Introduction: Shimano continues to round out their rod offering with the release of their highest end rod to date, the Cumara. The Cumara features some of the elements that made the Crucial popular but adds in an extra level of refinement with a touch of enthusiast import style. We fish the Cumara for over six months, and our field tests take us from El Salto, Mexico to Clear Lake, back to our home water on the California Delta, and full circle back to El Salto again.

Shimano CUC68M Specifications
Material	IM-10 Graphite
Length	6’8″
Length of Rear Grip	9″
Line Wt.	6 – 12 lb
Lure Rating	1/4 – 1/2oz
Pieces	one
Guides	9 guides + tip (bottom 4 double footed)
Power Rating	Medium
Taper	Fast
Rod Weight	3.1 ounces
MSRP	$199.99

Impressions: Shimano rods have come up quickly backed by a strong channel, and one of the best lifetime warranties in the industry. But warranty alone does not make a rod a winner among bassers that place severe demands on their application specific rods. The Clarus rods proved that Shimano could make a competitive rod at a price point that really made it among the top values at the time.

The higher positioned Compre rods while more feature rich than the Clarus found itself going head to head with tough competition at the near 100 dollar price point. That’s when the Crucial came in, and won over many anglers that up to this point would have rather put their Shimano reels on a competitor’s rod. The Crucial rods offered a unique blend of features and custom style that made it an instant hit among anglers looking for a quality rod worthy of their high end Shimano reels, yet didn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Crucial rods are constructed with light, powerful IM9 Graphite that makes them responsive, sensitive and light in your hand. All guides are top quality Fuji Alconite Guides with lightweight frames. To this day the Crucial rods remain among the best values in the industry retailing for 129 dollars, but are still not premium enough to compete with the higher end sticks from popular Tier 1 rod brands like G.Loomis and St. Croix.

It was just two ICAST’s ago that Daiwa also solidified its position in the US premium rod space by delivering their most high end rods to date, the very enthusiast oriented Steez Graphite and Compile-X series. The Steez leapfrogged their already popular Light and Tough rods and Cielo bass rods in terms of design, style, and performance. With the enthusiast rod market in the US maturing the Steez was a dream come true for Daiwa fans looking for a home for their premium magnesium based TD-Z and matching Steez reels. At that time many Shimano fans contacted us wondering if there was something from the Shimano camp on the way to compete with the Steez rods, but what we also received was an overwhelming number of questions as to when a higher end magnesium reel from the company would arrive.

Shimano fans finally got what they were asking for in a magnesium reel with the introduction of the Core. Though Shimano engineers denied that the Cumara was designed to match the new reel, the parallel launch of the new rods came at the perfect time. Debuted at El Salto last June, these rods offered Shimano fans a new flagship rod, and one that like the Steez, was designed to be both lighter and more sensitive than the competition.

The Cumara “ultra-performance” bass rod series is specifically designed for bottom bouncing techniques and features IM-10 graphite blanks, Fuji® Sic guides and custom performance reel seats that completely expose the blank. There are eight rods in the casting series, and they range from 6’8” to 7’2” in length. This is not a very big spread and most of the rods are differentiated primarily by power and action.

Turning our attention to the initial impressions of the rod’s outlook the Cumara features a paint finish that looks different under various lighting. In low light the blank looks dark blue, almost black. In morning light you can see colored flakes and the blank takes on a pearlish blue tone, and under harsh sunlight you can see the actual fiber of the blank. I prefer rods that have a matte finish with less gloss because of the added weight of the gloss and the sometimes reduced feel. The Cumara does have a layer of gloss to protect the blank but it is very thin, so that it doesn’t significantly impact the rod weight or deaden the feel of the rod.

Erosion

Some, like gradual erosion of nearby land, occur naturally. However, uncontrolled development or careless farming methods increase erosion and ruin waterways. Some pollutants enter our waters from the rain or air. Unfortunately, some pollution is even caused by thoughtless or uncaring people. Pollution is not only a danger to fish and other creatures that depend on clean water to live, but also to people!

