It’s been three years since the last one, but the Australian Fishing Trade Show held on the Gold Coast last week was most definitely a welcome display of great new fishing tackle for Australian fishos.
More importantly, as always, there was a vast array of new gear that is ideally suited to tropical Territory fishing.
In that regard, no other fishing tackle company in Australia supplies high-end, performance gear to the level offered by Shimano Fishing, and it’s been that way for a long time.
This week I’d like to let you know what great Shimano gear I saw at the tackle show which will be of interest to Top End fishos.
For barra fishermen, the latest Shimano Curado 200DC is a stylish, high-performance baitcasting reel.
This is the new-and-improved, digitally-controlled Curado 200, and it boasts increased line capacity and an even-more-powerful braking system.
It’s also gossamer smooth and designed to make long casts without over-runs of any sort.
The constantly-evolving Shimano Curado has been around for three decades, and claims fair title to “The Workhorse Reel” of the fishing tour industry.
It has been without peer as the most popular reel for fishing tour operators who want to make sure their clients use a quality, smooth, tough baitcasting reel.
Now Curdao DC version 2 takes the performance of this reel to dizzy new heights.
It has a speedy 7.4:1 gear retrieve ratio and will hold an impressive 170m of 30lb Power Pro braid line.
Best of all, it remains at an affordable price.
Also available at a truly-affordable price is the new Shimano TranX 150.
I’ve been using an early-release TranX 150 for several months, and I can tell you this is a tough little reel and a delight to fish with.
I’m a big fan of Shimano TranX reels, owning four of them in various sizes, and I just can’t fault them.
The TranX 150 is available in 6.3:1 and 7.2:1 gear retrieve ratios and, though small to the point of being cute, will still hold 140m of 20lb Power Pro braid.
Also from Shimano at a mid-entry level is the all-new Miravel threadline reel.
I spun the handle of the super-light-weight Miravel 4000 and twisted the braking spool on this steely-finished new offering from Shimano, and it was dead set smooth on both counts.
Of course, you’d expect that from a classy new Shimano threadline that won’t break the bank.
The Miravel 4000 is the ideal threadline for barra fishos who prefer that style of reel, and who also chase light-tackle pelagics on the blue water.
It has a gear-retrieve ratio of 6.2:1 and a crazy rated drag power of 11kg.
Shimano had a huge display of fishing rods at the Australian Fishing Trade Show: literally dozens of different brands, styles and performance levels, including 16 lightweight, performance travel rods across the Revolution and Raider ranges.
However, I was immediately drawn to the vast display of the awesome G.Loomis rod range.
There are 42 different G.Loomis rods now available in Australia, all with multi-taper technology that facilitates serious weight reduction, increased sensitivity and impressive power-to-weight ratios.
At the most-affordable end are the G.Loomis E6X rods, followed by the all-new 2022 IMX range of spin rods and the IMX-Pro rods of which there are seven spin rods, eight baitcasting rods and four exquisite fly rods.
The NRX+ range has three spin and two baitcasters, and features Spiral X graphite construction, and a price tag of around $700.
Top of the G.Loomis range – and possibly top of any range of rods in the world – is the Conquest which delivers the absolute pinnacle of performance.
There are just four rods in the G.Loomis Conquest range, including the Conquest 783C MBR which is most likely the best barra baitcast rod ever made.
Seemingly with the weight of a feather, the Conquest has awesome sensitivity and provides plenty of feedback on how your lure is performing, and highlights the slightest interest from a fish.
At a recommended retail price of $1159.00, you’ve just got to have one, don’t you?
The updated awesome Shimano Curado 200DC created huge interest at the Australian Fishing Trade Show, and continues its legacy as the go-to baitcasting reel for the NT fishing tour industry.
The Shimano TranX 150 is a super-smooth, super-tough baitcaster that is built for finesse but can go the distance with Top End barra of all sizes.
Justifiably claimed as the best barra rod on the market today, the G.Loomis Conquest 783C MBR is one of 42 different G.Loomis rods now available in Australia.
The new Shimano Miravel 4000 is a truly-affordable threadline reel with stylish traits and the performance of other, more high-end reels in the global Shimano range of awesome spin reels.
