Matrix Ethos Feeder Rod and Reel Review with Big Bird

Big Bird heads to Making Fishery to test out the Matrix Ethos Combo of the new 3500 XR Reel and the 10ft Matrix Ethos Feeder Rod.
Both of these pieces of tackle fall straight into the 'mid-range' budget for Matrix, so it will be interesting to see what Big Bird feels can be accomplished with these Angling un-identical twins.
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[@davidleigh2573]

Liked that, your productions are improving all the time. My gardening is done and hoping to get out on a new Club venue on Tuesday. 5 lakes all mixed fisheries. Stay safe and thanks

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Thanks so much David! It’s been a great day for the garden! 💪🏻 BB

[@andyseago1928]

Well done BB. I have had my first spell of Method Feeder Fishing for 15 years today. Nothing showing on the Pole so switched to the newly resurrected Feeder Gear. Came second with just over 17lb on a very hard Lake 😊

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Well done Andy!!! Genuinely, all the news I’ve heard about this weekend is that EVERYWHERE has fished rock hard! Well done for getting the feeder out buddy and we’ll done on second 👍🏻 BB

[@TheWrighty68]

Great looking Mirror BB 👌

[@FirstTimeFishing]

He had lovely scales Andy 👍🏻 BB

[@TheSlackstar]

Took ya time didn’t ya🤣🤣🤣 Nice fish in the end though. Not huge but I guess it was fighting on that reel? The Ethos Feeder rod looks very stiff 🤔 As ever, top video! Keep it up BB, we need more!!!

[@FirstTimeFishing]

It is stiff Slackstar, but gives you great confidence you could haul bigger fish! Haha, if you’d have sat there for the amount of time I had, to get that 1 fish for the cameras, I’m sure any angler would have taken the time 😆😆😆 nightmare 😆 BB

[@stevenanderson2105]

Great as usual, hope your well

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Thanks Steve, appreciate it 👍🏻 BB

[@danwalker5190]

H BB, Gutted I can’t come to the charity match. It’s my little ones 2nd birthday. I was going to travel from Middlesbrough. It would have been my first match. I will definitely be at the next one you do.

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Dan, hope your little one had a great birthday! We had a fantastic day! Hopefully see you at the next one 👍🏻 BB

[@tomhulme6769]

I use the matrix xrc feeder rod in a 9ft i very rarely use a tip over 1oz and chuck 15g/20g/25g with ease and accuracy and landed carp upto 15lb no issue at all its a bang up rod i use both the 3000 and 3500 reels are theyre both very well built ans high recommend both i even went and bought the xrc bomb rod in 9ft for commercials and its a great rod for fish upto 10lb after that its a struggle to turn and bring anything bigger upto the surface under the rod tip....im a matrix finatic from big items like the poles to the tiny terminal tackle bits

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Fantastic comment Tom! Great to know how you’ve found the gear! Thank you 🙏🏻 BB

[@tomhulme6769]

And id just like to add if you get anything from 8lb onwards on the xrc feeder it starts to bend at the blank but having that stiff blank just gives you that confidence of fishing close to a snaggy bank or like in the video a platform you can get that fish under control and heading in the right direction with ease and ive found if in a match your tightly pegged you can really crank down on the fish when its heading left or right in the next persons peg it will turn them and using a 1oz tip i can use a 5lb hook length and apply pressure with the reassurance of not being snapped even on the rare occasion of a fish thats hooked under the chin or on the outside of the mouth or in the tail when using a critcally balanced bait as sometimes has happened

[@FirstTimeFishing]

@@tomhulme6769 great to know Tom, thanks for giving the time for such an in depth experienced comment 👍🏻 BB

[@tomhulme6769]

@first time fishing i suspect your video was made with a day or two experience of the product ive been using over a year now so the least i could do is throw in my thoughts and experience of it from all the situations ive used it in from margin fishing to casting under over hanging trees a 10ft/11ft model would prohibit you from doing from the casting arc

[@FirstTimeFishing]

@@tomhulme6769 Absolutely Tom… I have the products for a couple of weeks usually and get out 3/4 times with them, sometimes all the same venue, but sometimes not… I also ask the person who lends it me (if I borrowed it) and get their take on using it too… the angler who owned these loved them! And described them very similar to how you have 👍🏻 I especially love the reel Tom, light, strong, powerful, feels reely good 😆 BB

[@Supersonic73]

Here's a suggestion for you what about groundbait and pellet review

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Great shout Craig… we’ve looked at it, and finding a venue with water clear enough to film is an issue… other than that it’d be a tank test, but then we don’t see it for real 🤷🏻‍♂️ it’s difficult… Here’s what we have planned soon though - Pellet wagglers, comparison across the ranges and what they look like below the water on casting. Send Big Bird your 30-40 second review, subscriber reviews 👍🏻 BB

[@philedwards1524]

Hi BB what happened to the Guru landing net handle mate?

[@FirstTimeFishing]

I was using Daz’s box and set up mate… he’s Matrix all the way 😆 BB

[@jamesstridgen6320]

Jus got the Free spirit Helical commercial feeder, but not tried it out yet

[@TheSlackstar]

I’ve got the CTX, they are brilliant. The Helical looks a fine bit of kit!

[@FirstTimeFishing]

You won’t be disappointed Jim! I can assure you! That rod is something else! 👌🏻 BB

[@davidsmith2663]

After watching your video l am thinking about trying the Aquos XR 3500 l have 2 x Aero XR reels and 2 x Centris reels and require another reel for my recently aquired CTX 9' should l risk a Matrix reel in either 3000 or 3500 for the CTX. What do you think?

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Sounds good to me David… I do like the Daiwa Ninjas and also the Shakespeare superteam, not had a play in anger with the aquos, but felt good in the hands 👍🏻 you’ll have to let us know what your thoughts are on it if you get one 👍🏻 BB

[@davidsmith2663]

@@FirstTimeFishing l didn't want to pay £100+ for my 9' CTX rod which will not get a lot of usage but l don't want something cheap and cheerful l do like quality. Angling Direct recommended a Daiwa Ninja BL which is exclusive to them so its between that and the Aquos. Daiwa brand is tried and trusted.????

[@FirstTimeFishing]

@@davidsmith2663 Preston Inertia is a great reel too… but, you are right, the Ninja has a relatively respectable and tested reputation across the Match and Course scene… I have one, and it’s never let me down 👍🏻 choices David, choices 😆 BB

[@Andyfishing23]

What do you mean when you’re talking about the ‘blank’ of a rod? Cheers BB 👍

[@FirstTimeFishing]

The blank is the part of the rod above the handle… the first part of the carbon that you come to… many of the high end and expensive carbons will bend all the way to the start of the handle… the free spirit hi-s and Daiwa SLR’s are perfect examples of this… they will not have any flat spots in the blank (thicker part of the rod)… many anglers like a progressive and forgiving action as the rod takes more absorption of the shock from the fish jolting and pulling, however… a stiffer blank that stays relatively flat is not as good at absorbing the shock, but tends to be more powerful (better at controlling bigger fish with heavier tackle) and aids in casting further. Stiffer rods tend to be built for bigger fish and bigger waters as a rule of thumb, but there are exceptions… hope that helps, great question Andy 🤷🏻‍♂️ BB

[@Andyfishing23]

Thanks mate. Cleared that up for us. 👍

[@Supersonic73]

Hey up big bird can I be cheeky you look a bit slimer😅

[@FirstTimeFishing]

Haha… COVID craig… has done wonders for the waistline! 😆 BB