I’ve been using my Akios FireLoop for around two months now at a variety of venues throughout Scotland, and can honestly say that it will stand up to almost any type of fishing you could put it through!
My shallow spool is loaded with 0.17mm braid – 300m fits on with a bit of backing – and I love this along with a tapered leader for my clean beach fishing for Flounders, Dabs, Plaice, etc. The vented lightweight spool is great with this set up, and with the overall weight of the reel kept to a minimum, you can really feel a connection when a fish is hooked.
The graphite spool has nylon – 0.30mm 12lb again with a tapered leader – to give me the option of changing line type depending on the conditions, and swapping spools takes no time at all on the beach with a large, easy to grip drag cap.
This brings me neatly to the quick drag – an excellent idea which can save a match angler many minutes when conditions are bad and you are constantly getting weed trapped in your tip eye, or to quickly give line to stop that specimen fish get away as it lunges for the depths just when you think its beaten.
Line lay is excellent – I filled both spools straight from the box with no adjustment and it was almost perfect on each one, then bedded both in with a few casts on the beach.
For a reels of its size and solidity, the Akios Fireloop must be one of the lightest in its class. It’s lack of weight belies its strength, and even when winding under extreme pressure and it’s seven ball bearings ensure it stays smooth, with little or no spool movement from the sturdy spindle.
Ultimately what I really love about this reel is its no nonsense simplicity. Its a work horse that has some excellent design elements which have been incorporated to help you catch fish, not just catch the eye. Although it is a little stunner to look at as well!
All the best with your fishing,
Scott.
Endurance Pro RS2 Review
The Akios Endurance Pro RS 2 Surf Rod.
I first got my hands on this little twin tip some time ago and its now constantly in my rod bag, for when conditions or target species allow.A little bit about the Akios Endurance RS 2 it retails at £249.99 and offers fantastic value for money and here are my reasons why.
At four meters, long or fourteen feet in old money this rod has lots to offer fully built from Fuji components throughout as all AKIOS rods, it comes in A soft padded rod bag to help prevent damage during transit.
The hybrid tip.
This is the tip I use for 95% of my time on the beach. Strong yet delicate it’s perfect for fishing soft delicate baits for Flatfish such as Maddies blow lugworm and bivalve’s such as Clams Mussels and Cockles and lightly whipped Peeler baits without the fear of destroying your perfectly presented baits during the cast enabling you to fish with confidence knowing your bait is as intended when it reaches the seabed.
At fourteen feet, long it also makes A great rod for fishing fish strips for Garfish Scad and Mackerel on long pop-up rigs and teamed with A lightweight fixed spool it is also A great rod for touch ledgering. The bite detection is electric registering the smallest bite from the longest of range.
I also use the hybrid tip when fishing larger baits such as whole squid for Bass in the gutter and double Eel and Squid wraps at distance for Ray’s. The rod performs impeccably with the lightest of leads through to 175 grams with no fear of it letting you down.
The Tubular Tip.
It’s reassuring to know that if I need it I only have to grab it from the bag.
This tip definitely steps the rod up in power and will be beneficial when you need that little more lead to carry A large bait out there if fishing into A headwind. Casting and bite detection.
Casting this rod is effortless it’s very light in hand and suits A progressive smooth transition of power through the blank. Bite detection on the hybrid tip is exceptional. like all hybrid tips if it’s extremely windy it can bounce but the solution would be simply to replace it with the tubular tip.
General fishing.
The beauty about all three piece continental rods is that they offer you so much more feel than A conventional beach caster the Akios Endurance RS 2 is no exception you will literally feel every turn or headshake of the fish through the rod.
If you are looking for A rod that offers that little bit more bang for your buck that is A joy to use and will bring A smile to your face I would certainly have A go with one!
