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Shimano Exsence Genos S96M/F-3 9'6FT 5 - 40g Travel Rod

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Please note that we don't ship bass lure rods overseas.  Due to shipping costs we only sell these lure rods in the UK.

Shimano Dialuna S96M 9'6FT 7-38G

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Shimano EXSENCE INFINITY S906M/RF Medium 9'6" 6g-38g review

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This is my first review hopefully it will help someone out there that wants to buy one of these there is very little info about them out there so i hope this helps a bit. first off i have been waiting patiently for a rod like this for a long time i seen Henry Gilbey did a review on the S900ML/RF 9’ 5-32g a few mounts back and that got my attention, when i had a look at the four models i could not believe the specifications for the S906M/RF Medium 9'6" 6g-38g it is the rod i have allways wanted and i am so impressed by it i had to do a review. starting with topwater lures this thing will cast them out to there limit putting them out in the same spot over and over again and when working them back i have complete control with them over long distances. it's unreal how easy and far it will punch them out from the asturie 90 all the way up to the patchinko 2 it dosent break a sweat.With diving plugs you will be able to feel the lure working all the way back from very long distances on a simple straight retrieve i don't have much experence with them unfortanally but i am going to change that over this season hopefully. now for soft plastic lures i happen to use these alot more than the above, if your casting weighted soft plastic paddle tails lures like the fbm 90mm 5g and 8g search you can feel the lure the instant it hits the bottom and when retreveing it back you can feel it passing throgh seaweed and bumping into small rocks and stones or tell if it's on clean sand the responsiveness is very sharp, the best way i can descibe it is it's like having a short lenght of braid tied to you finger and your out above the water picking your lure up and down and searching around with your hand for a bite. if you like drifting paddle tails across a current rip you will be able to feel if the lure is hitting the bottom halfway through the drift and pick it back up to keep the paddle tail going even if it is a very small lure it will let you know precisely whats going on down there, with bigger paddle tails you will be able feel the tail kicking away from long distances its a very sensitive tool for that job and i love it for those abilities with soft plastic lures particulary. casting with this rod is totally effortless my left hand allways lands on the buttgrip in the most natural way and the cast will allways be very easy quick and smooth and my right hand has perfect comfort on the CI4+ reelseat, the over all build quality is really stunning and weighing in at 132 grams and with a casting weight of 6g to 38g now that is something truly special. it just does absolutely everything i could ever want in a rod and you won't get line twist or wind knots thanks to the fuji torzite guides. i can see it coming in very handy on those days where there is a lot of wind kicking about. i hope this will give somebody a good idea of what this rod is like before they buy it, i love this rod to death and i am sure you will too, have fun with it Cheers.  

zarok said: This is my first review hopefully it will help someone out there that wants to buy one of these there is very little about them out there so i hope this helps a bit. first off i have been waiting patiently for a rod like this for a very long time i seen Henry Gilbey did a review on the S900ML/RF 9’ 5-32g a few mounts back and that got my attention, when i had a look at the four models i could not believe the specifications for the S906M/RF Medium 9'6" 6g-38g it is the rod i have allways wanted i had to have it, not nice waiting for it to arive but i am so impressed by it i had to do a review. starting with topwater lures this thing will cast them out to there limit putting them out in the same spot over and over again and when working them back i have complete control with them over long distances it's unreal how easy and far it will punch them out from the asturie 90 all the way up to the patchinko 2 it dosent break a sweat.With diving plugs you will be able to feel the lure working all the way back from very long distances on a simple straight retrieve i don't have much experence with them unfortanally but i am going to change that over this season hopefully. now for soft plastic lures i happen to use these alot more than the above, if your casting weighted soft plastic paddle tails you can feel the lure the instant it hits the bottom and when retreveing it back you can feel it passing throgh seaweed and bumping into small rocks and stones or tell if it's on clean sand the responsiveness is very sharp, the best way i can descibe it is it's like having a very short string tied to you finger and your out above the water picking your lure up and down and searching around wih your hand for a bite. if you like drifting paddle tails across a current rip you will be able to feel if the lure if it's hitting the bottom halfway through the drift and pick it back up to keep the paddle tail going even it is a very small lure it will let you know whats going on down there, with bigger paddle tails you will be able feel the tail kicking for long distances its very sensitive tool for that job and i love it for those abilities with soft plastic lures particulary. casting with this rod is totally effortless my left hand allways lands on the buttgrip in the most naturally way and the cast will allways be very easy quick and smooth, the over all build quality is really stunning and weighing in at 132 grams and with a casting weight of 6g to 38g it just does absolutely everything i could ever want in a rod. i can see it coming in very handy on those days where there is a lot of wind kicking about. i hope this will give somebody a good idea of what this rod is like before they buy it, have fun with it Cheers. Click to expand...

hopefully it helps out, it's not nice taking a gamble like that, 6000 miles is a lot of travel from Japan to Ireland so worth it though.  

Hey Shane, sounds like you'll be keeping it under your pillow for a while ..... How much? & where from? If you don't mind me asking.  

Hiya Sean i sure will haha! i hope your doing well man. i will send you a pm.  

