“Within Shimano’s rod development team, there’s a great level of excitement on how we’ve been able to take our Compre rods up a few steps,” said Robby Gant, rod product manager for Shimano. “We’ve had great success with these rods with bass and muskie anglers – and while there’s the old adage that you not supposed to mess with success, we’re always looking to make our tackle better – and that’s we’re all about at Shimano. You’ll see that with the Compre.”

On both the casting and spinning bass and inshore rods, anglers will find Shimano’s own proprietary-designed reel seat – with no exposed threads – providing a clean look. “It’s smooth in the hand to help with sensitivity,” Gant said, “so you’ll feel more, catch more – plus you’ll appreciate the all-day-on-the-water comfort.”

• Bass Rods

Starting with casting rods, the Compre worm and jig rods start out with four 6-foot-8-inch rods in medium through extra-heavy power, and five 7-foot-2-inch rods in medium through heavy power. When the situation calls for a flip, pitch or punch, there’s a medium heavy power 7-foot-7-inch rod, and a heavy power 7-foot-11.

All medium-heavy power, the Compre spinnerbait rods include two 6-foot-10-inch and one 7-foot-2 model. For crankbait fishing, there are four Compre casting rods – medium power 6-foot-8-inch and 7-foot, and medium-heavy power 7-foot and 7-foot-6. Gant suggests setting up a new Compre crankbait rod with Shimano’s new Curado 200G5 baitcasting reel – “the comfort from the reel seat, the lightweight blank, the HEG gears – it all combines so you won’t realize you’ve been cranking all day long and still feeling pretty good – hey, go ahead, stay for a couple more hours.”

For topwater action, Compre casting rods include medium and medium-heavy power rods, each offered in 6-foot-8-inch and 7-foot-5-inch models.

On the spinning side with Compre, Shimano take care of the most used techniques for bass with spinning tackle – worm and jig fishing and drop-shot rigs. There are six worm rods, two models each in 6-foot-8-inch, 7-foot-2-inch and 7-foot-6-inch lengths. To drop-shot, there are two medium power rods – a 6-foot-8 and a 7-2 - for use with ass light as 5-pound test PowerPro.

• Bass Travel Rods

Shimano provides ‘angling convenience’ with both 2-piece casting and spinning rods within the Compre series. “Bass is the focus here, but we know anglers well – they’ll be using these rods various bodies of water targeting various species where a 2-piece just makes things more convenient,” Gant said. “Plus with Compre, we’re able provide some ideal fish-catching features.”

Casting rods a 6-foot-6-inch medium power, and a 6-foot-10 medium-heavy model. In spinning, there are eight rods offered – 6-, 6-foot-6 and 7-footers in both medium-light and medium power, and a 6-foot-6-inch and 7-footer in medium-heavy power.

• Muskie Rods

Along with the Calcutta 400 reel, “it was Shimano’s Compre rods and the emphasis we put on them more than 10 years ago that showed anglers we were serious about the muskie fishing,” Gants states. “It’s now our TE and Trinidad reels that our muskie angler favorites, and want to make sure our Compre rods are at same level.”

Lighter and more sensitive now with IM-9 graphite blanks, “we gave the nine Compre casting and one spinning rod the performance advantage for our new split grip design reel seat, with no exposed threads from a rear locking hood and hood that has been pushed forward,” said Gant. “Add in the exposed rear blank – giving these rods a custom-built look – and we think anglers will know for a fact just how important muskie fishing is for us. In freshwater, there’s nothing that fights harder or attacks bigger baits – we have the tackle – both rods and reels – for the challenge.

The new Compre rods include two 7-footers, medium and medium-heave power to fish up to 50-pound test PowerPro, and two 7-foot-6-incher – a heavy power for up to 50-pound PowerPro, and a X-heavy model for up to 80-pound.

With removable handles for storage convenience, there’s X-heavy power 8-foot-6-inch and 9-foot models, and double X-heavy 8-foot, 8-foot-6 and 9-foot models, all rated to handle up to 80-pound test PowerPro.

For spinning rod fans, there’s also a medium-heavy power 7-foot Compre rod, capable of handling up to 30-pound test PowerPro. “Match that up with our proven Symetre 4000FJ,” said Gant. “ We tout that as the perfect muskie spinning set-up – great features, plenty of power and durable, capable of landing even a 50-incher.”
Taking care of those special needs in muskie fishing, there’s a Carboloy tip along with durable Fuji aluminum oxide guides, cork grip material, and long rear grip lengths– either 13- or 14-inch depending on rod lengths, to provide leverage for casting big baits.

“Looking back, we’ve always been serious with our muskie tackle, but as this fishery expands more and anglers are experimenting with and developing new techniques, we know muskie anglers are looking to Shimano for the tackle that is needed for this special fish,” Gant notes. “We’re staying on top of it, as these new Compre muskie rods show.

• Inshore Rods

Designed for lure fishing applications targeting redfish, specs/sea trout, snook, even a few for some fun tarpon action, there’s a wide range of new Compre inshore salt rods. Gant notes Shimano uses a custom shaped cork handle, “plus by using oversized Fuji aluminum oxide guides, your knots won’t get caught up in the guide so you’ll realize better casting performance.”

The line-up includes the four 7-foot-2-inch rods – in powers ranging from medium light to medium heavy; a medium power 7-foot-4-inch; two 7-foot-6-inchers in medium and medium-heavy power; and four 8-footers in medium through X-heavy power.

“Anglers can fish up to 80-pound test PowerPro to work the bridges for tarpon, or go to the other extreme with 8-pound test and stalk tailing reds in the extreme shallows,” said Gant. “We’ll have the right rod for the situation for you in our new Compre rods.

For more information on the new Compre rod series – and specific information on each of the 59 models – visit the Shimano web site at http://fish.shimano.com - or call Shimano’s tech service support line at 877/577-0600 - or visit your nearest Shimano tackle dealer.
###