I was contemplating a pair of heavier and longer barbel rods when I came across Go Outdoor selling the Prologic MP Detek Twin Tip for £23. Other shops seemed to be discounting them quite heavily as well, the RRP seems to be around £60. I don't tend to use the latest and greatest these days, preferring instead to opt for end of line products been sold at a discount. The rods that I currently use have not let me down, but struggle to chuck 2-3oz fully loaded feeders about and at 11' can't always get as much line out of the water as I'd like.
Prologic currently describe them as "A dream rod to fish with, no matter if your targets are big bream, tench or carp with light feeders or simply free-lined". They were described as barbel rods in the earlier catalogues. They also describe them as having a parabolic action. I pretty sure if a rod every described a parabola under load it would be a rather nasty thing to use. While I don't like the description 'progressive action', I think it's the least worse. The tips are both quite soft the lighter of the two being spliced and painted white over the top 1' or so. I'm never sure whether I like this or not. It can be quit hard to see it the rod tips are high up against a cloudy sky.
The catalogue says they are 12' with a transport length of 187cm (6' 1½"). I like it when transport or section lengths are given as it gives a hint as to whether the overall length is correct or not. Fishing tackle manufacturers seem to think 12' and 360cm are one and the same. There again there seems to be no standard for measuring rod length. Some seem to think if it's made of two 6' sections it's 12' long while others seem to measure the rod when it's put together. Enough whinging, or maybe not. The Prologic claim it has a 1¾lb test curve. Have we really not got beyond this silliness. What the hell does it mean? What does it tell us about the rod? Absolutely nothing. It's a totally meaningless figure. Just give a guide to the casting weights and line strengths.
From the name it comes with two tips, one of which is spliced, this has 9 guides the other seven. There are two on the butt section. All the guides which are SiC are single foot jobs except the butt guide which is two foot. Thankfully the butt guide is not a ridiculous distance up the rod being 21" above the handle. The handle is 23" in length with 17" of duplon, a silly 2" section of cork that serves no purpose. The reel seat is a up-locking plain tubular affair which is what I prefer as almost any reel fits them. This is followed by another 2" section of duplon. Overall he handle is functional and not too long. Above the handle is a hook-keeper, something that should be fitted to all rods as it makes moving a lot easier. I don't like hooks being lodged in the guides. The blank itself is matt black/grey with black whippings. Rather unimaginative but cheap to produce. One thing I would like to see on coarse rods is alignment dots. If the can be put on fly rods why not coarse rods. It makes setting up a lot easier.
So far on the few trips I've used them they've performed admirably. Chucking 3oz feeders with out a problem, along with 45g leads with mesh bags up to 30 yards, accurately. Which is about as far as I need to cast. The way I've used them is; one with the soft tip for the upstream rod so as to show the usual drop-back bites and the stiffer tip down stream. Both tips have been sensitive enough to show bites even if I can't hit them. I have used the softer tip down stream in some reasonable currents and it hasn't collapsed so if I required a bit more sensitivity down stream it's OK. Although I've not had anything huge. Barbel to 5lb+ and chub to around the 3lb mark I have no doubts they will manage larger fish with out problems and they are soft enough not to outgun the 3lb chub.
All in all I'm quite pleased with them, especially at the price. They probably not suitable for the bigger tidal rivers or heavy flood fishing, but in normal conditions on the likes of the Ouse, Swale, Wharfe, etc. they appear to be ideal. I'd be quick if you fancy some as I don't think they'll be around much longer. The usual disclaimer applies: I've got nothing to do with either Prologic or Go Outdoors apart from being an occasional customer.
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