Really glad my review of the 9' one helped you out a bit, it's the most extraordinary lure fishing rod I have ever used. I have never taken a punt like this, but I am so glad I did. Never, ever felt such perfect "tension" in a fishing rod - I can't properly explain it, but working say a DoLive Stick on the rod is something else. It causes me to grin like a loon! Nice one on the new rod and it's great to hear about it working out so well. If only Shimano UK brought this kind of Shimano Japan gear into the UK and Ireland.  

Henry Gilbey said: Really glad my review of the 9' one helped you out a bit, it's the most extraordinary lure fishing rod I have ever used. I have never taken a punt like this, but I am so glad I did. Never, ever felt such perfect "tension" in a fishing rod - I can't properly explain it, but working say a DoLive Stick on the rod is something else. It causes me to grin like a loon! Nice one on the new rod and it's great to hear about it working out so well. If only Shimano UK brought this kind of Shimano Japan gear into the UK and Ireland. Click to expand...

So you like it then?  

zarok said: This is my first review hopefully it will help someone out there that wants to buy one of these there is very little about them out there so i hope this helps a bit. first off i have been waiting patiently for a rod like this for a very long time i seen Henry Gilbey did a review on the S900ML/RF 9’ 5-32g a few mounts back and that got my attention, when i had a look at the four models i could not believe the specifications for the S906M/RF Medium 9'6" 6g-38g it is the rod i have allways wanted i had to have it, not nice waiting for it to arive but i am so impressed by it i had to do a review. starting with topwater lures this thing will cast them out to there limit putting them out in the same spot over and over again and when working them back i have complete control with them over long distances it's unreal how easy and far it will punch them out from the asturie 90 all the way up to the patchinko 2 it dosent break a sweat.With diving plugs you will be able to feel the lure working all the way back from very long distances on a simple straight retrieve i don't have much experence with them unfortanally but i am going to change that over this season hopefully. now for soft plastic lures i happen to use these alot more than the above, if your casting weighted soft plastic paddle tails you can feel the lure the instant it hits the bottom and when retreveing it back you can feel it passing throgh seaweed and bumping into small rocks and stones or tell if it's on clean sand the responsiveness is very sharp, the best way i can descibe it is it's like having a very short string tied to you finger and your out above the water picking your lure up and down and searching around with your hand for a bite. if you like drifting paddle tails across a current rip you will be able to feel if the lure if it's hitting the bottom halfway through the drift and pick it back up to keep the paddle tail going even it is a very small lure it will let you know whats going on down there, with bigger paddle tails you will be able feel the tail kicking for long distances its very sensitive tool for that job and i love it for those abilities with soft plastic lures particulary. casting with this rod is totally effortless my left hand allways lands on the buttgrip in the most naturally way and the cast will allways be very easy quick and smooth, the over all build quality is really stunning and weighing in at 132 grams and with a casting weight of 6g to 38g it just does absolutely everything i could ever want in a rod. i can see it coming in very handy on those days where there is a lot of wind kicking about. i hope this will give somebody a good idea of what this rod is like before they buy it, i love this rod to death and i am sure you will too, have fun with it Cheers. Click to expand...

Nice one Bill that's great to here, i agree with you it does look super sexy, and as for the blank i don't know what type of magic was imbued into it. it's a very unusual looking blank that's the high power X and carbon monocoque technology. it's wrapped in a spiral of extremely tight high performance carbon fiber tape on the outside all the way to the tip of the blank i have never seen anything like it that's where it gets it's huge amount of sensitivity and power from aswell as being remarkable light weight, there's loads of new technology that has gone into makeing this rod and i don't think you can get that sort of technology with any custom made rods out there, thanks bill enjoy your weekend. and yes it is a very expensive rod.  

zarok said: This is my first review hopefully it will help someone out there that wants to buy one of these there is very little info about them out there so i hope this helps a bit. first off i have been waiting patiently for a rod like this for a very long time i seen Henry Gilbey did a review on the S900ML/RF 9’ 5-32g a few mounts back and that got my attention, when i had a look at the four models i could not believe the specifications for the S906M/RF Medium 9'6" 6g-38g it is the rod i have allways wanted i had to have it, not nice waiting for it to arive but i am so impressed by it i had to do a review. starting with topwater lures this thing will cast them out to there limit putting them out in the same spot over and over again and when working them back i have complete control with them over long distances. it's unreal how easy and far it will punch them out from the asturie 90 all the way up to the patchinko 2 it dosent break a sweat.With diving plugs you will be able to feel the lure working all the way back from very long distances on a simple straight retrieve i don't have much experence with them unfortanally but i am going to change that over this season hopefully. now for soft plastic lures i happen to use these alot more than the above, if your casting weighted soft plastic paddle tails you can feel the lure the instant it hits the bottom and when retreveing it back you can feel it passing throgh seaweed and bumping into small rocks and stones or tell if it's on clean sand the responsiveness is very sharp, the best way i can descibe it is it's like having a short string tied to you finger and your out above the water picking your lure up and down and searching around with your hand for a bite. if you like drifting paddle tails across a current rip you will be able to feel if the lure is hitting the bottom halfway through the drift and pick it back up to keep the paddle tail going even if it is a very small lure it will let you know whats going on down there, with bigger paddle tails you will be able feel the tail kicking away from long distances its a very sensitive tool for that job and i love it for those abilities with soft plastic lures particulary. casting with this rod is totally effortless my left hand allways lands on the buttgrip in the most naturally way and the cast will allways be very easy quick and smooth, the over all build quality is really stunning and weighing in at 132 grams and with a casting weight of 6g to 38g now that is something truly special. it just does absolutely everything i could ever want in a rod. i can see it coming in very handy on those days where there is a lot of wind kicking about. i hope this will give somebody a good idea of what this rod is like before they buy it, i love this rod to death and i am sure you will too, have fun with it Cheers. Click to expand...

