Prologic Combat-Surface Shrink Rod

Features

Diving straight in, the handle is a strong point for the price. It is a full-length Japanese shrink grip running the whole length of the handle, slim in the hand, and it gives you both comfort and control when you are holding the rod and watching a bait for an hour at a time.

The fittings are sensible rather than showy. Minima single-foot guides keep the weight down, the tip ring is an anti-impact pattern, and the 40mm butt ring comes with its own protector for transport. The gloss black whippings sit neatly against the matte blank.

Two practical touches stand out: markings at 30cm and 50cm from the reel seat so you can measure line without a tape, and a discreet orange mark on each ferrule so the sections align first time.

Appearance

The blank is a 24t carbon with a low resin content and a matte black finish, and the gloss black whippings sit neatly against it. It is a plain, understated look rather than a showy one, and for a budget surface rod it is lighter and better balanced than you might expect.

The full-length shrink handle keeps the lines slim from butt to reel seat, and the discreet orange marks on each ferrule are the only splash of colour. It looks like a rod that costs more than it does.

How well does it cast and feel?

I will not sugarcoat it: this is not a high-end performance blank, but for casual surface sessions it has your back.

The balanced, lightweight blank comes into its own here, and the 2.5lb test curve gives it enough to punch a controller float out to fish feeding at range without the tip folding over.

The minima guides and 40mm butt ring pull their weight on the cast. They are not groundbreaking by any stretch, but line flows cleanly and the rod casts with a fair amount of ease.

It is not a rod for extreme distance, and it is not meant to be, but it gets a bait where it needs to go on most surface swims.

How does it perform when playing fish?

The blank is designed to handle powerful surface fights while keeping control, and that is how it feels. There is enough give in the tip to absorb the lunges that come with hooking a carp on the top and light gear, and enough backbone at 2.5lb to steer a fish away from trouble.

As with any lighter surface rod, I would think twice about using it right next to heavy snags with big fish about. For mid-doubles and the everyday surface carp most of us are casting at in summer, it is a lot of fun.

Is it good value for money?

When it comes to pricing, the Combat-Surface stakes its claim firmly at the budget end of the surface rod market, and Prologic say as much: surface fishing should not be a luxury.

It is no secret that in carp fishing you often get what you pay for, but what you get here is a solid, reliable, purpose-built surface rod with a few thoughtful extras that dearer rods leave out.

It is not the creme de la creme, and the single 12ft length limits who it suits, but the performance for the money is impressive. If you are after value without sacrificing too much, or you want a dedicated floater rod as a second rod for the summer, it is a worthy contender.