There are three 7ft 6in rods in the Force 8 range – 6-15lb, 10-20lb and 20-30lb – all built on slim carbon blanks and fitted with top-quality ceramic-lined braid guides. They’re smart-looking rods, with multi-coloured metallic graphics standing out from the black blank. The butt section has full-length Duplon grips, a Fuji reel seat and a gimbal fitting under the butt cap.
We got hold of the 10-20lb version and found this lightweight rod is well balanced with a sensitive tip but with plenty of power in reserve in the lower section.
The live test was conducted in a species competition off Weymouth, where the action of the rod was ideal for the majority of the species we were targeting. Matched with an Abu Revo Toro loaded with 20lb braid, it gave me a balanced outfit with good bite sensitivity but with enough power in the butt to lift a bigger fish up if my luck was in.
Mid-February isn’t the best time of year for hectic action but my second drop produced a couple of sharp tugs on the tip. I gave the fish a bit of slack line to allow it to take the bait properly then lifted the tip to set the hook. A few seconds later a dogfish of 1lb 8oz was lifted aboard; not big, but it scored a few points. The next drop produced a similar doggie, and even fish of this size put a nice bend in the rod and you can feel every kick as you pump the fish up from the bottom.
As we were fishing a spring tide, 10oz to 12oz leads were needed to hold bottom and the rod coped well with these weights. As the current increased we had to move to an inshore reef that was out of the main current, where the first drop produced a tip-rattling bite typical of a pout. It was only about 8oz but the bite showed well and it gave me extra points.
A change of bait from worm to mackerel tipped with a baby squid was a wise move, as the next bite showed as a couple of hefty thumps on the tip. The fish was given some slack line before I lifted the rod and set the hook into something much heavier, and it was putting up a bit of a scrap. Steady pressure and careful pumping brought the fish to the surface – a bull huss for more points to keep me in touch with the leaders. The Force 8 rod handled the weight of the lead and fish with no problems, and it provided a good workout where I could use the lifting power in the lower section of the rod. I think the action and price of this range will make it popular with many boat anglers, as they combine performance with fun!
INFORMATION
Blank material: Carbon
Overall length: 7ft 6in
Casting weight: 10-20lb class
Sections: Two
Rings: Nine plus tip ring
Reel seat/coasters: Fixed screw-up reel seat
RRP: £79.99
TSF RATINGS
Appearance: ★★★★★★★★★★
Casting: ★★★★★★★★★★
Fishing: ★★★★★★★★★★
Value for money: ★★★★★★★★★★
Contact: TF Gear on 0871 911 7040
Website: www.tfgear.co.uk