What size reel should u put with it guys? I just ordered on!  

I use a Shimano EXSENCE CI4+ 4000MXG on mine i prefer a reel with a fast rerive for when i need it. but it's up to you to go for whatever you like, 4000 is the size i would recommend though congrats Gregsie.  

I like shimano's normally the rarenium but might get a vanquish this time  

Great choice the 4000 size vanquish i take it. hope my review helped and i am sure you will be overwhelmed with the Shimano EXSENCE INFINITY S906M/RF Medium 9'6"  

Gregsie said: What size reel should u put with it guys? I just ordered on! Click to expand...

Bill Bajaj said: 1.I"m a firm believer in a bigger circumference spool which gives you slightly larger coils and the line doesn't drop as fast as a smaller spool now there is a difference in the 3000 n 4000 spool size in the Shimano XD series so I opted on the 4000 . Click to expand...

For distance try an MC triple cross 10ft 6 inch 15 /45 g , it will cast lures below 15 g rating and able to cast 45 g if you want it . 155 BRM goes out of sight , 25/30 g metal , have you enough line on the reel ? It’s also useful with line control in rocky Locations , which is what I bought it for !  

Bill, I have the Shimano Exsence Grand Versatilier 9'6" and was thinking as you like your Exsence, why not go for a Shimano rod in the longer length, such as the Exsence S1006M/RF Grand Versatilier 1006, which is 10'6" casting 8-42g and weighs in at just 160g. It's also from the 2016 range, which are essentially the range before the Infinity but are still available. Not sure if it will be different enough in length or casting weights to offer you a reasonable gain. I have a Tenryu Shore Dragon at 11'6" as my big sea/big lure rod, which will do 20-80g but weighs quite a bit more than the Shimano. It has a Van Staal VR125 sitting on it. In regard to reels, I tend to go for 4000 size in Shimano as I rarely use a rod less than 9'6". George  

Ayschyllus said: For distance try an MC triple cross 10ft 6 inch 15 /45 g , it will cast lures below 15 g rating and able to cast 45 g if you want it . 155 BRM goes out of sight , 25/30 g metal , have you enough line on the reel ? It’s also useful with line control in rocky Locations , which is what I bought it for ! Click to expand...

briney said: Bill, I have the Shimano Exsence Grand Versatilier 9'6" and was thinking as you like your Exsence, why not go for a Shimano rod in the longer length, such as the Exsence S1006M/RF Grand Versatilier 1006, which is 10'6" casting 8-42g and weighs in at just 160g. It's also from the 2016 range, which are essentially the range before the Infinity but are still available. Not sure if it will be different enough in length or casting weights to offer you a reasonable gain. I have a Tenryu Shore Dragon at 11'6" as my big sea/big lure rod, which will do 20-80g but weighs quite a bit more than the Shimano. It has a Van Staal VR125 sitting on it. In regard to reels, I tend to go for 4000 size in Shimano as I rarely use a rod less than 9'6". George Click to expand...

Bill, I've got the 9'6" Dialuna here and it's outstanding. A step down from my Exsence, but excellent nonetheless. Again, the 16 model, as opposed to the one you're looking at. Mine is the XR906M. In the XR range, they do an XR1100M which an 11' 8-42g rod. George  

Meant to say that the XR Dialunas are fitted with K guides as opposed to Torzites, have a superb reel seat and again, that really nice butt swell. George  

I have the sea bass MC triple x , used it a couple of times trying different lures to get a feel for it . Quite impressed so far , especially as under £200 ! I did look at getting a 10 ft 6 inch or even the 11 ft Exsence but I can buy two MC for less than one Exsence ! As I intend to use it in rocky areas where I could end up breaking it if I fall over ,it made sense !! For a real beast the 9 ft 8 inch triple x surf 15/45 g is one pokey rod , but not so stiff as to kill fun !  

ah you see that's the thing right there Ayschyllus this rod is called the infinity grand versatilier for a very good reason i don't want to have loads of diffrent rods, i only need my Grand versatilier, all the best Ayschyllus.  

Hi tone i have been hit with import duty charges a few times before when buying tackle from japan. but oddly enough this time when my 4000MXG and Grand versatilier arrived at my front door i wasn't charged for anything extra, i was waiting to be charged for the two and i had the extra money there just in case i was.  

zarok said: Hi tone2012 i have been hit with import duty charges a few times before when buying tackle from japan. but oddly enough this time when my 4000MXG and Grand versatilier arrived at my front door i wasn't charged for anything extra, i was waiting to be charged for the two and i had the extra money there just in case i was. Click to expand...

