My Rod and Reel Setup 1.Estuary.

My Favorite Black Swan 852.

I received my Favorite Black Swan from Lowen-Chy Angling in St Austell, Cornwall.

This rod is my primary choice, especially for estuary fishing. I required a rod that was both shorter and lighter.

I opted for the 6-24g model. With a length of 8 5", it's ideal for estuaries, handling surface lures, sinking lures, metals, and creature baits effortlessly. This rod fulfils all my needs.

My Review of this rod here.

The Favorite Black Swan rods are the lightest, most refined, and most responsive options in the Favorite rod collection. Considering the cost, they represent some of the best value rods available and are rapidly gaining popularity among Bass lure anglers.

Shimano Vanford FA 3000 HG.

I bought my Vanford FA 3000 HG to match with my Black Swan Rod, as I needed a lightweight reel weighing just 97g. The Vanford appeared to be the ideal choice in terms of weight at 180g, providing excellent balance with the rod for all my estuary fishing. I have it spooled with Shimano Kariaki Braid in 14lb (6.5kg).

The Vanford is among Shimano's most responsive spinning reels, making it perfect for a variety of finesse fishing techniques. Its lightweight design and engineering deliver exceptional sensitivity that you can genuinely feel, which most users will appreciate.

I paired my Vanford with my Black Swan lure rod, which significantly improved the balance, as my Stradic felt excessively heavy at the butt end.

My Rod and Reel Setup 2.Beach.

Westin W2 Sea Bass.

For 2026 i have bought myself a Beech/Surf rod. Something i didn't get to try in 2025 and want to do more this year.

The W2 Sbass is Westin's budget rod, at 9'6 it will be useful on the beach and surf fishing, where I require a more robust rod for larger lures.

The W2 will allow me to use heavier lures into the surf and being slightly longer, will allow me to control any bass in the surf.

Shimano 23 Stradic FM 4000XG.

My Stradic FM 4000 XG is paired with my Westin W2 for Beach Fishing. This reel, weighing 275g, was recommended to me and it balances very well with the rod, hopefully to work well together for beech fishing in the summer ahead. I have equipped it with Shimano Kariaki Braid in 18lb & 22Lb .

The Stradic provides outstanding performance, combining strength, refinement, and smooth operation. It incorporates a significant level of advanced technology. It is powerful enough for handling heavy lures and battling large fish effortlessly while being smooth enough to offer precision when necessary. The Stradic is truly a joy to use for your in-shore saltwater lure fishing.

My Rod and Reel Setup 3.All Round.

Tyrants S902M.

Last Year when i visited Basslures UK as well as the lures i saw, i was shown some of the rods and reels they Stock too.

A range of rods and reels that Matt has given feedback on to help develop and which they import direct from the Factory. Tsurinoya a high quality manufacturer from China who makes the Tyrants rods.

I was well impressed with the 8"10" 7-35g version in which they sell as their all rounder. So i decided to get one for a all rounder, that i don't mind to worry about breaking or treating not so carefully. I tried it a few times and it punches out lures with ease, and looks super too,you could be mistaken to this rod for a branded expensive rod.It will be interesting to use this rod as my all rounded and give it a good run of sessions. Basslures customers have caught hundreds of bass on these rods in the last few years.

Brown Bear 3000.

To go with the Tyrants rod you can buy the Brown Bear reel, i went for the 3000 size and it balanced with the rod . I will be using Shimano Kariaki Braid in 18lb & 22Lb with this reel for estuary and some coast work.

The Brown Bear is a all metal reel and looks nice.It has a large ball handle and weights 285g. I will be using these combination and giving them a good trial in the coming year. Hopefully a review to see if this rod and reel kit is a super deal, i think it's going to surprise me a lot.