Urban Water Pollution: A Major Problem

Pollution problems may differ depending on where you live. In the northeastern U.S., acid rain may be the biggest threat to fish and other wildlife. Along Lake Superior, asbestos particles from mining waste have been a problem. Timber harvest in mountainous areas can cause erosion and sediment to flow into lakes and streams. Mercury is a concern in many lakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Around much of the Great Lakes, PCBs and other chemicals are a concern.

In most large urban communities, the main cause of water pollution is a combination of sewage and industrial waste. Unfortunately, some water can’t be used because it is too polluted by chemical industrial waste. For instance, eight billion gallons of fresh water flow past the city of New York every day as the Hudson River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. That’s enough water to supply each of 40 million people with 200 gallons a day if it could be used. The Hudson River, however, is too polluted to be used as a water supply.

Speak up for Our Waters and Fish!

To be a good angler you need to be familiar with the major kinds of pollution. When you are old enough to vote you will be asked to make decisions about proposed laws. You will want to be knowledgeable so you can make decisions that are healthy for the environment. No matter what age you are, you can always write your state legislator or congressional representative to express your views. Fish can’t write, so they have to depend on you to make sure our waters remain clean.

Two Major Types of Pollution

Those who are concerned about water pollution use two terms: point-source and non-point-source.

Point-Source Pollution

• Point-source pollution is pollution that can be traced to a definite point at which it enters the environment. Point-source pollution can come from industries that dump wastes, chemicals, or heavy metals into the environment. Toxic waste dumps and wastewater treatment plants are also point-source pollution sites.

Non-Point-Source Pollution

• Non-point-source pollution is more difficult to identify because it doesn’t enter the water at a definite, easy-to-locate place. Often, it’s caused by herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers (used on many lawns, farms, gardens and orchards) that eventually enter a waterway and harm the food chain

The Water Cycle

The heat from the sun causes water on the earth to evaporate, or turn into a vapor, and rise into the air. As this vapor rises, it cools, condenses into water droplets and forms clouds. Sooner or later, the water returns to earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail.

When water strikes the earth, some of it returns to vapor through evaporation. Some of it enters brooks, creeks, streams, and rivers. Eventually, this water makes its way into the oceans. Water also seeps into the ground, becoming groundwater. It moves slowly until it reaches rivers or lakes or drains into large underground areas called aquifers. 

Water is a Solvent 

Water is often called the “universal solvent.” This is because water can dissolve so many things. Water can dissolve some things like salt and sugar very quickly. Other materials may take thousands or even millions of years to dissolve. For example, flowing water can dissolve rock. That, along with other types of erosion, is how the Grand Canyon and other canyons and river valleys were formed.

Boiling And Freezing Points

• Water turns into ice at a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees Celsius.
• It boils at a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 100 degrees Celsius, and turns into a gas or vapor.
• It is a liquid between 32 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit and 0 and 100 degrees Celsius.
• Water also has the ability to store a large amount of heat. This is important because it means that water heats and cools more slowly than land or air.

An angler should know about water temperature. In spring, water temperature rises very slowly. Water warms and cools more slowly than air. Although the air temperature maybe warm, the water in some areas may still be too cold for some kinds of fish. Late in the year, the opposite may be true. In fall, water temperature drops very slowly. The air may be chilly, but the water temperature may still be warm. Fish are more active in warmer water than in cold water. Thus, when fishing in colder water, anglers should work their baits and retrieve line more slowly.

Why Ice Floats

Another interesting fact is that cold water is not always heavier than warm water. Water continues to get heavier as it cools, until it reaches a temperature of 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, one cubic foot of water weighs more than 62 pounds. Then, something unusual happens. Water colder than 39 degrees Fahrenheit begins to get lighter. No other liquid acts this way.

What does this mean to us? Well, if water colder than 39 degrees Fahrenheit did not get lighter, ice wouldn’t float. Instead, ice would form on the bottom of a lake and kill fish and other life in the water. The fact that water gets lighter before it freezes is important in deep northern lakes.

Turnover

As the sun melts ice on a lake in spring and begins to heat the surface water, a change takes place. When the surface water begins to warm, it sinks to the bottom, helped by wind and currents. This pushes colder water from the bottom toward the surface. This mixing of water is called “turnover.” Turnover often occurs in the spring and fall. After the turnover, the water temperature of the mixed water is nearly the same throughout the lake. During this period fish are likely to be scattered and at any depth.