Here's a good video with Hitoshi suzuki with the same setup as me getting in a few lunkers. you will see the recovery on the blank when he cast's blink and you will miss it. if you open the video on your youtube and click on show more at the bottom of the video you will get to read more about the Exsense infinity. hope it helps for anyone that needs the info.  

Tony, I've got a pair of the ARC Aero's Ci4+ in 4000 size. Had them four years now and they're still as good as new. A class act. Having ran them side by side with a pair of Daiwa Certates, I can categorically say that not only did they increase casting distance for me over the Certates, but they have so much more guts and cranking power. Although I wouldn't recommend doing what I did on a regular basis, for the sake of the tests I totally winched in carp up to maybe 8lbs or so, not exactly what fixed spool reels are designed for. The ARC Aero's Ci4+'s kept going long after the Certates had locked up under the pressure. From memory I believe my Certates were about £300 each, so more expensive the the Shimanos by about £50. Smooth, yes, good looking, yes, guts, no. Up to that point, I'd always had a healthy mix of both Shimano and Daiwa in my armoury. Now, I think I have one old Daiwa baitrunner. Dozens of Shimanos. Some would say that the ARC Aero's are the ugly kid on the block and they are certainly of a ''futuristic' design. I like the design so much that I bought a pair of non-ARC Aeros too :thumbsup: All IMHO, of course. George  

watched a few of the jap videos from shimano after that most of all looks like the handle lenghts arent stupidly short. also they using 10fter rods in calm river senarios, fairly powerful rods too which isnt what some would suggest as apropriate.  

Matthew b said: watched a few of the jap videos from shimano after that most of all looks like the handle lenghts arent stupidly short. also they using 10fter rods in calm river senarios, fairly powerful rods too which isnt what some would suggest as apropriate. Click to expand...

briney said: Tony, I've got a pair of the ARC Aero's Ci4+ in 4000 size. Had them four years now and they're still as good as new. A class act. Click to expand...

As I say, Tony, I wouldn't advocate cranking with any fixed spool, to be honest, and I simply did that to test the reels for guts. Just proved to me what a superb drivetrain the Shimano has. Obviously, not all Shimanos are made the same and you pretty much only get what you pay for nowadays, with manufacturers giving you some of the top features in their lower ranges, but not all. They'd be fools to. In my eyes, they certainly did things right when they came up with X-Ship. George  

Just an update on new findings on Shimano exsence infinity S906/M rod.This rod is super sensitive I mean it tells you instantly if the lure gets a weed or some plastic and garbage on lure even at a distance ! The tip reacts exactly the way the lure swims I mean the tip transmission is awesome !(almost too much sensitivity for comfort if u know what I mean) the tip reacts wildly in the way each different lures swim .Now if this is a good thing or not im not sure please enlighten me guys ?Now the tip on this rod is soft but a little further down it gets into a real beffy rod which is why it casts so effortlessly ! I was fishing at the beach but there was too much weed and it was low tide so decided to go to the reservoir(freshwater)to try for some peacock bass didn't get any but had the unique opportunity to try this rod in stillwater with different long casting lures and see she fares and man she really puts it out there !One way you can tell about it's sensitivity is some lures like to be cranked slowly or at different speeds this rod tells you all there's going on with lure. A unique rod but not sure about it's ultra sensitivity !(I contacted zarok here and he says the same thing about this rod) Is it a good thing to have an ultra sensitive,responsive rod yet very powerful I'm new into lure casting so need to know gents ? (I feel it's over the top but its just my opinion - I could be wrong)  

Bill Bajaj said: Henry buddy a very big thanks for that ! Now I'm new into lure casting and this rod is just too perfect ! I mean you can actually feel the BIG difference between lures their precise actions on the way they swim just by feeling and looking at the tip of this magnificent rod. I come from a beachcasters pendulum/otg/untitech background so I've got a different feel but you have reassured me and made me feel confident that I made a great choice by buying this costly rod and i appreciate that very much. Love your blogs and reviews and keep them coming there are tons of us who benefits from your expertise Bill Click to expand...

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Rod Exsence Genos

The Exsence Genos takes its inspiration from the world beating Shimano Exsence Infinity. A long-range Sea Bass rod with remarkable versatility, the Exsence Genos is effortless to cast, has remarkable tip speed recovery and delivers all of the sensitivity and feedback you could ever want. If you are serious about your Sea Bass fishing and want a rod that has few equals, the Exsence Genos takes some beating. Taking inspiration from the world renowned Exsence Infinity, the ‘Genos’ is a stunning rod in its own right and many experts consider it to be slightly more versatile and user-friendly than its more expensive brother. You’ll certainly have no complaints about its long range casting potential, which will maximise your options when fish are at range and the fast action enables you to work lures hard, even in the roughest of conditions. Yet, when feedback and sensitivity are required, the Exsence Genos delivers time and time again. Showcasing Shimano’s premium rod technologies, the Exsence Genos exceeds in all departments. The use of Spiral X Core and Hi-Power carbon is further enhanced with Nanopitch technology. The result is a range of rods that will cast huge distances yet offer lightness and response that belies the power required to control hard fighting Sea Bass in rough or rocky conditions. To further enhance performance a Carbon Monocoque handle, combined with Shimano Ci4+ Perfection reel seat provides the ultimate combination for maximum feedback. And as you would expect on a rod with such a high pedigree, Exsence Genos rods feature a combination of premium Shimano X-Guide / Fuji Titanium SiC guides for faultless line management.

