WANT TO BE A REEL WINNER?

£1,819 SHIMANO COMPETITION www.shimano-eu.com

Well here’s your chance, because we have seven pairs of the brand-new Shimano Biomaster 8000XSB reels to give away.

New reels from the Shimano stable are hitting the tackle shops this summer. Those of you that regularly scour the shelves for the latest additions to any tackle ranges may have already come across one or two by now. The Biomaster XSB is one of the new releases and we have seven pairs to give away to lucky TC readers.

The Biomaster reel was first launched on to the carp market 20 years ago and its popularity soared quickly; it’s held in high regard to this day. The reason is simple, it’s a workhorse of a reel with a sensible price tag and it performs brilliantly. These fundamental benefits are just as pertinent with this latest XSB model as they were when the Biomaster was first launched.

While the overall shape of the Biomaster, and value for money, has changed little over the years, the features that this new reel boasts have come on in leaps and bounds. The Aero Wrap II feature is a worm gear oscillation system, which provides a uniform line lay. Coupled with the AR-C spool, which has a tapered lip, this allows the line to peel off the spool with reduced friction and a reduced chance of wind knots on the cast. In short, these two features work together to aid your casting.

The Instant Drag, which is micro-adjustable, is the other major feature that will have a direct effect on your angling. This allows you to go from a free-spool setting to a tight clutch in less than one rotation of the front dial. Essentially, this gives you a free-spool facility… or close to it at least.

The drag is waterproof, the stainless-steel bearings are shielded and there’s an easy-maintenance port as well – previously only found on Shimano’s flagship reels. Along with the build quality, and the reassurance of Shimano’s after-sales support and Felindre service centre, what you have here is a reel for life, or at the very least, a sizeable portion of your angling career.

The Biomaster 8000XSB has a price tag of £129.99, and it gives you an awful lot for the money. When compared with other reels on the market with a similar price tag it holds its own comfortably. It’ll even put a few higher-priced reels to shame as well!

If you’re in the market for a new set of reels then get down to your local Shimano stockist and have a play with this one, you will not be disappointed. That is, if you’re not one of the seven winners of this competition, in which case a pair will be heading your way free of charge.