So with 2024 kicking off I have decided to do a new take on my reviews so they are more accurate and I have more chance to find the pros and cons of the gear being used. The gear tested will be fully tested over 4 weeks of fishing which is at least 8 sessions minimum and generally on the Bristol channel. I will be using clean, mixed, reef and rough grounds on testing unless the gear states it is clean ground only etc.
So let’s kick it off this January 2024 with the first gear on test which is the TronixPro Competition Match GT 4.35.
Upon opening the protective rod packaging you get your hands on a nice durable material and slightly padded rod bag that feels very sturdy and quite stiff, I’m eager to get into this rod as I’ve heard a lot about it. Opening up the rod bag which is Velcro fastened into place you pull out two equal sectioned pieces of around 7ft. It looks very nice, stylish and sleek and upon first impressions it’s a stunning looking rod and I’m hoping that the performance equals the looks!
The rod is a Mitsubishi produced 40T carbon blank which is reinforced with nano carbon graphene matrix (which means it adds strength and gives a quicker recovery time without adding any weight to the blank) on the tip end is a blended glass tip that is for extra sensitivity for seeing those all important bites. So looking the rod over I can see the high build lacquer is perfect no over runs or large blobs or imperfections which is nice to see, the graphics clearly stating the rods capabilities in weight which is rated at an impressive 4-9 ounces! Underneath or in the high build is a very nice blue metallic shimmer when it catches the light enough but not too much or over the top. It is a shame there is no reflective tape around the tip with a rod of this price at £429.99 I would think that tip tape could be a standard as it is not expensive to the producers but aids a lot of anglers like myself who use a headlamp on night fishing at venues, but the upside is you can choose what you want (in this case it was a red and green mighty bright as that was all that was left at my local shop.) Looking up the rod sections you also notice the spigot looks stylish but functional with a metal tip on the male section (see photos) and a metal banded ring ferrule around the female end of the spigot housing, again these are in metallic blue and look good. Putting the sections together is smooth and good and I’m in a very warm place so no swelling which is a bonus as I have had this on my own personal rod from century lately which I can attest is absolutely no fun and totally frustrating either stopping you getting a rod together to fish or just as bad not being able to separate the sections to pack down.
Starting from the bottom of the rod you have your standard butt cap at the end made of rubber and is secure, moving up you have the Japanese shrink wrap and a sliding Fuji DPS reel seat which when a reel is put on whether a small or large foot multi or fixed spool it is secure on the rod and doesn’t move. Carrying on up you see the nice high build sections leading to the Fuji components logo, maker Tronixpro, the name of the rod and then the length at 14.3ft, the 4-9 oz rating with its optimum being 170G, on the opposite side of the blank you have the maker again and the name of the rod in larger lettering and it all looks neat stylish and stands out as info should do but it isn’t garish at all.
Carrying on up leads you to the first Fuji CC-KWAG guide (note the ringing of the guides is for multiplier and fixed spool usage.) which is whipped in silver whippings and black which looks sleek and stylish then you get some more shrink wrap at the end of the section for good grip when separating the sections and finally ending with the blue and silver metal ferruel/band completing the section. It’s all very solid and I don’t think could have any improvements at all.
Moving onto the top section starting at the male spigot it has a metal metallic blue and silver point in the end making it guide into place easy and simple whilst also protection for the spigot end. Carrying on up you have a wet look black gloss and its rung with 8 more Fuji CC-KWAG guides, the black whippings and black blank look very sleek and elegant, simplicity here has worked well. At the end the glass blended tip doesn’t have any tip tape which is a shame but as you can see in the photos I have put some red and green mighty bright tape on for testing which now that I’m keeping this rod I will be changing to black that glows white. Whilst over on the field casting to see how the action is I was just going from 4-9 oz leads the optimum was definitely 170g/6oz leads with the greatest distance of 187m achieved no rig or bait just leads.
The rod is very responsive and is good for all levels of casting as it’s forgiving in many ways, I’m far from the best caster out there but I can load it with the Hatteras well considering the bottom power band is strong and stiff, when casting the tip recovers quickly as well as you can see in the photos from casting off Minehead harbour. So whilst out fishing which was on all types of mark on the reefs and mixed ground of the Bristol Channel and a session at Chesil how did it fair?
Well the rod is a fantastic all rounder of a rod! I’m extremely impressed with it! I have hauled out 4 Blonde rays in quick succession from rough waters which the rod worked very well at getting them in quickly as I was able to bully them over a coral bank which wasn’t easy going, but this rod has the grunt and It gives you a complete confidence which I don’t always have on gear reviews but this rod oozes power an sensitivity with loads in reserve! Large rays or tope or large conger won’t phase this rod! At Chesil I was hauling in small pouting but I was seeing all the bites as they happen on what wasn’t such a gentle sea to start with. I pulled a couple of straps from the mixed ground venues in the BC and it pulled them in easy the largest being a shade over 5lb the rest of the sessions were rather dead, but with that it was tested in other ways when I was fishing in the storms the rod wasn’t swaying around everywhere and it sat in the fast tidal flows and rough sea with ease with enough give in the rod tip to not dislodge the leads but not so much you couldn’t see bites clearly. I have been using it for two weeks with a fixed spool and for two weeks with a multiplier which was an Okuma ALC MAG. I found that the rod loves both types of reels with no issues at all and whether you use reel up or down it really is happy to do either and the best bit the reel seat stays in place! With casting you can punch baits out well I was mainly using 6-7oz leads and alternating baits one small one large so it was either punching small squid or worm baits to over 150m or a punching a whole Joey out with 7oz for company to around 60m no problems.
Over all this is a hell of a rod and it’s so universal I can’t see why people wouldn’t use one it has replaced my century TTSMG as my all round rod due to the swelling issues of the century. My rods do jobs not to look pretty or look nice in a pair so for that reason it’s the new number one rod for myself I give this rod a 9/10 with only the length (can be constrictive if in a smaller area for casting) and no tip tape which I feel is a silly oversight by a company going for an all round rod. TronixPro have really produced a belter of a rod here it really can do it all! It will haul large specimen fish with ease, it has the finesse to fish and be at home on clean ground or catching smaller species or large fish in fast tidal ranges or rough ground and bullying fish out. From me it is a solid well done to Tronix
Pros: - Has Fuji CC-KWAG guides - Has Fuji sliding reel seat - Japanese shrink wrap is plenty ful and around areas to separate the rod for grip - Looks stunning. - All around rod for any occasion fishing - Great bite sensitivity from the blended glass tip - Rung for Multiplier or Fixed spool reels - 14.3 ft gives a good casting range. - £429.99 ( cheaper in some places) is a lot of rod and better than a lot in the higher price brackets.
Cons: - 14.3ft if in a smaller area can hinder casting room. - No tip tape.
Comments