PRICE £229.99
When I think back to some of the marks I’ve fished over the years, I really wish I’d had a multiplier reel of this calibre strapped to my rod.
Some of the deep-water venues I’ve fished often required a long chuck to reach the tide run where the cod were feeding. Hooking a fish was easy – guiding it back through thick kelp and rocks, though, was the ultimate test.
Pumping and winding is hard work, and if your reel isn’t up to the job you can kiss goodbye to any chance of a heavyweight cod making it into your hands.
The Avet SX 5.3:1 MC lever-drag is built for power, with the ability to perform super-long casts. It’s not a large outfit, either, but the spool will swallow a shed-full of thick line. Expect to fill it with at least 220yd of 20lb mono.
Being equipped with magnets means manageable control throughout, while the huge handle is ideal for cranking through some hard-going ground. The lever-drag is easily adjusted and can make the difference between either landing or losing a hard-running fish.
Cosmetically, it is incredibly stylish, while the engineering is superb. The frame is extremely strong, being machined from a single block of alloy – making it lightweight too. Eight sealed bearings keep everything running smoothly, while stainless steel gearing performs impeccably under a heavy load.
Heavy ground shore marks, high ledges and piers surrounded by deep water and strong tides are where this reel will shine, especially if you require distance to reach the fish. If you’re a boat angler too, you get double the benefit as this model is suited to inshore uptiding.