• FEATURE & TECHNOLOGY

SPECIFICATION CHART

Spiral X Core is Shimano's newest and most advanced blank construction technology. By integrating Spiral X carbon tape construction with Toray Nanoalloy® technology, Spiral X Core constructed blanks benefit from up to 10% more torsional rigidity and up to 15% more compressional rigidity than rods built with Spiral X. Shimano is unique to the market by applying by high-strength carbon tape with this unique and patented Spiral X construction.

The X guide was born from the viewpoint to bring out the potential of blanks to the full. Supporting the guide rings of the tip part is a one-piece structure frame molded with the latest material by 3D technology. Its beautiful shape combines strength with the calculated inclination angle and three-dimensional structure to suppress line entanglement. The tip guides are light and small. In the butt part we have the Aero Titanium X guide which contributes to casting feeling and casting distance. X guide is Shimano's original high performance guide which fused lightness, trouble less, casting performance to higher dimensions.

Carbon Monocoque grip is a carbon-molded grip that is lightweight with high sensitivity, transferring even the smallest vibration to an angler’s hand. The Carbon Monocoque Grip increases sensitivity by 30% compared to traditional rod handles and utilizes a hollow structure that eliminates unnecessary parts of the rear grip to improve weight reduction and vibration transmission.

Hi-Power X construction uses diagonally-wrapped carbon tape to form an array of "X" shapes on the rod blank's outermost layer. The width of the tape, its winding angle and the part of the rod being wrapped are fine-tuned according to the target fish species. This manufacturing process allows Shimano to adjust these wraps during construction for precise actions, enhanced overall strength and added twist resistance. In short, Hi-Power X construction delivers sharp and crisp rod control for the angler.

Shimano’s Nanopitch manufacturing method enables fine-pitch and high-precision wrapping of the molding tape during the blank baking process. Nanopitch technology tightens the tape to the extreme and provides uniform pressure, increasing the circularity of the rod and ultimately improving overall rod strength.

MUSCLE CARBON is a high-performance material that reduces the gap between fibers by bundling carbon fibers more dense than normal carbon material, and this dense structure reduces the amount of resin needed to fill the gaps in between the fibers.

The SCREW LOCK JOINT achieves increased joint strength and ease of detachment by special machining methods. When twisting the rod sections as it is twisted like a screw, the fixing force increases and the sections are more securely locked on the joint section. When unscrewing, the sections can be easily unlocked by twisting in the opposite direction.

Shimano SOFTUBE TOP provides the sensitivity of an ultra fine solid carbon tip with the lightness of a hollow/tubular construction. SOFTUBE TOP construction can be found on rods where sensitivity and finesse are both important requirements. The smooth, seamless action of SOFTUBE TOP offers the angler an unrivalled experience for bite detection and fish-playing performance.

CI4 is a resin material reinforced with carbon fiber that is lighter and has a higher strength than conventional resin material. CI4+ is an advanced version of the original CI4 material.The rigidity and durability have been greatly improved from original CI4 material while maintaining the lightness of the material, making it possible to reduce the size and weight of the reel.

The G-CROSS PROTECTOR greatly reduces the risk of breakage on the joint section.

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Shimano Exsence Infinity S906M/RF 9’6’’ 6-38g lure rod review - imported from Japan, not cheap

Before I get going with this review, let’s get a few things out of the way - I am not here to tell you that importing a (not remotely cheap) lure fishing rod like this from Japan is going to procure you any more fish on the bank as such, nor that with the gear I have here at home do I really need a rod like this. Want and need are interesting things in fishing are they not though?! I’m not here to justify what I spend my money on, but I have owned this particular rod for a while now and I thought it might be of interest if I told you what I think of it………

A while back I reviewed the lighter version of this Shimano Exsence Infinity S906M/RF 9’6’’ 6-38g lure rod, the shorter and slightly less powerful Shimano Exsence Infinity S900ML/RF 9’ 5-32g - a rod that completely blew me away and continues to freak me out how good it is whenever it comes out fishing with me. I held out against getting this longer 9’6’’ 6-38g version as long as my pathetic, lure tackle addicted self could manage, doing all I could to tell myself that I didn’t need a more powerful lure rod because I’ve got stuff here already that does the job very well indeed - such as the hugely impressive HTO Shore Game S962MLM 9'6'' 7-35g (review here ) - but in the end I failed. Damn I’m glad I did though. Holy cow.

If there is one thing these two high end marvels of Japanese fishing rod technology have proved to me, it’s that a few wiggles or indeed waggles tell you very little about them. As per my review of the 9’ Exsence Infinity, my first few waggles with this longer 9’6’’ version when it arrived at my front door didn’t exactly floor me, but you so need to get rods like these out fishing instead of standing there and waggling away like we really know what we’re talking about!

