So who's used these new shimano rods?

Bassboss · Post by **Bassboss** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:56 pm

Look like they're gonna be great performers..... but I personally think they're kinda ugly.

Anyone use em?

Bassyak · Post by **Bassyak** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 2:20 pm

I just got the Crucial 6'8" M/MF Topwater rod and 7' MH/MF Crankbait rods after Christmas. Been using the Topwater rod and a Curado 50E to throw Luck E Strike RC STX jerkbaits so far and find it to be an almost perfect matchup. I can sling them on long casts easily and still put some good pop in the jerks. The 7 footer got a Lew's Tournament Pro for medium diving and lipless cranks. I can definitely feel what my Little John MD was doing while smashing it through the trees and rocks. Both have brought in some nice fish the last couple weekends (see my avatar). I love the action and the feel of the Shimano graphite crankbait rods. I wasn't sure about the new handles, but I have to say holding and using them has changed my minds. Very impressed thus far. I like the new hook holder style (except the location under the blank sometimes grabs the line) and the new reel seat very much as well.

cfiedbasser · Post by **cfiedbasser** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:33 pm

I got a Crucial Crankbait Rod 7'6" MH/MF. I like the rod. Weighs about 5.2 oz. on my scale. Only let-down to me is I can't cast a Little John DD with it very well, seems too much for it. However, 1 oz. is the top of the rod's weight range. 3/8 - 5/8 oz. fine. Haven't tried a 3/4 oz. yet...

taylor5877 · Post by **taylor5877** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 8:17 am

I got a 7'11" H flipping Compre, and it's very nice for what I got it for. It handles light Alabama rigs very well.

Bob Ellis · Post by **Bob Ellis** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:27 pm

I had my one-year-old Compre 6'6" MH spinning rod replaced under warranty with the new version (6'8") and I have to say I am not altogether convinced the upgraded blank is a whole lot better. It does not seem as crisp. The 'old' IM-8 Compre felt noticeably better than my St. Croix Premiers, the new IM-9 blank actually feels more like the Premier than the old Compre. I can't speak for the other models but I have had my eye on upgrading to a Crucial because I feel this new rod is not quite what the old one was somehow.

Dunno why. Higher grade graphite but less of and more glass in the blank? I can't say, might just be my perception.

CALL ME RIFLE · Post by **CALL ME RIFLE** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 3:48 am

Have to say that they dont feel as well balanced as the 2011 models..nor quite as sensitive.

Bob Ellis · Post by **Bob Ellis** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:24 pm

Here is a follow-up to my above post:

I recently picked up (thank you Santa and your magic gift-card wallet) the Clarus 6'10" MH spinnerbait rod. This is the blank material, apparently, that used to be my Compre, before it was replaced as described above. Same color but regular alu-ox guides instead of the Hardloys (also alu-ox anyhow). This rod feels crisp in the hand like my old Compre did.

It is possible that what I was perceiving as more sloppiness in the new Compre blank might have been duw to the power and action tweaks given to the series. The new series is considered technique specific and the closest rod available for the warranty replacement was rated for slightly lighter lures, though I still think it is not quite as fast either.

What this might mean for me is that as much as I became attached to the old Compre I can now buy a rod on the same or similar blank for $20 less.

smalljaw · Post by **smalljaw** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:55 am

Bob Ellis wrote:Here is a follow-up to my above post:

I recently picked up (thank you Santa and your magic gift-card wallet) the Clarus 6'10" MH spinnerbait rod. This is the blank material, apparently, that used to be my Compre, before it was replaced as described above. Same color but regular alu-ox guides instead of the Hardloys (also alu-ox anyhow). This rod feels crisp in the hand like my old Compre did.

It is possible that what I was perceiving as more sloppiness in the new Compre blank might have been duw to the power and action tweaks given to the series. The new series is considered technique specific and the closest rod available for the warranty replacement was rated for slightly lighter lures, though I still think it is not quite as fast either.

What this might mean for me is that as much as I became attached to the old Compre I can now buy a rod on the same or similar blank for $20 less.

You are probably right, a model made for multiple techniques as compared to a technique specific are going to feel different and there are a lot that won't like it. I guess if they used a better blank and kept the actions the same you would notice a difference and it would probably be better for the most part but it is hard to judge because the actions and powers are tweaked for a specific technique.

Bob Ellis · Post by **Bob Ellis** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 4:08 pm

smalljaw wrote:You are probably right, a model made for multiple techniques as compared to a technique specific are going to feel different and there are a lot that won't like it. I guess if they used a better blank and kept the actions the same you would notice a difference and it would probably be better for the most part but it is hard to judge because the actions and powers are tweaked for a specific technique.

Luckily the technique printed on the rod mostly matches what I use it for; light jigs, small worms, and tubes. I look forward to giving both the Compre Jig & Worm spinning and the Clarus Spinenrbait casting rods some further testing this summer as long as the fish agree to help.

So who's used these new shimano rods?

So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?

Re: So who's used these new shimano rods?