considering that it has three sections. I would expect them to be 15 feet plus, but the Salt XT is only 12 feet nine inches. I assumed that it would be stiff, with plenty of grunt – something like a rock fishing rod. However, the tip section is quite soft and I was initially a little mystified by this. But on closer inspection of the other two sections, the reason soon became clear. The butt section is quite pokey, and the mid section is built in such a way that it complements the combining of the tip and butt. Assembled, the XT has a pretty good feel to it and Shakespeare has got it right with regards to its action as a fishing rod.

Joining Up
The Salt joins together using the ‘protective spigot’ method, which is basically the usual spigot system but with an overfitting affair. The spigot on the lower part of the blank enters the upper section, and a collar on the upper section then fits over it. It’s like having two joints in one and this is becoming more common on lower-diameter blanks because it makes the joints stronger. It also prevents dirt getting onto the spigot and reduces wear, as well as helping to improve the blank’s action.

The Test
My plan was to pop a multiplier reel onto the rod, loaded with 12lb running line and a 60lb leader, and try to catch a few fish at Sizewell in Suffolk. The first thing I noted was that the rod took up no space in my car – I didn’t need to fold the back seats down to fit it in. This is when the penny dropped about its length; I can only imagine that the main purpose was for carriage convenience – not everyone can fit two 8ft sections in their vehicle, whereas a 4ft 6in length can fit virtually anywhere and could even be strapped to the side of a bicycle.

On the beach I made a few practice casts using a 6oz sinker. I was able to send the lead more than 100 yards with little effort, although when I wanted to push a little harder the rod began to struggle and the tip was unable to keep up. This meant I lost contact with the lead and I knew that if I wanted to fish with the full 8oz recommendation, I would need to shorten my drop and be gentle by casting within sensible parameters. A few casts this way confirmed my thoughts. I was still able to cast a long way but this was by using a good technique. This rod will not respond to excess force and it’s not designed to.

The rod really came to life when I had a little play with a 4oz lead – I was able to blast this little beauty quite a way! The 4oz fully loaded the blank and 175 yards was achievable – not bad!
I tested it in the high and low reel position and found that it favoured the high. However, I prefer to fish low reel, which meant I wouldn’t be getting the very best from the rod during the session.

Using a three-hook flapper loaded with lugworm, I sent the trace 70 yards. With luck, I must have landed the bait right onto a fish’s head because, no sooner had I set the rod in its rest, the tip gave a positive rattle from a bite. It turned out to be a small dab – the tip left me in no doubt that the fish was there! My session continued this way with small fish at all ranges up to 130 yards. The tip always showed the bite and I could also feel the fish as I reeled it.

I actually quite enjoyed fishing with the Salt XT Surf MX, because it delivered pretty much what it should do and also offered me decent fun with small fish. I’m confident that it would tame a decent cod, although sadly this was not to be the case on the test day. Maybe I will have a crack at the cod when they show!

Conclusion
This blank is best suited to the newbies to the sport who want a rod that’s going to be reliable but not break the bank. It’s capable of casting baits up to 120 yards in the right hands, but any more than this would be pushing it beyond its limits.

It’s ideal for general beach fishing for most species but it won’t be so effective over rough ground, targeting big fish such as congers. Regarding its user-friendliness, it definitely worked better in the high reel position – it’s simply too soft to use effectively in the low reel setting. If you use this blank within its limitations, it will serve you extremely well and allow you to enjoy good sport.

It’s also available in a fixed-spool version – the Salt XT Surf FS.

INFORMATION
Blank: Carbon
Section length: 4ft 6in
Overall length: 12ft 9in
Joints: Spigot with overfit
Guides: Eight plus tip
Whippings: Black, edged in silver
Reel seat: Coasters
RRP: £99.99

TSF RATINGS
Appearance: ★★★★★★★★★★
Casting: ★★★★★★★★★★
Fishing: ★★★★★★★★★★
Value for money: ★★★★★★★★★★

Contact: Shakespeare on 01527 405410
Website: www.shakespeare-fishing.co.uk