I'm now looking at buying a 10ft retractable set up mainly due to the packdown size.

Rod wise I've been looking at Nash scopes, 10ft 3.5tc
Reels: potentially Scope reels or ultegra 5500 ci4.

I'm never usually fishing more than 100 yards but some of the waters I fish have 100lb + catfish in them so the extra strength is needed.

Are there any other opinions I should consider when it comes to what rod/reel

I've seen the Cotswold pace rods but not heard much about them & if I went that route I'd have to get them custom as I like abbreviated handles.

Any advice welcome.

In reply to Post #1
I use Sonik Insurgents in 3.5tc and Penn Affinities and am really happy with them

In reply to Post #1
I have the 3.5lb sonik xtractors paired up with okuma inc 6000 reels and they are a great combo. Think quite afew others would agree as seems afew on here have this setup too

In reply to Post #1
The sonik insurgent are a great rod great deals on eBay new lot of sellers doing great deals

I have Nash scopes, 10ft 3.5tc and Shimano medium bait-runners.

I just went in to the tackle shop and looked at a set of scopes and the insurgent rods, looks wise they are both nice looking rods but I prefer the Nash and how they felt in the hand I'd have to say the Nash felt superior, I know your mate on the end of the rod giving it a bend isn't very scientific but I did prefer the Nash.
It looks like I'm going to go with the Nash rods but now I'm just left with the decision on the reels.
Do I get the scope GT 6000 ( the clutch felt amazing )
Or get the Shimano ultegra 5500 ci4+?

I think I'm edging towards the Shimano as I can imagine they will cast better / further than the smaller spool of the scope 6000.

Does anybody know when the Nash scope 8000 GTL reels are supposed to be in stock in shops?
Many thanks.

Fised a year with the Nash dwarf 10ft 3.00lb cork great rods for there price, never fished with the Scopes.

I use the 5500xtd on my 10ft daiwa's, ci4+ is also a good choice they match perfect with 10ft rods.

Not sure I would want to fish for 100lb+ catfish with 3.5tc scopes, probably better off with good quality dedicated catfish rods.

In reply to Post #1
I have got the Sonik retractables and they have been great for the money. Had numerous 30+ fish out of weedy lakes using them.

10 ft 3.5tc scopes
Aero Technium 12000xtb Mgs

No gaffing around with 5500 sized reels, unless you're surface fishing you're hardly holding the rod all day just Chuck a 14000 ci4 on there it will genuinely be fine.

Plot twist ive had big cats in float gear by mistake, the key has and always will be steady pressure and let them go when they want to, you won't stop a cat in its tracks no matter what reel you use they'll just snap your hooklink .

I think the main problem is they can't turn and slash at tge hooklink with their claws

In reply to Post #10
OK if your fishing a clear area, use a 50lb kevlar trace to 2/0 strong hook and a proper cat rod 4.5tc and a decent lever drag reel for 100lb plus cats.

In reply to Post #6
Not sure the Scopes are better by 80 quid a rod over the Insurgents😉

In reply to Post #12
Totally agree I am tired of trying to convince people that the sonik range is at the right price the scopes are not a better rod just way overpriced I have both xtractors and insurgents great rods

In reply to Post #13
What's the difference like between the Xtractor and Insurgents?

Thinking of getting a 9ft Sonik spod rod and wondering if it's worth paying the extra for the Insurgent.

(I have a pair of 9ft 3lb Scopes, but can't justify spending the money for the 4.5lb Scope).

In reply to Post #11
I refuse to believe you can land a cat in any gear mate. They just lash out too much and hiss and those talons are f*cking murderous

In reply to Post #15
You should have a go at the big one in the river, see how you get on with that with the tide in full flow.

In reply to Post #10
Pretty sure those techs only have 1kg more drag pressure than a 5500 xtd, neither are really made for powerful fish.

In reply to Post #14
Take a look at the sellers on eBay selling new xtractors and insurgents great deals on there see what comes up at a good price that will make you decide as they sell more deals come on

New ESP rods worth a look, I'd take a Drennan approved blank over anything Sonik any day.

