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Shimano is known for their reels. Having started to produce them several decades ago, this company has reached excellence and is a world leader. However, not many people know that Shimano also produces other fishing equipment, including feeder rods.
So, all anglers know about Shimano. The Shimano Biomaster feeder reel is the ultimate dream for most people who are seriously engaged in fishing, because this is perhaps the most expensive reel produced in large batches and sold in our stores, suitable for feeder fishing. The quality of branded coils of other models is also on top. Shimano is a pioneer in this field, bringing the technology of modern mass production to fishing gear.
However, not everyone knows that Shimano also produces rods. Feeder, spinning, float fishing rods of this company are no worse than reels. They are good quality, lightweight and work well. Of course, there are better ones. Many rods are made individually, according to the requirements of a particular person. They lie much better in the hand, better match the ideas of one fisherman about fishing.
But still, modern materials suggest a more or less mass-produced nature. Shimano follows its tradition, moving away from the artisanal principle in the production of fishing tackle and automating production as much as possible. At the same time, rods are obtained, albeit not the best, but they absorb all the most perfect from the world of technology.
The materials used by this company are of high quality. Rods are made from both pure carbon and composite materials. At the same time, materials of their own production are used, remanufactured from military products at their factories. By the way, all high-quality carbon in fishing rods is a by-product of the aviation industry in Western countries. The material has a high degree of repeatability, and rods from different batches do not differ in any way either in formation, or in test, or in “playing” characteristics.
On the “playing” characteristics of rods. This term is officially used by the company to describe their own rods. After all, no numbers can accurately convey the feelings of the angler during fishing. It is the playing characteristics of the rod that explains why, for example, a thousand dollar rod will be less enjoyable than a hundred dollar rod – simply because it is less able to give pleasure from playing fish, to make a quality cast without making a lot of effort.
For example, when craft rods are made from natural materials, they are much inferior to high-tech rods in terms of mass, test, and action. But they feel superior to them, and this is one of the reasons why people continue to make them and find their customers. Shimano is doing a lot of work in this direction, improving the game performance and making fishing as enjoyable as possible in terms of recreation.
Another difference from hand-made is the thorough workmanship. Loomis rods, for example, allow for some modification. Both the lacquer on the rings and the materials of the handle can fail here with the expectation that they are then remade by anglers anyway. Shimano is clear: you buy a product and use it. Their rod is a whole living organism that has its own habits and character, harmonious and holistic.
Why does Shimano make feeder rods?
It would seem that a well-known company produces coils. They have such a good income! Why spend money on the production of rods as well? Buying equipment, mastering a previously unknown industry? The answer is simple – it’s marketing.
The fact is that the brand should look good not only on the shop window, but also flicker at various fishing exhibitions. Shimano has set itself the goal of taking up space in all the displays, not just the reel display. And they achieved this – the Japanese generally achieve everything in the end. Feeder fishing is no exception.
In the West and in Japan, the feeder is not as popular as in Europe and Russia. The fact is that fishing there is just a pastime. Usually they fish there on paid reservoirs, the average duration of fishing is no more than four to five hours. The process itself is important, not the extraction of fish. Caught by busy people who, besides fishing, have many other things to do. Therefore, in the United States, spinning is the most popular, and in Japan and other eastern countries – float fishing.
We have it somehow connected with the capture of fish. Even if she is released, there will still be a reason to show off in social networks with a full cage in the photo. And feeder fishing almost everywhere, both on a wild reservoir and in the city, brings results. In addition, there are many fans of the so-called bottom fishing, especially in Eastern Europe. For them, the feeder will be its logical continuation. In addition, it is more consistent with the catch-and-release principle, as it allows you to get fish without allowing them to swallow the hook deeply.
That is why feeder gear has not been left without attention, and Shimano feeders are presented in the catalogs of almost all stores. Not only rods are produced for this type of fishing – feeder reels from Shimano, Shimano Technium line, and other gear are made for feederists.
How and where to buy
As already mentioned, the main thing in feeders from Shimano is their tactile characteristics, the feeling of fishing. Almost all of them allow you to produce the most accurate casting with minimal effort. How it all will feel in practice – you will not understand until you try it. It is a bad idea to buy such rods “behind the eyes”, in online stores and on aliexpress. Firstly, you can buy not quite what you wanted, and secondly, you can buy a fake. After all, well-known brands, unfortunately, are counterfeited more often than unfamiliar ones.
The best way is to ask an angler friend to let you use a Shimano rod. You can immediately hear from him both reviews and recommendations about this stick. And see everything for yourself. However, this is a very rare case. Therefore, it is easiest to purchase them at fishing exhibitions. It is there that you can find a good assortment, everything to see and try.
