The "Fire Red" color, which combines passion and coolness, matches any reel, but its matching with the 2024 limited edition BB-X Technium Fireblood is particularly noteworthy. The red of the reel body's side and lever brake, along with the rod, will more vividly express the angler's thoughts. In addition, the blanking of the hood that secures the reel foot is breathtakingly beautiful, and its texture further strengthens the sense of unity with BB-X, a collection of advanced metal processing technologies.
Impression
Takuya Hirakawa
I've been with the Fireblood Grey for almost 17 years, so each one is filled with memories, including of course some frustrating ones. When I hold it in my hand, it makes me think "Let's go!", and even if I'm frustrated, it makes me think "I can still go!" It's a tool for catching fish, but it's more than that; it's something that warms my heart and strengthens my spirit among the many Shimano series.
The first thing I want you to notice about the new Fireblood Grey is the design that gradually changes from deep black to a strong red, as if it is burning. It also has a gold logo on both sides, which I think will be irresistible for those who like that. And the biggest feature is that each rod has its own individuality. We've increased the overall performance as much as possible and added outstanding individuality to it, so if it matches the angler's personality, I think it will create a synergistic effect. It also uses muscle carbon, the same technology as the Iso Limited, which has the advantage of being lightweight yet high strength, which is what raises the overall performance of the rod.
This time, I thoroughly tested all four items and caught many good sea bream, but the one that surprised me the most was the Dive Master. It's 5.3m long, which is the equivalent of 1.5, but it's so light. It's easy to swing and you can swing it at a high speed when casting the rig. The impact of its lightness was so great that I wondered, "Is it really 1.5?" It's a basic rod that can handle fishing in any situation, but it has the power to float fish from deep depths that it has inherited, and this has been further refined. The most distinctive feature is that it's now easier to swing.
When I travel around the country, there are areas with strong fish that can take my rod or cut my line, but I can't get a hit. So I need a light, thin tackle and fine operation. There are many situations like that. Because they are contradictory, a rod with strong tension will not be compatible with thin tackle and will be less maneuverable. However, if I use a low-numbered rod, I won't be able to beat the fish. The new Dive Master can handle both parts, so it has the power to make the fish bite with a delicate tackle and fight firmly while protecting the tackle. And because it has a separate grip, it is easy to fight with your waist or hold it with both hands. Above all, when the rod bends to its limit, you can fight with the entire rod, including the part behind the reel seat, and it is designed to bring out the power and overall strength that Dive Master has inherited from generation to generation.
Feature
The Spiral X-Core, Parabola Tune, and X-Guide are combined to improve strength, lightness, and tenacity. This next-generation blank achieves the high level of operability and hooking action required of a fishing rod.
The shape is designed to fit your palm and prevent slipping. The lightweight, high-strength CI4 material provides excellent grip, operability, and strength. The screw seat is designed specifically for use on the rocks to prevent loosening and rattling. The matte rubber coating provides grip and operability that prevents slipping even with wet hands.
Made of strong and lightweight titanium material. The angle of the guide is optimized for a good angle of release. It reduces tangling of the line tip and pursues the ability to follow the bite.
The blank is flush with the rod, the angle is designed to allow the line to pass through easily, and the line tangle is reduced. At the same time, the rod is made as light as possible, and the tip is designed to reduce vibration, improving maneuverability.
Fuji T-IMSG guides are used except in areas where X guides are used.
A fighting support grip that uses lightweight, high-strength carbon integral molding technology to increase the contact area with the arm and pursue outstanding stability and weight reduction.
The separate grip, which has been made lighter and easier to operate, allows the rod to bend all the way to the bottom of the reel seat, and is designed to be advantageous for a variety of fighting styles, such as holding the rod with your hips or holding it with both arms.
Features
Spiral X Core
A next-generation basic structure that has evolved by using high-strength materials. Using Shimano's unique design and manufacturing methods, we thoroughly pursue further increased strength in all directions, including bending, screwing, and crushing. Shimano's original basic structure Spiral X, which enhances rod performance from the core, uses carbon tape made of high-strength resin realized by nanoalloy® technology. We have achieved even higher strength with selected materials. Compared to general structures, it achieves 1.4 times the screw strength and 2.5 times the crushing strength (compared to our company). Furthermore, compared to Spiral X, we achieved a 10% increase in screw strength and a 15% increase in crushing strength (compared to our company).
* Nanoalloy® is a registered trademark of Toray Industries, Ltd.
X Guide
Shimano original guide [X Guide] that brings out the original rod performance.
The X Guide was born from the perspective of a rod manufacturer to fully bring out the potential of blanks. Shimano's original high-performance guide that combines lightness, trouble-free casting, and casting performance at a high level.
X-Seat
We create rods that are just right for the job and bring out their inherent performance.
The basis of rod making is to first focus on the blank and maximize its performance. The grip, which inputs the angler's intentions and senses the fish's response, is an important terminal for this. Shimano pursues the "ease of grip" required in each situation and gives shape to innovative ideas.
Muscle Carbon
Muscle Carbon is a high-performance material that significantly reduces the gaps between the fibers by bundling carbon fibers more densely than regular carbon materials, and reduces the amount of resin used to fill those gaps.
Parabola Tune/Parabola Tune R/Parabola Tune R
In order to achieve a smoother action, the Parabolic Tune has revised the joints of each section, eliminating the difference in rigidity while maintaining strength. It has succeeded in drawing out a smooth action and power comparable to that of a one-piece rod. In addition, there are versions developed specifically for iso rods, the Parabolic Tune R, which optimizes the thickness of the blanks at each joint so that the entire rod bends smoothly, and the Parabolic Tune R , which has revised the taper relationship of not only the joints but also the front and rear sections, allowing for a smoother fulcrum shift for bending.
Taftec ∞ (Infinity)
The newly developed Taftec ∞ achieves three times the winding strength and five times the winding amount of a typical solid (compared to our previous products). It is a high-strength solid tip that surpasses the strong Taftec a.
Ci4
Ci4 is a further evolution of Shimano's proprietary C14 material reinforced with carbon fiber. Its features are that it is lighter and has higher strength than conventional resins.
Barrier Finish
The special coating applied to the blank surface has succeeded in significantly reducing the adhesion of dirt. Even if dirt does get on the rod, it can be easily removed by simply rinsing it with water due to its excellent water-repellent and dirt-resistant properties. This keeps the rod beautiful.
Hyper Non-Contact II
By applying a special convex coating called "dots" to the surface of the blanks, we have succeeded in reducing frictional resistance when the line comes into contact with the rod. This prevents the line from becoming sticky even in adverse conditions such as rain or sea spray.
G Cross Protector
The joint between nodes is the part where the most stress is concentrated during the exchange. The G cross protector greatly reduces the risk of damage and gives the ball opening a fearless look.
Line Up
QUARTER MASTER 1.2-510.
TENTACLE 1.2-530
DIVEMASTER 1.5-530
HYDROSCOPE 1.6-530