Sure this rod is light, but then I knew it would be - look here where Shimano Japan quote 132g for this rod, and I see no reason to dispute that. I love the whole handle design, but then I knew I would because it’s the same handle as on the 9’ (I hadn’t realised that the butt grip is actually part of the rod therefore it’s hollow), and the rod felt impressive but not outright special when I first waggled it a few times. As a contrast to this, I knew from the very first waggle (or wiggle) with that far too good for the money HTO Nebula M 2.7m (9’) 7-35g lure rod that I was going to love it (review here ). My feeling is that these somewhat more expensive and indeed refined fishing rods have that bit more to them which tends to really open up to you as you spend more time fishing with them……..

Which is exactly what has happened with this utterly ridiculous Shimano Exsence Infinity S906M/RF 9’6’’ 6-38g lure rod. I’ve got my perfect 9’ lure rod now for doing a certain amount of my bass fishing, but I do like that slightly longer, more powerful rod for bouncier seas and/or windier conditions, and especially for the sort of lure fishing I might do on the north coast of Cornwall and other similar types of grounds and conditions. And what I really want - indeed this is the reason I took the punt on getting this new rod - is for this more powerful rod to be 100% as accomplished at dealing with the lighter, more finesse stuff, plus I’d also love it if the longer rod felt like fishing with a shorter rod. This one does all that and more - but I couldn’t imagine that I’d end up truly loving a 9’6’’ lure rod easily as much as a 9’ one.

If anything though this 9’6’’ 6-38g version is an even more impressive lure fishing rod, and I will try to explain why. As freaky good as the 9’ 5-32g version is, I kind of expected (hoped?) a high end lure rod of that length and casting weight was going to be effortless to fish with - which it seriously is - but now step up a gear in length and also power and I was hoping the rod was going to be pretty damn nice but it would surely require more of me to get the best out of it, plus wouldn’t I surely be losing something by stepping up? If anything though it’s the exact opposite, indeed the harder you lash into this 9’6’’, the less I feel that I am getting out of it. The rod is so ridiculously accomplished and effortless that I need to keep telling myself to cast nice and smoothly at say 75% power and any number of different lures go out there as smoothly as one slips into a shiny pair of technical tights. OK, let’s no go there………….

I haven’t got a clue how Shimano Japan’s rod people have achieved this, because as good as some of the 9’6’’ rods I have been lucky enough to fish with in the past have been, none of them have been quite as versatile and smooth and easy and controlled as this Shimano Exsence Infinity 9’6’’ 6-38g. A 34g casting jig goes out as easily as a 6’’ DoLive Stick , both with no wobble at all because there is just no point at all in lashing into your lures with this rod. Watching that lethal DUO Slim 140 Flyer fly out into the north Cornwall sunshine the other day was something else (I think I might have got a little emotional), and when I slow down (75%) with the Patchinko II and use a slightly longer drop, well I can’t prove it because I have never measured a lure cast, but my gut is that I have never put this missile out as far. Seriously, it makes me giggle it goes out so well. I have never felt a rod feel so utterly “whole” or together when you cast and fish with it - except for the shorter 9’ version that is.

So the rod does the bigger stuff really well, as indeed it bloody well should for the price and the specs, but how about what the 6-38g rating implies? I genuinely feel that the lighter 9’ version is working as well with a little 4.5’’ DoLive Stick as it is with say this new Xorus Patchinko 125 and upwards through to 32g, but surely this beefier 9’6’’ 6-38g rod can’t be quite as accomplished? Well it is, indeed it’s quite something how I can stand on a rock and punch out say the new Size 80/35g Fiiish Power Tail Saltwater into a bit of clean and green north Cornish surf and then move a few yards and gently work a calmer section of reef with the DoLive Stick or a smaller hard lure like the killer IMA iBorn 98F . I can’t tell you if this 9’6’’ 6-38g rod does the 6g lures really well because I don’t carry lures that light, and especially not when I am taking this 9’6’’ because of conditions or location, but it’s almost scarily impressive how good the rod feels with a wide variety of lures and weights. As I said, I am not here to tell you that you need to go and spend this kind of dosh on a lure rod, but on the other hand I reckon this incredible 9’6’’ Exsence Infinity would be the perfect do it all lure rod for a lot of anglers who would find that slightly heavier casting weight useful.  

To me it’s all about the tension, indeed with both these Shimano Exsence Infinity rods I now own it’s the one word that springs to mind the most. They’ve both got these utterly divine tips on them and it’s when you fish and cast and retrieve and work lures that the tips on these rods and how they so seamlessly feel part of the whole rod make perfect sense - the “overall tension” if you like. There is some serious power here if you need it, but it’s so easy to get at. There are lure anglers out there who know far, far more about the north coast of Cornwall than me for example, but with what I do know about where I might fish up there, this 9’6’’ is my perfect rod for it. It’s got the power I need for the lures I might use in some often heavier conditions, but it’s like two or three more rods rolled into one. It’s that overall feeling of perfect tension through the whole rod that I think is key, and as good as I have found a number of lure rods to be, it’s these two Shimano Exsence Infinity rods that stand above them all now. It’s hard to explain but for me it all becomes very apparent when I go fishing with them.

