Shimano has been introducing several new rods over the course of the last couple of years. One that may have been a little lost in the shuffle is the new Shimano Crucial. This series has been around for some time but last season it too was targeted for an upgrade.
Why? To make it lighter, stronger and more sensitive all while keeping in mind that this series is already well known and respected particularly at its price point.
So it begs the question, exactly how will they accomplish these goals?
The New Spec’s
Shimano started at the beginning by using a blank that is 28% lighter than last years model. It features their new C4S-HM construction that utilizes opposing vertical and horizontal layers of graphite that are sandwiched between two layers of carbon tape.
This process improves strength, power, sensitivity, cuts down on twisting or torque and does all that while saving weight.
The guide train is made up of Fuji Alconite Guides, 9 plus the tip, with Concept Spacing to maximize the performance of the blanks while giving it the durability that the Crucial is known for.
Finish that with a split rear grip using grade a cork, a custom reel seat that provides unfettered access to the blank, a minimal winding check with a faceted EVA wrap and an open ended hook hanger on the bottom of the blank a couple of inches above the winding check and you’ve got a complete package that is screaming to be used for anything within its recommended range.
The aesthetics of the crucial feature a forest green bottom to the blank that almost reaches the stripper guide. From there it makes an abrupt but clean transition to a dark grey that is an elegant complement to the green.
The guide wraps are a simple solid black except those that are within the green area. They have a single shiny green thread that adds to the look of the rod.
How Does It Perform On The Water
The initial feel of this stick is one of a light weight, well balanced rod. Of course, all of this doesn’t mean spit if it doesn’t perform well.
We obtained the CRC-SG610MHB. This rod is 6’10” with a recommended line weight of 10-20 lbs, a lure weight of 1/4 – 3/4 and a fast action. We paired this with a Shimano Curado I for the initial testing to see how the two components would work together.
Much like a fine bow, the Crucial loads quickly with a sure feel on the back cast and launches your offering to its final destination with an ease that is rare for a rod in this price range.
It will do this with any lure from an unweighted stick worm or a small crankbait like the Jackall Aska 50 all the way up to larger cranks, topwater lures or spinnerbaits that fall at that 3/4 ounce mark.
Yeah, we’ve put more weight on the Crucial to see how it handled it, (just don’t tell anybody) and were more than pleased to discover that it can go beyond its recommended range in a pinch but it begins to feel a little bit sloppy over the 1 once threshold.
The Crucial gets excellent marks for distance casting as well as accuracy. This stick, at 6’10” is just right in length to provide that rare combination of distance and accuracy that we all look for so that we’re not switching set-ups constantly during a long day of fishing.
The sensitivity of the new Crucial is also superior. With the access to the blank that you have with your non-winding hand, you feel everything your bait is doing in real time. There is so little delay in the transmission of vibration to your hands, your hook-up ratio is bound to increase.
A lot of anglers don’t think in terms of how long it takes to feel a bite, reel down and set the hook in terms of potential misses but it is a fact that a bass can spit a lure very quickly. If you don’t feel it, that fish can be gone before you have a chance to drive the hook home. The Crucial is one of the quickest rods we’ve tested in this price range at picking up those vibrations.
For that matter, the Crucial performs better in this key area than a host of rods out there that are considerably more expensive.
Handling Fish
As we mentioned, we tested the CRC-SG610MHG. This stick carries a medium heavy power rating but, as you know, that rating is pretty broad.
There are no hard standards that all manufacturers have to, or have agreed to live by. In terms of the softness of the tip, the Crucial has one of the softer tips out there within this rating. This however is not a negative for this rod.
The tip is what gives it the range that it has when it comes to handling lures of varying weights. It flexes easily at the end while becoming progressively stiffer down to the point that the backbone begins to kick in about 20 inches down the blank. The transition is seamless and smooth.
Once you hook a fish, that’s when the quality of this stick stands out. It has handled everything that we’ve gotten a hook into with the best so far being about 6 pounds. No, not a monster but at least respectable.
We’ve never felt as though we weren’t in complete control of the fish when using the Crucial. This rod manages to combine superior castability with equal finesse and power for fighting and landing fish as well as being equally at home casting everything from unweighted soft plastics to 3/4 plugs. All this without sacrificing its user friendly feel.
If you have yet to try a Shimano rod, the Crucial is an excellent choice as an introduction to this company.
| The new Shimano Crucial Casting Rod | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| A versatile, user friendly stick | |
See ya’ on the water …