Compact pleasure!

The Italian Job: a classic film famed for three Mini’s, each stylish, compact yet agile and powerful. Well, it’s
time to embrace the carping version: The Fox Job, starring its own scaled down, versatile, high performance character which was recently designed by the Essex-based tackle giants, the newly evolved FX9 reel!

The big questions

I’m not sure you can compare a reel to a Mini?
Why not? There are so many similarities, started with the cool and stylish look of the FX9 which is finished in black with tastefully understated graphics. The good looks continue throughout, with the light, slim look to the rear of the reel and the long spool at the front. Add the black bail arm and black handle with soft-touch rubber grip and the modern ‘chic look’ is complete.

The slim rear end of the reel

The FX9 might be compact, but it’s packed full of top tech

Yeah but looks aren’t everything, what about the guts?
Well, we were getting to that… The ‘chic’ is somewhat misleading as (just like a Mini) it covers a robust, hardwearing graphite body containing a list of high performance mechanisms, features such as the Quick Clutch with Grit Guard – giving you instant variable control over your hooked quarry from the run to the net. Five stainless ball bearings are also housed within the FX9 along with a Rotor Brake and Anti Backlash System. One touch we really liked and a sign of the attention to detail that’s been put into this reel are the two line clips on the spool – one black, one silver – a really handy feature.

Face on

The Quick Clutch with Grit Guard gives you instant variable control

That does sound good, but why would I want a smaller reel? Surely a larger big pit reel is a better option?
In some cases such as fishing at extreme-range yes, but the reality is that most anglers are way over-gunned when it comes to reels and matching their general fishing situation. There are stacks of occasions when a large reel isn’t required or can even become a hindrance. Take surface fishing for example: when you’re constantly holding the rod before your chance of a bite comes, at which point you want to lift the rod/line with instant speed and effect. Another time when a smaller, lightweight reel is a real benefit is when stalking with a shorter rod, perhaps just 6ft in length. It simply matches the type of lower test curve rods which make playing your average sized carp an absolute pleasure, and the type of rod adequate for commonly found smaller or intimate venues where hitting 150yds plus just isn’t required.

The reel’s clever too, featuring a Rotor Brake and Anti Backlash System

There’s two line clips on the spool: one black, one silver

Thanks to its super-slow oscillation, line lay is stunning

That does make sense, but I do find I
fish between 70 and 100yds quite a bit. Will I still be able to do this?
Yes, that won’t be a problem, as we said earlier there are a lot of hidden qualities held within the initial scaled down look of the FX9, one of which being the casting capabilities. Size isn’t always essential when hitting a longer cast – smooth line lay is a vital factor and a major feature of the FX9 thanks to its super-slow oscillation. The long style of the spool also helps (a spare spool is also included), as does the Pro Cast Lip on the spool – there to control the flow of line during the cast at an optimum level. Spool capabilities indicated further by the 80cm retrieve per turn of the handle, rounding off a reel that when coupled with a balanced rod will be an absolute pleasure to use.

“GIMME”: £149.99; additional spare spools, £19.99 each; foxint.com

The soft-touch rubber grip completes the look of the FX9

The FX9 even comes with a spare spool as standard