Power:
Our Cumara test rod is
more designed for
finesse applications and
the tip shows it with a
very crisp feel. I first
noticed in Mexico last
year how surprisingly
powerful this rod was
once there was a fish on
the line. Over the
course of the last eight
months the rod has
handled a wide rage of
fish and even with
double digit bass on the
line the Cumara seemed
up to the challenge. The
Cumara looks like it
would be too light to
muscle monster bass, but
looks can be
deceiving.
Reels are held in a
suspended position over
the blank
Even with instant
response offered with braided lines
I found that I could set
this rod aggressively,
and the minute the fish
were hooked the rod
would go to work. One by
one the fish at El
Salto, Clear Lake, and
the Delta all succumbed
to the Cumara. The
rod has an unexpected
amount power to move
fish, and even though it
has a high modulus blank
it doesn’t feel overly
stiff.
The Cumara's EVA foam
grips and custom reel
seat make it easy and
comfortable to palm
reels
Features:
The Cumara boasts a slew
of appealing features
and we view it as a
mélange of the Japanese
domestic rods and the
sticks built by custom
rod houses. The split
reel seat gives anglers
copious access to the
blank, and the foam
grips are comfortable
and light, yet still
durable. The most
innovative feature of
the rod has to be the
stealth insert hook
hanger which is a small
aluminum cavity on the
left side of the handle.
This hook hanger allows
you to actually unhook
plastics with the same
hand you pick up your
rod with and get to
fishing in one quick
motion. The hook hanger
while great for plastics
is not as good for
cranks.
Flipping and pitching
jigs on the California
Delta
Yes we know, this is
designed to be a
plastics rod, but
Shimano did such a good
job designing a light
yet powerful blank with
a quick tip that it can
easily pull double duty
in a pinch as a light
cranking or jerkbait
stick. Another problem
with the insert is that
it is very hard to see
in low light conditions.
Perhaps a larger cavity
would make it easier to
get your hook into place
in the dark. Another
final adjustment could
be the addition of a
second insert on the
right side of the grip
allowing anglers to
quickly hook their bait
in on either side of the
rod depending on their
preference.
In normal light the
Cumara looks dark blue
in color
Applications:
The Cumara is a great
rod for plastics, in
that it is very light,
sensitive, and
comfortable to hold
still for very long
periods. The shaped EVA
foam grips are
comfortable and easy to
clean. We found the rod
handled mono,
fluorocarbon, and
braided lines with ease.
We also established that
the rod good for smaller
hardbaits as well, and
if you need a multi
purpose rod the Cumara
can step up to the
challenge as long as
you stick to smaller
baits.
We tried many different
reels but nothing felt
quite as good as the
Core