Water Layers

In summer, however, something else occurs on many deep or large lakes. The water forms three layers, each with a different range of temperatures. The sun warms the top layer (epilimnion) of water faster than the wind can mix it. Another layer (hypolimnion) is the heavy cold water at the bottom of the lake. This layer may have very little oxygen. The third layer is a narrow one that separates the top and bottom layers, called the “metalimnione,” and contains a thermocline. Here the water temperature changes rapidly with only small changes in depth.

Why is knowing about these layers important? One reason is that the bottom layer in some lakes has little oxygen. This forces fish to move to a higher level and into the metalimnion, near the thermocline. So in summer on lakes that separate into layers, fish will frequently move to the epilimnion to feed and then return to their preferred temperatures near the thermocline.

Freshwater lakes are not the only places where water forms into layers. It also happens in saltwater estuaries and in the oceans.

Water Quality

We need to make sure that we keep our waters clean and free from pollution. For fish and other animals to live and thrive, the quality of water is very important.

When harmful things enter our waters, the waters become polluted. Polluted water cannot be used for drinking, swimming, or fishing. The key lies in eliminating pollution. Fortunately, you can make a difference!

If water is kept clean and used wisely, there will be enough for our many needs.

There’s a lot of water on our planet, but we can only use a small amount of it. Water covers about 70 percent of the earth, but only about 3 percent of it is fresh water. Most of the fresh water, about 75 percent, is in the form of ice. In fact, the frozen areas of the world have as much fresh water as all the world’s rivers will carry for the next 1,000 years. The demand for unpolluted fresh water is increasing because the earth’s population is increasing.

How much water does the average person use?

• In the home, each person uses about 70 gallons of water a day.
• It takes three gallons to flush a toilet.
• It takes 15 to 30 gallons to take a bath.
• It takes five gallons for a one-minute shower.
• It takes ten gallons to wash dishes.

This is a lot of water, but more than half of the water used in the United States is used by industries. For example, it takes 250 tons of water to make a ton of newspaper and ten gallons to produce one gallon of gasoline. You can see why it is important to conserve water.

Sharing Waters

As you have seen, anglers and boaters are not the only ones who use bodies of water and have an effect on fish populations. Industries and power plants use large amounts of water. Communities need water for drinking. Farmers use it to water their crops and livestock. Barges and ships use waterways to bring products to market. Water is also used for waste disposal.

The demands for water use can cause conflicts among those using our water resources. The results are not always good for the fish and not everyone is concerned with fish.

An occasional conflict arises when people want to dam a river for irrigation, for controlling floods, or for the production of electricity. Dams create lakes or reservoirs that are habitat for fish such as largemouth bass and crappie. However, the reservoir destroys several miles of river that might have been prime habitat for trout, smallmouth or rock bass.

Water is too valuable to waste. With so much demand for our water it is important that each of us do our part to conserve it.

It’s hard to imagine that tax originally levied to aid in financing World War II would eventually help ensure an angler’s chance of catching a stringer of game fish anywhere in the United States. In fact, nothing in the past 100 years has had a bigger impact on recreational fishing than this war tax on fishing tackle which, in 1950, became the first ever dedicated federal source of money to be used by state natural resources agencies to improve the fishing experience. The result is one of the largest and most successful conservation programs in the world.

The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (SFR) Program has had a major impact on sport fishing nationwide. Since its enactment in 1950, state fish and wildlife agencies have received more than $3.2 billion under the program. The tax monies collected go to state fish and wildlife agencies for fisheries research, habitat improvement, aquatic education and fishing and boating access facilities such as docks and ramps.

It’s all made possible by sportsmen and women who, by doing the things they love – fishing and boating – help to restore and protect fish and their habitats in each state in this country. The purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuels by fishing and boating enthusiasts supports sportfish restoration, preservation and conservation. By taxing anglers, it gives them a stake in ensuring the money is used wisely. This forms the basis of the user pay/user benefit “cycle of success”.

