Martin Ward used his new Acolyte Plus 14ft rod for the first time to bag an astonishing 49lb winning net of chub!

The impressive catch was taken using waggler-and-maggot tactics on the River Avon at Seven Meadows, Stratford upon Avon. Martin nearly doubled the second-placed angler’s catch and cruised through to next month’s big-money Riverfest Final.

“I caught 24 chub, the biggest going 5lb 9oz!” the keen river angler explained.

“I used my newly purchased Acolyte Plus 14ft, bought from Bleak Hall Sports in Kempston. The rod was just superb in every way, handling all the chub in a way I just could not believe and with more to give if I needed it, so a massive well done on a fantastic rod. I now cannot wait to use it again on the River Wye!”

There are currently three Acolyte Plus float rods in the range. These include our very popular three-piece 13ft and 14ft models. New for 2016 is the Compact Acolyte Plus 13ft. This has all the excellent qualities of the traditional three-piece rod, plus a patented design that enables it to fold down into two equal-length sections (equivalent to a two-piece 12ft rod) plus a short handle section. This clever feature means there is only one ferrule in front of the reel seat, which improves balance even further.