Fishing Rod Review - Shimano Tescata rod for Lucanus jig fishing

Rod Review

Shimano's Tescata rods work Lucanus Jigs with finesse (continued)

Price & Applications: The Tescata TSC80L we tested can be used for a wide range of fish ranging from Cod to Halibut utilizing both traditional and Lucanus jigs. As expected the rod handled Lucanus jigs very well, and seemed somewhat awkward with traditional or larger Butterfly style jigs.

After three trips our jigs are looking a little tired but still performing

The same tip that makes this rod exceptional for fishing the more subtle Lucanus jigs causes the rod to feel too light and unresponsive for traditional iron. This is no surprise since the Tescata might as well be called the “Lucanus rod” as it is designed as the backbone to the system.

Jigs can be strapped in 360 degrees around the grip

Throughout our tests I switched multiple lines and found that 30lb braid was ideal as it offered a superior balance of casting and durability when handling larger fish, you never know just how big of a Ling you will hook into. I used 30 and 40lb mono leaders during our tests, and found that after time I would have to cut away two feet sections that were taking damage from the rocky bottom.

The back features a Crucial like implementation with a logo just to remind you just what this rod is designed for

Each Tescata rod retails for $199.99 and if anglers are worried about breaking the Tescata’s deceivingly light tip there really isn’t any reason to be precautious when fishing as Shimano confidently backs the Tescata rod with their over the counter Lifetime warranty.

That feels like a much bigger fish! The Tescata's butt section takes over under load

Ratings:

Shimano Tescata TSC80L Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Great construction throughout, the TC4 does not disappoint and feels both powerful and light. Bonus points for the high quality anodized hook hanger	8.5
Performance	Exceptional performance for what the rod is designed for, the Tescata makes fishing Lucanus jigs easy and fun	9
Price	A reasonable price and a great warranty on this rod	7.5
Features	Overall great balance of application specific features including a innovative hook hanger, sculpted grips, and unique actions	9
Design (Ergonomics)	Easy and comfortable to fish the Tescata is light and fun to fish all day	8
Application	This is not a do it all saltwater stick, and is designed for one application in particular. While the rod is capable of fishing smaller traditional irons the hook hanger really only accommodates small stinger type hooks	6
Total Score		8.00
Ratings Key: Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! (For a detailed explanation of the ratings go here)

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus Minus
J Optimal for fishing Lucanus jigs	L Very application specific
J Light sensitive tip is the key
J Innovative hook hanger
J Good price, Great Warranty
J Makes rockfishing more fun

The Tescata may be all about finesse but even the light rods are capable of landing big Lings

Conclusion: The Lucanus system was developed from the rubber jig techniques employed by commercial fishermen in Japan that needed a new technique to target heavily pressured water. Shimano once again delivers a complete easy to employ system to get anglers stateside "hooked" on the new system, and the Tescata is the backbone of the Lucanus technique. The Tescata rods are a lot lighter than the Ugly Stiks and back bounce rods that many anglers traditionally employ for rockfishing, but with many anglers now making use of bass rods to target rockfish for sheer entertainment value the Tescata feels right at home somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. The tescata's tip has plenty of give to allow fish to really take the Lucanus jigs in but also has ample of muscle to load up and handle even big Lings when it comes time to wind them in. The Tescata is a enjoyable rod to fish, and while it truly is the most application specific saltwater rod we have tested to date it is designed with purpose and delivers in that application brilliantly. Perhaps what I like most about the Tescata rod, and the Lucanus system in general, is that together they make fishing for rockfish more pleasurable, and transforms what used to be simply "meat fishing" into what feels much more like "sport fishing" with this new technique.