And then we come to “walking” or bumping the Fiiish Black Minnow across a really rocky, snaggy bottom in a shallowish to medium depth, and categorically I have never fished a rod that gives me as feedback as this awesome Shimano Exsence Infinity S906M/RF 9’6’’ 6-38g. I accept that you’d expect to feel a lot from a solid jig head bumping and bouncing over hard rocky ground, but I am utterly convinced that this rod is taking that feedback to another level of translating what is going on down the 9’6’’ rod length and into me. I am a conduit! I have used the Black Minnow loads and loads over the years, but I have been guilty of neglecting this often lethal way of covering reefy ground, and the first time I did it with the 120mm Black Minnow and that rather lovely 18g Search Head in some bouncy conditions I got one hell of a shock with what I could feel. It’s unquantifiable and I can’t prove that I am getting all this extra feedback, but I’ve fished with enough lure rods at all kinds of prices to know when I am fishing with something a bit extra special.

As I said earlier, I just didn’t expect this longer and more powerful 9’6’’ Exsence Infinity to impress me quite as much as the shorter and lighter 9’ one, indeed if I am perfectly honest I was worried that I’d gone and made a bit of a mistake once I had clicked buy and was waiting for delivery of the 9’6’’. How could it possibly be as impressive as the 9’? Well I take my hat off to the Shimano Japan people who are responsible for these new Exsence Infinity lure rods, because the two I have here are in my mind the best two lure fishing rods I have ever used. They are not available in the UK and I therefore very much stand by my statement the other day that the HTO Shore Game S932ML 9'3'' 7-30g lure rod (review here ) is the best “available off the shelf in the UK” rod that I have fished with so far. It’s an incredible rod that will catch me just as many bass as these Shimano Exsence Infinity rods might, but there’s a great big world out there full of nice shiny lure fishing tackle that I am sure you have guessed absolutely fascinates me. I love messing around with stuff and I am not into trying to compare tackle when it’s such an individual and price driven thing of course, but I look forward to the day (my wallet doesn’t) when I get to fish with a couple of lure rods that do it for me as much as these two new Shimano Exsence Infinity beauties………. 

Disclosure - if you buy anything using links found in this blog post or around my website, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you any more to buy via these affiliate links - and please feel entirely free not to do so of course - but it will help me to continue producing content. Thank you.    

Monuments & churches

• As in every Russian city, there are multiple monuments to heroes of the Great Patriotic War (World War II), including an eternal flame guarded at special ceremonies by youths with replica Kalashnikovs.
• In front of the Opera & Ballet House, Lenin's Square is adorned by a big grey statue of Lenin. His cloak billows out behind like Marilyn Monroe's skirt, as if to show where the Metro passes beneath.
• The exact geographical centre of the former Soviet Union just south of Lenin Square is marked by the Chapel of Saint Nicholas. It was built in 1915 to commemorate 300 years of Romanov rule, destroyed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1993. The Chapel is tiny, sitting on a traffic island like a clock-tower, yet regular services are held within.
• A little further S, past the Art Museum, is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral at 1A Krasnyi Prospekt. Big as it is, you won't see it until you're upon it, as it's somewhat set back from the street.
• 1 km north of Lenin Sq is Ascension Cathedral, at the corner of Sovietskaya & Gogolya.

Visa centers

While it's better to stay away from some run-down areas the overall situation is not bad. Pervomayskiy rayon and far-off neighbourhoods of Leninskiy and Kirovskiy rayons should be avoided at any time.

The safest place is the centre (nearby Lenin Square).

Omsk and Tomsk are reachable by train within a day. For Kazakhstan, the train will involve a zig-zag via Petropavlovsk, but there's a regular bus direct to Astana.

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Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk tourist information and tourism, (novosibirsk, siberia, russia), novosibirsk tourist information and tourism: top sights, more novosibirsk information / fast facts and orientation.

• Country: Russia (Russian Federation)
• Location: Novosibirsk Oblast region / Southern Siberia
• Status: city / capital of Siberia
• Area: approximately 193 square miles / 500 square kilometres
• Population: approximately 1.5 million
• Language: Russian
• Currency: Russian Ruble (RUR)
• Time zone: UTC / GMT +3
• Country dialing code: +7
• Telephone area code: 383
• Average daily Novosibirsk January temperature: -14°C / 7°F
• Average daily Novosibirsk July temperature: 25°C / 77°F

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A traveler's guide to Novosibirsk, the unofficial capital of Siberia

Trans-Siberian heritage

Residents of Novosibirsk love trains and are proud of the fact that their city played a significant role in the history of the grand Trans-Siberian railway, which spans the breadth of Russia. The railway is such a part of Novosibirsk identity that it is even depicted on the city’s emblem, along with the bridge that crosses the Ob river and two Siberian sables standing on their hind legs.  

In the city, there are as many as five monuments to trains, and an open-air locomotive museum is located in the vicinity of the train station Seyatel’. The museum has more than 100 steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and carriages, reflecting the history of rail transportation in Russia from pre-revolutionary times to the present day. Wondering around the stationary trains and comparing your height with the diameter of the gigantic iron wheels of the first steam locomotives is all very well, but why not climb inside the carriages and see how the nobility once traveled across Russia in pre-revolutionary times? These tours will however need to be booked in advance. The museum opens from 11:00 until 17:00 every day except Mondays. 