According to a 1999 survey, most fishing and boating enthusiasts don’t know much about the Sport Fish Restoration Program, but they strongly support and defend the program once they are made aware of the benefits it brings to sport fish conservation efforts in the United States (Responsive Management 1999a). In fact, once informed about how the funding works, more than 75 percent of those polled voiced their overall support of the program.

Many regard it as “their program” and expressed a sense of responsibility, pride and ownership. The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program unites the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state fish and wildlife agencies, the fishing tackle and boating industries, and anglers and boaters in a partnership that has achieved results for over 50 years. Working together, these groups have accomplished what none could do alone – restore our precious natural heritage.

Fishing From Boats

Big or small, motorized or outfitted with paddles, a boat simply allows you to cover more water. But for most folks, a boat simply makes fishing a lot more fun. The boat you choose should be based on where you want to fish and what kind of fish you’re stalking. Some boats are better on rivers, streams and ponds. And some are best used on large bodies of water. Choose your boat wisely and follow the rules.

• Know your boat and how to handle it.
• The water you’re in contains hazards such as submerged trees and rocks.
• Watch the weather conditions and follow emergency procedures.
• Always carry safety devices and know how to use them.
• The boat operator is legally responsible for the boat and the safety of those on board.
• Understand the rules of navigation, the courtesies of safe boating and always complete a boater safety course prior to operating a boat for the first time.

Catch and Release

Catch and release was first introduced in Michigan in 1952, as a way to reduce the cost of stocking hatchery-raised trout. Since then, conservationists and sport fisherman alike have promoted catch and release to ensure sustainability and avoid over fishing. Proper catch and release fishing techniques also reduce fish fighting and handling times and help avoid damage to fish skin, scales and slime layers— damage that can leave fish vulnerable to fungal skin infections.
Here are some simple rules.

• Don’t keep a fish out of water longer than you can hold your breath.
• Never tear a hook out of the fish. Make or purchase an efficient hook remover.
• If a fish loses consciousness, try to revive it by gently moving it forward and backward so water moves through its gills.
• When the fish begins to struggle and can swim, let it go.

Bait Casting

Bait casting is a style of fishing that relies on the weight of the lure to extend the line into the target area. Bait casting involves a revolving-spool reel (or “free spool”) mounted on the topside of the rod. Bait casting is definitely an acquired skill. Once you get the hang of the technique (check out the casting animation), you will be casting your lures right on target into the structures where fish are feeding and hanging out.

With bait casting, you can use larger lures (1/2 to 3/4) and cast them for longer distances. To get started, you’ll need a rod with good spring action, a good quality anti-backlash reel, 10–15 pound test line and a variety of specific bait casting lures.

Spin Casting

We won’t say it’s foolproof, but spin casting is an ideal fishing method for beginning anglers. Spin-casting equipment is easier to use than bait casting. You can use it to cast both light and heavy lures without tangling or breaking your line. Basic equipment includes a 7-foot rod, a spinning reel and 6–10 pound test line for casting 1/16 to 3/4 ounce lures. You can use an open-face, closed-face or spin-cast reel for spin casting.

Fly Fishing

With fly fishing, various materials are used to design a very lightweight lure called a fly. Fish think the fly is an insect and they take the bait on, or just above, the surface of the water. It takes a little practice, but fly fishing is a pure and exciting way to fish.

Unlike other casting methods, fly fishing can be thought of as a method of casting line rather than lure. Non-fly fishing methods rely on a lure’s weight to pull line from the reel during the forward motion of a cast. By design, a fly is too light to be cast, and thus simply follows the unfurling of a properly cast fly line, which is heavier and casts easier than lines used in other types of fishing. The angler normally holds the fly rod in the dominant hand and manipulates the line with the other close to the reel, pulling line out in small increments as the energy in the line, generated from backward and forward motions, increases.

Still Fishing

Still fishing is a versatile way to go. You can do it from a pier, a bridge, an anchored boat or from shore. You can still fish on the bottom or off the bottom in ponds, lakes, rivers and streams for a variety of species. And you can still fish during most seasons and during any part of the day. Your equipment and the size of the hooks and bait you use depends on what kind of fish you¹re after. But your best equipment for still fishing is patience. You have to wait for the fish to bite.

