Wednesday Review... Drennan Acolyte Carp Pole

This entry was posted on 10th September, 2014

Drennan Acolyte Carp Pole Review

For today’s Wednesday review our good friend and deputy editor of Coarse Angling Answers, Steve Martin, looks at the new Drennan Acolyte Carp Pole.

The last 18 months have seen Drennan’s Acolyte range increase at a rapid rate. First there was the top-of-the-range Acolyte pole, which was extremely well received by match anglers, plus the introduction of the Ultra Float-rod range. These were followed closely by the Power models, both of which have been reviewed on our blog.

There are more rods on the horizon, but the latest addition – the Acolyte Carp pole – has really got the jungle drums banging.



Aimed primarily at the commercial-venue market, this pole comes in a range of 13m, 14.5m and 16m options, and the real bonus is the price. The shorter option comes in at a fiver under a grand, and the full length version is a tad under £1,600. Plus, you get a massive package for your money.

The Carp pole itself is made on the same mandrel as the top-end Acolyte, but is constructed from ultra-high-modulus carbon and resins to give extreme stiffness for a slim pole, and means the two top kits are interchangeable between the two models.

Whichever length if pole you choose to buy, you will get the same standard package. This consists of four side-pull top-two kits, two side-pull double two kits, an extra-rigid cupping top two, a 62cm reversible section that fits in the No.5 and No.6 sections when fishing short, and a 72cm reversible section that fits in the No.7 section and in the ends of the 13m, 14.5m and 16m butt sections.



And there’s more, as each pole comes supplied with a Visi Case that includes: roller cones that fit in the side-pull top kits, plus an extractor rod; a Polemaster pole pot, plus spare adapter; a section of side pull beads; 30 superslick PTFE bushes; an EVA nose cone that fits in the No.4 section and four skid bungs to help protect your pole when shipping back. That’s the standard package, but Drennan does offer top-kit packages that can be tailored to individual requirements.

So what’s it like on the bank? Well, once you get the pole out of the supplied holdall, the thing you discover is the top kits are ready to use without cutting back if you want to fish with low diameter solid elastics. However, it doesn’t take long to cut the top section back to fit one of the supplied bushes if you plan to fish with hollow elastics. I also like the longer length of the top kits as they eliminate the need for a short four.



I took the pole to my local carp-bagging water and, when I arrived, it was clear the fish were up In the water so I chose to fish shallow – feeding 6mm pellets and slapping a short rig on the top. I had a full 16m metres with me, but I felt that as most club/pleasure anglers would have a 13m model, it was best to stick at that distance and see how the pole performed.

It usually rains when I test poles, and this session was no different, so it allowed me to see how shipping in and out was. The pole’s excellent finish allowed me to ship smoothly, and when it came to adding or removing sections the knurled finish on the ‘male’ end of the pole ensured there was no fear of jamming, which often happens in the wet.

I fished at the full 13 metres at the start of the session and at that length the pole was nice and stiff, and it didn’t put a strain on my back. I caught fish from the off, and once I’d shipped back to the puller-type top two I found that, with the roller cone fitted, pulling the elastic was not only smooth but there was nine of the noise that you normally get with some other systems. After a time, the fish moved a little further out so I added the short extension, which was enough to put me back on them. I had 50lb in the net in no time at all by slapping, and at no point did the sections come loose, which often happens due to the rotating motion you can get when slapping baits on the surface.

I was really impressed with the pole – the package and the price – and if it wasn’t the cast that I am extremely happy with my current pole, I would seriously think about buying one myself.

Buy The Drennan Acolyte Carp Pole