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Shimano debuts new ultralight Cumulus rods at the Big Rock West show in Las
Vegas (continued)
 Tescata reboot:
The Cumulus wasn't the
only new product Shimano was showcasing. On our way through the booth we caught
a glimpse at the reboot of the Tescata jigging rod. We were big fans of the
previous version and were excited when we heard that Shimano was going to try
and make the series even better. The new rods feature greenish-blue blanks built
on Shimano C4S blanks.
The Tescata is back in what we
view as a reboot of the series
|
Shimano Tescata Rods |
|
Model |
Construction |
Length |
Power |
Action |
Line Rating |
Jig Weight |
Pieces |
|
TSC66ML |
C4S |
6'6" |
Medium Light |
Fast |
10-30 |
60-80g |
1 |
|
TSC63M |
C4S |
6'3" |
Medium |
Fast |
20-40 |
100-150g |
1 |
|
TSC63MH |
C4S |
6'3" |
Medium Heavy |
Fast |
30-60 |
200g |
1 |
The new rod is radically
difference in appearance versus the original
The new rods are quite a
departure cosmetically from the previous version and feature a more aggressive
appearance complete with winding checks, a new custom reel seat and EVA handles.
One of the biggest changes in the new version is the use of a split rear grip.
New metal winding checks add an
element of refinement
There will be three new rods
in the lineup, all are relatively short at 6'3"-6'6" in length and are designed
for boat fishing with Lucanus jigs. The rods make use of Fuji Hardloy guides and
are designed to be able to handle both mono and PowerPro braided lines.
We paired the new Tescata rod with
the Shimano 400LJV and it looked right at home
Designed with custom actions
for Lucanus Jigging we are curious to see just how the split grip comes into
play when it comes to balance, two handed casting and tucking under the arm when
jigging. All three rods in the lineup will retail for $149.99 each and will come
backed with Shimano's over the counter lifetime warranty.
Perhaps the biggest change is the
split grip design which immediately separates the new Tescata from Shimano's
other jigging rods
At the booth we paired the new
Tescata rod with the Shimano TE 400LJV and found the combo balanced out
reasonably well. The new refinements in the series should only increase the
Tescata's appeal among anglers looking for a lightweight finesse stick to fish
Lucanus jigs. If anything the new rod looks and feels more like a freshwater
stick, this helps distance the rod from the Trevala jigging series. Like the
Cumulus series we will reserve our final judgment when we see what the Tescata
will do in the field but it certainly looks like Shimano is making a serious
effort to continually hone their line of rods, and we are excited about what we
see thus far.
Looking for the Cumulus and Tescata Rods?
Hi's Tackle Box
will be among the first to have them in stock come March. Until then
stay tuned for more from the Big Rock Show
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