For me the Dwarf were much more fun to play a fish on than on the Soniks, was also amazed by the accurate casting characteristics, the 7 guides on the Dwarfs is also a good choice from Nash, can't believe more manufacturers don't use 7 guides as standard

When I had the Dwarfs (3 lb) with a Daiwa black widow 25A I was able to cast around 104 yards.

In reply to Post #20
I have the dwarfs for marker and spod rod, paired with sonik reels.

I bought a set of Sonik Extractor and although Im no rod expert they totally undwerwhelmed me. I really dont get the rave reviews on them. They might be ok for £50-£60ea but in essence felt a are a very basic blank to me.

i know its a packdown size thing to go for extending rods but I would go for non retractable myself .... Opens up far more options of better quality rods.

In reply to Post #22
No one is saying they are expensive rods hence the price £50 £60 but that's what there worth others are charging £160 £180 for rods that are worth £80 to £100 it's the oldest trick in the book put a Fuji reel seat on a cheap rod which some did in the 90s and make it look a quality rod and put the price up

In reply to Post #23
That's not strictly true. The blanks aren't the same, nobody but Nash and aqua (costswold and chiltern rods too I guess) charge those higher prices. Nash had the es dwarf which are on par with the cheap daiwa things and xtractors, is there any evidence to suggest the insurgent is technically better than a £70 odd regular dwarf? They look the same? Like a £500 high end rod looks the same as most other rods..
From what I've personally seen scopes lead the market in performance, terrible vfm they may be, but the best range and performance of these telescopic models. Good luck to them, I'd charge a premium too if my range and product were not only superior but my idea in the first place.
I'm not really sure how they're justifying £500+ rods these days, no way is there that much difference in raw material cost

In reply to Post #24
I don't understand this £500 a rod either in a word GREED but they didn't all together
invent the retractable rod it's the same principle as a telescopic rod and the only reason they where leading the market is because there was no competition till recently now there's a lot more choice I still don't get this superior rod idea terrible vfm ?

In reply to Post #25
Scope knocker, I've got got 2.25tc and they are are far nicer rod to use than the budget sonic which I've also had and got rid of. Same with most things there is always a cheaper alternative like I buy free range corn fed chicken but could buy a battery farmed one for half the price but I can tell the difference while you would probably say the price isn't justified. Each to there own.

In reply to Post #26
Your missing the point I am not saying that xtractor is as good as scopes I am saying about price xtractor are a cheap rod at a cheap price scopes are not a top quality rod so at £160 a £180 there way overpriced if they where £100 tops £120 that's about right imo

In reply to Post #27
Paid £150 a peice for mine and thought it was fair but I have rods from from £70 to over £500 each and I'm more than happy with them all. In fact when I look at how versatile my old mk1 scopes were and what I caught on them they are probably good value compared to the more expensive ones which are purely for distance fishing even though I could use them close in I choose not too.

Next year I will buy retractable rods again and the scopes are a serious candidate, although I will start with 1 if i don't like it I will buy a pair off Dwarfs again, sorry to say but even if the soniks are 50% cheaper i still will buy the Nash retractable rods, the Soniks extractor felt completely different then the Dwarf ( not tried tbe insurgents) the dwarf felt more stable in the butt and less wobbly in the tip.

Price to high? lol have seen bedchairs in the store that normally go for 500 that were offered for 200 with promotions and the still make money on it, it's all a steal, and in the end you decide for yourself as what you pay, a scope of 160/180 if it is good I have no problem with it.

I've had Nash Scopes in various lengths and TC's over the years including 10ft 3.5 - I now have Sonik Insurgents in 10ft 3.5tc and actually prefer them to the Nash rods (personal preference) I found them better to cast with and better to play fish and have been really happy since I switched last year.

I've not used the insurgents but had scopes in 3.5 and found them like broom handles

I've now got extractor recons in 3.25 and they are a much more forgiving rod