Novosibirsk spans both sides of the river Ob. In the early twentieth century, the border of two different timezones passed right through the city which led to a strange situation- morning on the east bank started one hour earlier than on the west bank! The two-kilometer covered metro bridge that crosses the river is considered the longest in the world. Due to the fluctuations in temperature across the year (on average +30 °C to -30 °C), during the summer the metro bridge expands, and in the winter it contracts by half a meter. To counter these effects, the bridge’s supports are equipped with special rollers that allow it to move.   

The cultural center of Siberia

The repertoire of the theatre can be viewed on its official website . The theatre season runs from September to July, and comprises mainly classical performances, like the ballet “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky, Borodin’s opera “Prince Igor” and Verdi’s “La Traviata”.  

The large Siberian sea and ligers

Weekends are best spent at the Novosibirsk zoo . The zoo is known for breeding big cats, although surrounded by controversy, hosts a successful crossing of a tiger and lion, which of course would not otherwise breed in wildlife. Ligers, or exotic cubs of an African lion and Bengal tigress, feel quite comfortable in the Siberian climate and even produce offspring. The zoo is open to visitors year-round, seven days a week, and even has its own free mobile app, Zoo Nsk .

Every year at the beginning of January, the festival of snow culture takes place bringing together artists from across Russia and around the world to participate in a snow sculpting competition. The tradition started in 2000 inspired by the snow festival in Sapporo, Novosibirsk’s twin-city.

Siberian Silicon Valley

Despite the fact that Akademgorodok was built half a century ago in the middle of the uninhabited Siberian taiga, architecturally it was ahead of its time. No trees were destroyed for its construction, and houses were built right in the middle of the forest. A man walking through the woods would seemingly stumble upon these structures. At that time, no one had built anything similar in the world and ecovillages only became fashionable much later.

For residents of the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok is a different world. When you step out the bus or car, you are immediately on one of the hiking paths through the forest, between the scientific buildings and clubs. On a walk through Akademgorodok, it is possible to unexpectedly encounter art-like objects handmade by residents of the city which have been erected as monuments and some monuments fixed up by city authorities. For example, the monument to the laboratory mice, which knits a strand of DNA on to some needles, can be found in the square alongside the Institute of Cytology and Genetics. In Akademgorodok there are many cafes and restaurants, in which it is possible to rest after a long walk. Grab a coffee and go to eat at Traveler’s Coffee , or eat lunch at the grille and bar People’s or Clover .

Winters in the Akademgorodok are slightly colder than in the city, so wrap up. Spring and summer are usually wetter, so waterproof boots are recommended. In the summer the Ob sea provides respite from the heat, so do not forget your swimsuit to go for a dip.

Memento Mori

Among the exhibits of the museum is one dedicated to world funeral culture — hearses, memorial jewellery from the hair of the deceased, samples from a specific photo-genre of  "post mortem", a collection of funeral wear from the Victorian era, deathmasks, statues and monuments. There’s also an impressive collection of coffins. One of them, resembling a fish, was manufactured on a special visit to Novosibirsk by a designer coffin-maker from Africa, Eric Adjetey Anang, who specializes in the production of unusual coffins.

Surprisingly, the crematorium itself does not look at all gloomy in appearance and definitely does not look like infernal scenes from movies, or like crematoriums of other cities that gravitate towards gloomy temple aesthetics. The Novosibirsk crematorium is decorated in “cheerful” orange tones and is surrounded by a park with a children’s playground nearby. A visit to the museum then leaves you with mixed feelings. 

Novosibirsk underground

Tourists from all over the world go down into the Moscow metro to take a ride and a few selfies in the most famous underground museum. The Novosibirsk metro is also quite a museum in itself — it has 13 stations, the most beautiful of which is Gagarinskaya, Sibirskaya and Rechnoy Vokzal.

The ultramodern Gagarinskaya station is like a real cosmos underground. Its technologically themed design includes marble walls with metallic elements, dark blue backlighting and portraits of Yuri Gagarin. The Sibirskaya station looks like an underground treasure trove, decorated by Altai masters craftsmen with mosaics of precious Siberian stones. The Rechnoy Vokzal station is framed with ten glowing stained glass windows depicting the largest cities of Siberia, including Novosibirsk itself, Omsk, Barnaul and others. The platform resembles a big ship sailing on the Ob, from which ancient Siberian cities are visible through its windows.  

How to get there

The easiest way to get to Novosibirsk is by plane with Aeroflot or Novosibirsk airline S7 with one-way tickets from Moscow costing from 200-250 USD. If you decide to take from the train from Moscow, you’ll have to travel approximately a third of the Trans-Siberian Railway. That’s 3,300 kilometers over almost a three-day journey. 

Where to stay

There are many great hotels in Novosibirsk. Amongst the best include a four-star Doubletree hotel by Hilton , which is located near Lenin Square (per room from $200). After renovations and repairs, the congress-hotel Novosibirsk has improved (per room from $100) and is located across from the train station. Less expensive but of a similar standard is the four-star River Park hotel near Rechnoy Vokzal metro station, which costs $80 per night.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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