Arrived at my local river yesterday to discover a ferocious gale hurtling down stream. The wind was so strong that when I laid my rod on the ground it was flippped over by the stength of the gusts.

No problem. Was not my new acquistion, a sonik SK4 rod, matching sonik reel and #8 WF line designed exactly for these conditions?

This is one powerful piece of kit. Bring it on!

First cast, with me positioned just upstream of a sea trout, the line shot out and as I watched, was grabbed by the wind and laid perfectly exactly parrelel to the bank about 3' feet out

Second attempt: side cast, cutting just above the water surface. The wind is not as powerful here? I know cos I've read all about it. Once again the wind grabbed the line and laid it perfectly along the bank edge.

In the end the only way I could get a line out onto the water was to wade and roll cast downstream. Being a fast action, tippy rod, the SK4 is meant to be awful when used for roll casting. Not in these conditions. I was casting 30 yards without even trying

Pity the sea trout wasn't impressed.