Drift Fishing

Drift fishing allows you to fish over a variety of habitats as your boat drifts with the currents or wind movement. You can drift fish on the bottom or change the depth with a bobber or float. Natural baits work best. But jigs, lures and artificial flies will produce good results, too. You can drift fish on ponds, lakes, rivers and streams any time of the day and year.

Live Lining

Your line is “live” when your boat is anchored in a flowing body of water like a river or stream. Use live or prepared baits and keep them on or just off the bottom. Live lining off the bottom allows your line to drift with the current through holes and rocks where the fish may be holding. Your equipment and the size of your hooks and lures depend on what type of fish you’re after.

Chumming

To attract fish or get them biting again, you can throw “chum” into the water where you’re fishing. You can use ground-up bait fish, canned sweet corn, dead minnows in a coffee can (for ice fishing), pet food, even breakfast cereal. Or stir up some natural chum by scraping the bottom with a boat oar. Be sure not to over-chum. You want to get them interested in feeding; you do not want to stuff them before they get a chance to go after your hook. Chumming is not legal in all states. Check local fishing regulations to make sure you are not illegally stimulating the hunger of your future catch.

Bottom Bouncing

Bottom Bouncing is done from a drifting or trolling boat, and it’s a great way to attract or locate fish during most seasons and times of day. Use a buck tail jig or natural bait and drag it along the bottom. The dragging motion causes the lure to bounce along stirring up small clouds of sand or mud. After a few strikes with bottom bouncing, you can drop anchor and apply other methods to hook the particular kind of species you’ve attracted.

Trolling

Most trolling is done using a small electric motor that moves the boat quietly through the water so fish aren’t spooked. But you can also troll by towing a lure while walking along the edge of a shoreline, bridge or pier. The speed of the boat determines the depth of your bait. And the depth of the bait is determined by the species of fish you’re trying to catch. Use a spinning reel or a bait caster for trolling. Some states don’t allow motorized trolling, so check out your local fishing regulations to avoid tangling with the fish enforcers.

Jigging

Jig fishing is popular and challenging. Why? Because the person fishing is creating the action that attracts, or doesn’t attract, the particular type of fish he or she is trying to catch. Here’s how it works. Cast out and let your jig hook sink to the bottom. Then use your rod tip to raise the bait about a foot off the bottom. Then let it drop back to the bottom. You can jig up and down, side to side or up and down and sideways. Jig rigs come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and can be used with or without live bait.

Jig and Worm

Attach a worm to your jig hook and use it to bottom hop or sweep through your target area. To bottom hop, cast to the target and let the jig sink. Then reel in slowly, twitching the rod with every third or fourth turn of your reel. To sweep, cast to the target and drag the jig parallel to the bottom while reeling with a fairly tight line. Slow and steady gets the fish when you’re sweeping with a jig and worm.

Ice Fishing

Fishing through a three-foot hole in the ice? Yup. It’s a unique way to catch multiple species of northern, fresh-water fish. And thanks to advancements in garment design, portable fish houses and fish locating devices, it’s becoming more and more popular every day. One- to three-foot rods are most often used and simple reels hold the line. You can also ice fish with tip-ups. When a fish hits your tip-up gear, it releases a lever that raises a flag or rings a bell. This means you should stop playing cards with your buddies and start reeling.

Many fisherman fish with no protective structure other than their winter clothes. Longer fishing expeditions can be mounted with simple structures. Larger, heated structures can make multiday fishing trips possible, but these are often eschewed by seasoned fishers, many of whom do not use these larger shelters. In other words, they think they are wimpy.

For those who are game for a cozier experience, a structure with various local names, but often called an ice shanty, ice shack or just plain shack, fish house, bob house, or ice hut, is sometimes used. These are dragged or trailered onto the lake using a vehicle such as a snowmobile, ATV or truck. The two most commonly used houses are portable and permanent shelters. The portable houses are usually made of a heavy, watertight material. The permanent shelters are made of wood or metal and usually have wheels for easy transportation. They can be as basic as a bunk, heater and holes or as elaborate as having satellite TV, bathrooms, stoves, and full-size beds, and may appear to be more like a mobile home than a fishing house.