In provincial fishing stores you can find them much less often. First of all, because of the high price. The low popularity of the rods of this brand also plays its role. Shimano spends a lot of time and effort on advertising their reels, but feeders are poorly advertised. But this does not mean that they are worse than others. On the contrary, you can buy candy for the same price that is offered for the worst rod. More often you can buy this brand in a large city. In any case, it is easiest for wealthy buyers to come to the exhibition to buy an expensive novelty.
Rod overview
As already mentioned, feeder rods were created by Shimano for marketing purposes. And the main products of the company are not rods, but reels. Therefore, the feeders have the same names as the series of coils of the same name: feeder Shimano Bestmaster, Alivio, Sper Ultegra and others.
What the company was guided by when choosing names is not entirely clear. The only thing that connects reels and rods is the price range. Of course, the materials used and the quality of workmanship directly depend on it. A reasonable conclusion immediately follows from this: you should not overpay for a brand in the low price segment. A real firm starts at a price of one hundred dollars per rod. In the lower segment, only the price of the brand makes up a large part of the price of the goods, and little is left of the quality.
In total, eight series are presented in the feeder segment – Aernos, Super Ultegra, Joy, Alivio, Fireblood, Speedmaster, Bestmaster and Speedcast. They completely capture the range of a universal feeder with a rod from three meters and a cast load up to 150 grams. The highest price series is Ultegra, the lowest is Joy, represented by a single feeder.
As is usually the case with good brand rods, their test is fairly well defined. If the rod is designed to cast a bait weighing 100 grams, you can safely put a load of such a mass and throw it with all your might over long distances. Cheap feeders of this test usually assume a soft, careful cast at the upper boundary.
With the lower limit of the test when casting, everything is also not bad. Usually fairly stiff carbon sticks throw poorly in the lower test range. But Shimano uses good enough materials to work just as well with small light feeders as with large heavy ones.
Rod length, test and casting distance are directly related. It is much easier to throw a load at a distance with a long rod than a short one. This is due to the fact that the amplitude and final velocity increase at the same angular velocity of the swing. But doing the swing itself will be easier if you use a handle that matches the length of the rod. Shimano feeder rods have a handle that matches their length. Longer sticks have a longer handle so that even with a heavy feeder you can get a good acceleration with the lever. And the shorter ones have a smaller handle, which makes them more compact and easier to use. Lure test and rod length are also directly related. In all Shimano series, there is a slight increase in the maximum test with the growth of the stick.
Rings and whips are something that gets a lot of attention. All whips on long Shimano feeders have oversized rings, which makes it easier to pass the knot when using a shock leader on a long cast. The whip, as any feeder knows, has a great influence on the quality of the rod, on its “playing” properties. This is especially expressed in picker fishing. Many manufacturers generally produce pickers without a set of interchangeable whips, because it feels comfortable with its own tip, which is the signaling device. And the lack of unnecessary articulation adds rigidity and quality to the blank.
By the way, Shimano’s pickers were practically ignored. There are three pickers from the Aernos series in total, and they are longer than the classic ones. They can rather be attributed to light feeders designed for fishing in still water over a long distance with a small load.
New Shimano Catana CX Series
The series consists of three rods, with progressive test and length, from 3.66m/50g to 3.96m/150g. There are two models with variable length. These rods are new, made of high quality composite materials using Geofibre, a new material for the company. The series pleases everyone – and design, and price, and working qualities. Unfortunately, the tips that come with the kit have a minimum test of 1 ounce, and are not quite suitable for fishing in still water, here you will have to buy half tips.
Shimano Beastmaster
– this series is already focused on a tighter wallet. The rods of this series are distinguished by their excellent casting qualities and sensitivity. The hallmark of the series is a very thin blank of light weight, which allows you to make a high-quality cast and feel the behavior of the fish when playing. The series has a height/test range from 3.6/90 to 3.92/150, the 70g model has a variable length of 2.77/3.35m, and the 4.27m model has a test up to 120g and is designed for long and extra long casts. This series allows you to choose a blank for any fishing conditions.
Is it worth taking
The most important question that all anglers ask. The answer here is quite simple. If you have a meager choice of rods in your arsenal, and your wallet is not too tight, you should opt for something simpler. In the end, in feeder fishing, the rod is not as crucial for fishing comfort or performance as it is in spinning or fly fishing. However, if you want to dance with a famous brand in front of your friends on the shore, or just try something good, if before that you didn’t have a rod that costs more than $50 in your arsenal, take Shimano! It is also suitable as a first feeder if the price range allows. It is better to start fishing with a good rod, so as not to be disappointed later and not to abandon this type of fishing.