I have already introduced DAIWA booth from Fishing Show OSAKA 2020 – and today SHIMANO booth is introduced in this article.
As well as DAIWA, SHIMANO in this year has also announced a lot of news with new products. Here are some incredible products I picked up.
20 STELLA SW
19 STELLA SW is already announced in Fishing Show 2019 last year, but it was only for 8000 / 10000 / 14000, much less models than previous 15 STELLA SW model and SHIMANO staff announced it would come in this year…
And here it has come!
#4000, 5000, 6000 and 18000, 20000 30000 are lined up this year.
When I touched new STELLA SW.. first impression was “This is SHIMANO”.
Felt this reel is really strong and tough, the rotor won’t be bent much like other low price reels, but gear spinning is super smooth. Clearance inside the body is delicately well designed.
Of course they are a bit heavier than other normal smaller reels because of its toughness, I really felt like you could use new STELLA SW for 10 years.
I would actually say you wouldn’t really feel drastic changes from previous models like happened on normal 18 STELLA was out, however you could even feel enhanced.
20 Twin Power
This was also a big news in this Fishing Show 2020 season – SHIMANO 20 Twin Power.
A lot of anglers tweeted, added articles and posted on Facebook about this new Twin Power with big shock.
The reason why everyone was so interested? – The biggest thing is that the new 20 Twin Power now has metal spool installed! This rotor is, as SHIMANO says, the same material as 18 STELLA. Magnesium spool is installed to #1000 – C2500 and aluminium material is used for bigger size.
And weight is in fact, the lightest ever in Twin Power history.
Moreover, X-Protect water resistance system is also featured, as well as Micromodule Gear II. Long Stroke Spool… Sounds like STELLA isn’t it?
Of course this is not as expensive as 18 STELLA, so there are some reasons, and those are the point a lot of anglers tweeted negatively… The body is hybrid, which means the body with reel foot is made by aluminium metal, however the body cover is Ci4+, the carbon resin material.
One piece bail is made by stainless as well as 19 STRADIC, and drag knob is again, resin material unlike STELLA’s metal knob.
Then, the hybrid body would weaken new Twin Power?
This is the point of those negative tweet mentioned, and I would actually say “NO”.
When I touched this reel at the show, I did not really feel it was weakened by the previous model, truly. I tried a little hard way by staff permission, like speedy reeling, tightened up drag strongly and tried to spin the spool, etc… But I didn’t actually see those negative points were real.
When you fight with bigger fish, max useful drag power can actually be weaker than the actual full-drag power and it is because of bending the rotor. When rotor bends reeling would become harder and harder as rotor won’t be able to spin smoothly, so often you can’t tighten the drag too much.
But this new 20 Twin Power has strong metal spool, the drag power can be really used to full power.
What about half resin body? – Of course it is not as strong as full metal body STELLA. But this reel is not as weak as you might be worried.. The most of part is made by metal, and the half of body won’t be bent quite a lot, which also reduce the resin part’s bending by touching together.
The body power of this new Twin Power is more than enough to be used.
This is far from weak, even stronger than previous models!
If you want some small – mid size spinning reel from SHIMANO, but your budget is not as high as 18 STELLA… Then Twin Power can be the best choice for sure.
20 EXSENCE BB
Next product from SHIMANO is this – 20 EXSENCE BB.
SHIMANO EXSENCE is an interesting spinning reel models. EXSENCE brand is made by SHIMANO, especially for Seabass game fishing therefore this 20 EXSENCE BB only has #C3000/3000 and #4000 body size.
And this EXSENCE BB is also quite changed – the previous model has Magnumlite Rotor and lined as Quick Response Series, but this 20 EXSENCE BB does not have and lined as Core Solid Series.
Actually SHIMANO makes the same thing to a lot of renewal models these days. But interestingly, reeling feel and weight are not so different from previous models.
With new rotor the reeling feel is now more like 17 Ultegra, start is a little heavier but once you reel then it becomes very smooth. I said “heavier” but it just means the first is a little heavier than when you keep reeling, but even this heavier start, it is not really different from previous EXSENCE BB.
So I would describe the new EXSENCE BB is stronger version of previous models, the weight is similar, smoothness is quite same, but much tougher and stronger by HAGANE Gear and X-Protect, which weren’t for previous models.
If you have lower budget for middle game fishing, this may be better choice.
If you want to buy them? Then let us help you for your better fishing life.
