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The Ultimate Poison – Shimano and Jackall Bring JDM Poison Ultima Rods Stateside
| Date: |
7/10/23 |
| Tackle type: |
Rods |
| Manufacturer: |
Shimano/Jackall |
| Reviewer: |
Zander |
Introduction: In the Enthusiast tackle community there is often the
feeling that some of the best, and highest-end offerings, are reserved for the
home market. Shimano and Jackall are answering the call by bringing the
ultra-high end Poison Ultima rods to U.S. shores stateside. These rods feature a
number of unique design attributes and performance characteristics that make it
the highest-end Shimano rod made available in the U.S. yet.
Shimano is bringing the highest
end Poison rod to the US this season
Beware the
Poison: The Poison Ultima are
fittingly names and are the pinnacle of the Poison Series and like the Stella
spinning reel is a halo product that serves as a showcase for Shimano’s most
advanced technologies.
The Poison Ultima blends both
Shimano and Jackall technology and design. All rods feature Spiral X Core and
Hi-Power X for multi-directional strength and twist resistance
Both the casting
and spinning Poison Ultima rods are stunning, and I compare them to a supercar
in terms of both performance and styling. The most noticeable characteristics of
the rods are the carbon grips. Casting models feature Shimano’s Full Carbon
Monocoque grip that leverages a full-carbon design designed to deliver extreme
sensitivity and showcasing a new handle shape that Shimano and Jackall developed
by scientifically analyzing tournament anglers’ movement and holding posture to
elevate performance.
I fished the rods with Shimano's
Pro Anglers yesterday. Elite Angler Alex Wetherell lands a nice fish with the
Poison Ultima casting rod
The Poison
Ultima spinning rods feature what the companies are calling the “Carbon Shell
Grip,” a lightweight, hollow structure that was created to enable anglers to
determine even the slightest differences underwater as it transmits vibration
through the hand.
The casting rods feature Full
Carbon Monocoque grips for sensitivity
Spinning rods feature Carbon Shell
Grips that are hollow for extra sensitivity
Shimano’s also
leverages their flagship Spiral X Core technology to blend lightness and
increased multi-directional strength while combining with Hi-Power X technology
for added blank twist resistance. The hardware is also proprietary and
high-performance and lightweight Shimano X-Guides which are designed to be tough
and sensitive.
MLF Pro Angler with a fish caught
with the Poison Ultima spinning rod
I fished the
Poison Ultima rods on Lake Yale in Florida this week in advance of ICAST paired
with a variety of reels, including the new Curado 200 and Stradic FM series. The
rods feel even better than they look, and I mean that as a compliment.
The combo with this Poison rod and
the Antares is pretty "ultimate"
The styling is
modern, edgy, and yet very functional. As an example the rear grip on the rods
are angled so that they will either rest flush against your inner arm, or tucked
under your forearm so that depending on your application or fishing preferences
there is maximum contact with your arm. I could feel vibration from baits moving
all the way through the handle where I was grasping the rod through the very
back of the handle. The front of the grips are also angled and not only felt
very comfortable in hand and did not rotate at all when casting or battling
fish.
I really like the ergonomic shape
of the rear grip. It looks supercar sleek, and is very functional
There will be
four Poison Ultima rods coming stateside, two casting models including a 6’10”
Medium, 7’0 Medium Heavy, and two spinning models which include a 7’0” Medium
Light and 7’0” Medium. All the new rods will be one piece models and retail for
$879.99.
Bob Mahoney, Marketing Manager at
Shimano and I had a great day on the Florida largemouth with the new Poison
Ultima and more affordable Shimano Intenza rods
Our
Quick Take: Shimano is bringing the Poison Ultima rods
in first versus the Glorious to go straight to the halo rods and address the
enthusiast audience. This is in keeping with how Shimano launches their highest
end features in flagship products like Stella or Antares, and then starts to
roll the technology and features down through the line in future products. At
$879 dollars each these rods are not for everyone, and really speak to the user
that wants the best.
The Enthusiast Bait Monkey is
strong. After fishing the Poison Ultima rods I want one... bad.
Anglers that own
Stella and Antares reels will want to pair these rods together for the ultimate
Shimano bass combo. These rods look ultra-modern and refined and are likely the
highest-end JDM rod to debut at this year’s show. When I first heard the price
of these Ultima rods I couldn’t imagine shelling out nine Benjamins for a bass
rod, but after fishing with them I find myself wanting one bad, and that little
enthusiast voice inside voice saying “pick your Poison” just keeps getting
louder. Yup, I’ll probably end up with two.
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