PRICE £125.00
THE THEORY BEACH RANGE OF RODS FROM DAIWA IS SUPERB AND COMES WITH A VERY ATTRACTIVE PRICE TAG, REVEALS PAUL FENECH
I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Daiwa beach rods, but often found them to be just out of my price range. I’ve been known to fork out a large chunk of cash for a top end rod, just not on a Daiwa model, although I do now own a top of the range Daiwa beach rod, and it was worth every penny.
I reckon Daiwa rods are deceiving, and when you pick one up, the last thing you think about is power. You soon realise how wrong you can be when you clip on a sinker and put it through the motions of a powerful pendulum swing. The good news for anglers who thought they could never afford a powerful Daiwa beach rod is…yes you can.
COVER ALL THE BASES
The Theory Beach range comprises of two multiplier rods, three fixed-spools and a single bass rod.
This new collection has something to offer users of both multiplier and fixed-spool reels, and with lengths ranging from 12ft to 16ft you can benefit no matter what part of the UK shoreline you choose to fish.
All rods have a powerful carbon butt and a tapered tip that gives superb casting combined with great bite detection. All rods are fitted with aluminium oxide lined guides, while a Fuji DPS reel seat is fixed in the up position that was only slightly higher than I would have liked. Shrink tube runs below the reel seat towards an EVA rear handgrip.
Apart from the Bass model, all are rated to cast between 4-8oz. This is slightly optimistic if only referring to the sinker size they are capable of handling; a 5-6oz sinker with bait is a more realistic rating.
ON THE BEACH
Casting a Theory Beach is refreshing, whether you are a fixed-spool or multiplier user.
I could go into a heap of casting jargon, such as ‘timing’, ‘critical’ or ‘it will bite you back’. Put in simple English, it is very easy to cast. Easy is a word you rarely hear any casting fanatic use.
Several casts with both multiplier versions saw me almost wrapping the blank around me as I pulled for the power stroke. I found the high reel position meant if I bent my knees I could pull the rod around through a flat arc and then straighten as I aimed for the clouds. The reaction from the rod is awesome and it recovers almost immediately.
I had a flick with the bass rod, and again it has a great action if you intend to scale things down on the beach. I reckon a reel in the low position would allow anglers to get more from the blank.
I was looking forward to trying the fixed-spool versions in the range. A lot of my recent match fishing has been with a long rod, fixed-spool reel and braid. You are missing out big time if you haven’t tried this style of sea fishing.
I opted to go big first and used the three-piece 16ft rod. From a standing start, almost carp style, I pulled the rod over my head and released the line with an almighty whoosh. The plain 6oz sinker rocketed skywards while the tip dipped slightly before recovering to its original position. It certainly can cast well with just an overhead thump.
When I switched to the shorter two-piece models, I slipped on a finger stall and went for a pendulum cast. Again coming round through a flat arc with bent knees, straightening on the power stroke and releasing the line, I found it exhilarating to say the least.
VERDICT
All rods in this range are very lightweight and a pleasure to use. Deceptive and powerful they may be, but one thing that struck me from the onset was how very easy they were to use.
With a price tag that will suit many anglers’ budget, Daiwa’s Theory will please.
