Shimano Cardiff Native Special B42UL-3 Rod Review: Shock Pike on BFS!

Stay up to speed with BFS fishing here: fishingdiscove...
In his first trip out with the Shimano Cardiff Native Special BFS rod - a tiny 4' 2" small trout stream special - JP hits into a fish that isn't supposed to be so far up a small trout stream...
Not large by pike standards - but certainly not something we'd expect as a first capture on a trip out to a little, headwater stream. Paired with the Shimano Calcutta Conquest BFS HG, the combo cast lures between 1.7g and 3g comfortably. It also dealt with the pike with no issues (and it was luckily hooked on the outside of the mouth - so no problems with biting through the line).
John was carrying a small trout net - appropriate to the size of the fish in that stream (and much more at home with the trout I managed as a little bonus while John let me have a try with his outfit!). So, a quick shoulder grip was in order to allow him to lay the fish in the shallows and "chin" while unhooking (keeping well clear of the gill filaments).
The Fishing Discoveries motto of experiencing a wide range of styles in order to become a well-rounded angler certainly helps in fish landing, handling and unhooking. Of course, it always helps you to get hooked up in the first place when you can draw on lots of cross-pollination of tactics.
Enjoy!
Paul

[@Sean_Woodburn]

Nice surprise. Lovely vignette!

[@neilmcghee1016]

Great images as usual guys!

[@kennylim136]

I love this rod. Thanks for showing!

[@wirinharwirjawan6422]

Great info and thanks for sharing

[@catchacow1927]

Looks like a nice bit of kit. Great video 👍🏻

[@FishingDiscoveries]

Thanks for posting CC - glad you enjoyed it and cheers for the positive feedback. Paul

[@TheBe05]

amazing rod

[@WarEagleTheBest]

Hello! How this rod handles spoons, spinners in 1.5-2.5g range? can't decide between this one or Daiwa progressive glass rod...

[@FishingDiscoveries]

I'm not sure if John has seen this comment so I'll reply on his behalf. If you are trying to choose between this rod and a glass rod, it might mean that this one is a bit too fast-actioned and stiff for you. However, I would say that it will handle lures in the 1.7 to 2.5g range quite comfortably. I haven't thrown anything lighter than 1.7 g on it (as it is John's rod and I've only had a relatively short time fishing with it. I hope this helps - and obviously rod choice is such a personal taste that it is very difficult for me to advise you from this side of my computer screen! Paul

[@gnfishingbfs]

Nice looking set up. 👌

[@FishingDiscoveries]

Yeah, I'm a little jealous of John's Cardiff rod... hehe. Paul

[@leepao6302]

I owned the 54ulb model is very nice and i love it a lot

[@fairladyz9957]

How light and heavy can it cast

[@jeffslade1892]

What is the action of the Shimano rod? It is difficult to make a decision when they do not tell us in the specifications. I get confused with UL rods. The UL is the power, the lure weight range, but they do not always give us the rod action. Many of these small rods are XF, Extra Fast, action, dropping through F, R, S, and even Ultra Soft. Very much a personal choice but to cast a light lure we need to load the rod and it can be difficult to load the stiffest UL rods because there is next to no weight on the tip.

[@FishingDiscoveries]

I'd put it somewhere in the F to MF zone Jeff.

[@toddhansen8831]

Excellent show I have the same reel what is that handle called and where did you get it looks very nice

[@FishingDiscoveries]

It was from Aliexpress. Don't know if KZbin allows the link but here goes: www.aliexpress.com/item/4000741754347.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.d6bc78bbYcNin5 Don't forget to order 2 as there sold as singles.

[@JeramAnglers]

Very nice video quality and clear. What camera setup did u used

[@FishingDiscoveries]

The short answer (on John's behalf) is Panasonic Lumix GH5. Thanks for the positive feedback, Paul

[@JeramAnglers]

@@FishingDiscoveries thanks!

[@silantevyuriy1982]

Приветствую! Как вам данное кастинговое удилище? Точный заброс и как по тесту?

[@tombeno8746]

More than a few of those toothy things in that stretch, and it won't have much left by way of small trout!

[@themib6747]

Do you have this reel in the UK?

[@FishingDiscoveries]

Hi there, rod or reel? Both were bought from Japanese retailers that shipped to the UK within a few days.

[@themib6747]

@@FishingDiscoveries Hi there. Thanks for the reply. The reel. Its not a ‘UK’ model and the Shimano service centre said they “wouldnt touch it”, so I bought the 22 Aldebaran.

[@exitar1]

you need a real net..

[@FishingDiscoveries]

It probably goes without saying but we were only expecting small trout in that stream. It's the first/only pike we've encountered on it in many years of fishing there. Paul

[@roku1062]

釣りに言葉は要りませんね😄

[@FishingDiscoveries]

仰るとおり ! よろしくおねがいします

[@DinoPaco]

Publicité sur un produit Qui ne peux pas & Ne saurai comblé les Belge INTROUVABLES en 🇹🇩 et Non Comercialiser ‼️⁉️❓ ITALIE 🇮🇹 OUI ‼️ POURQUOI ❓ MERCI SHIMANO PAS SERIEUX COMMANDÉ A L ÉTRANGER.. AUTRES MARQUES SERONS bien venue J abandonne Shimano ..

[@FishingDiscoveries]

Most of the Japanese retailers ship globally - and with the Japanese Yen being valued much lower against many currencies currently there are significant savings available. The rod in this video was bought and paid for as a normal customer as part of John's fishing interest and the video was made as a customer review (so it wasn't created as publicity - and there aren't even any affiliate purchase links for the product in this video). If it is helpful, I noticed that there was just one of the 4ft 7" versions of this rod in stock at Digitaka as I write this: www.digitaka.com/item/5/6/6/4969363395535 Their shipping seems to be fast and I hear good reports from BFS anglers belonging to the FB group "BFS Finesse Fishing" who order from that particular store on a regular basis.