Nash Entity Rods and NXT D-Cam Line! Combo!

So for the past few years I have been using JRC Defender rods in 2.3/4lb test curve as they were all I could afford at the time. I kept them as I really enjoyed the fish playing action of them and at the time saw no need to upgrade. It got to the point however that they couldn't stand up to the fishing that I am doing now and I wanted a rod that could handle a large pva bag at 70+ yards.

As I was doing the marshalling for the BCAC and UKCC last year I was earning Nash vouchers and had been to a few road shows that Nash had at various events. After talking to a few of the guys they recommended the Entity rods in a 3.5lb test curve. So I bit the bullet and got a pair with the vouchers I had earned. Not long after the order was put in I started to hear stories of the rods snapping on people and thought I had made a bit of a blunder with the choice of rod. Later I found out that the rods that were snapping were the 3lb test curve rod and this was because people had been overloading the rod. Trying to cast large bags, heavy leads etc as if it was a 3.5lb rod so that put my thoughts at ease.

I received my rods on a Friday and sods law I was working all weekend so it wasn't until the next week that I managed to get out on the bank and have a go on the rods! So it was early December and cold and I decided to go to a large lake and fish the far bank so I could get some longer casts in. When I took the rods out of their bags I was taken aback by the satin finish and carbon weave, it looked stunning along with the Nash engraved butt caps. I screwed my Shimano 10000's on to the Fuji reel seat and they fit snug as a bug. I fed my line through the 50mm butt ring and then the remaining rings with ease and tied my favoured loop knot ready for a Nash Diffusion leader. I attached my leader which was set with a 1.5oz in-line bag lead shocker style and a short KD rig with a DNA Baits PB fluoro wafter. The lot was then bundled in to a PVA bag and tied of ready for casting. I estimated that the tree line to my right was around 70 yards so I got out the ESP Boilie Pult and spread a few handfuls of S7 14mm boilies along the tree line and then lined up my cast. Now, in hindsight, I should have attached a lead and had a cast out to get my distance right then clipped up before tying a bag on straight away but we live and learn! Anyway I loaded the rod and soon had the bag flying effortlessly out over the lake and straight in to the overhanging tree! Luck would have it that I pulled out of the tree and the bag landed about 5 foot off the bank! Lucky!

The rod felt beautiful in my hands. After using the 2.75 rods for so long I was scared that these beefier rods would feel heavy and clumsy but I couldn't be more wrong. They weigh less than my old rods and have a great through action which makes them 'feel' like a lighter test curve.

So I repeated the process with my second rod but attached my Choddy leader with one of my multi-chods and a DNA Milky Malt pop up. Time to test the rods casting power. Straight in front of me is the no fishing bank and about two thirds of the way across is a plateau which I guess is at around 100 yards. I attached an  Avid 2.5oz distance lead on the end of the leader and picked a far bank marker. Loaded the rod and let forth a mighty cast! Feathering the line as I felt the lead running out of steam it landed on the plateau bang on, now I'm not a great distance caster so was utterly impressed that I hit 100 yards!

Early December Frosts With The Entitys On The Sod Pod

Anyway after an hour or so the chod rod ripped off and from the take I could tell it was one of the smaller fish in the lake as it came in fast and then went mental under rod tip. Again I was very worried that the rods would be too powerful for me and I would bump the smaller fish with their fast lunges. But I should not have worried as the rod performed brilliantly and the fish was soon in the net. Unhooked, weighed and photographed for our records the fish was returned and again the rig was sent out to the plateau. The weather started to deteriorate and get a bit colder just as the choddy went again with another small but angry carp. With two fish in a few hours fishing I was more than happy and too hit 100 yards was even better!

I managed to get back out on the bank with my daughter a few days ago and decided that while I was only using the one rod then it was a perfect opportunity to respool my reels with the Nash NXT D-Cam main line.

NXT D-CAM Line As Good As Subline? We Will See

 I followed the instructions and the line went on my reel very nicely, the low diameter of the 12lb line letting it sit perfectly. After respooling I made a few casts to the far bank so that I could retrieve and bed the line down even better. Coupled with the Entity rods the leads landed exactly where I wanted them to every cast. So with new line and rods now all I need to do it actually catch something!

Entitys With My Shimano's Loaded With D-Cam

Anyway with the rods all set up I tested some line in the margins and if you have not used the Nash Diffusion stuff then you probably wont believe me but it disappears the second it touches the lake bed! I've been using Subline for the past year and while I do like the colouring and how well it sinks I found that it got rough quite quickly and had some bad twists in it after getting a run. I hope the Nash line performs better. From what I have read the D-cam line is very durable and sinks just as well. So here's hoping that a few fish fall foul to the camouflage line and the Entitys guide them to the net well.

Can not wait to get out to Q lake next month and give everything a good old run out!

Till next time. Matt.