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Learn More »A Tackle Shop Guide to the Shimano Telescopic Rod (Spectrum Series)
While this is a popular rod for anglers packing for a holiday, we also sell a lot of these Shimano telescopic rods to customers who just want a 'just-in-case' outfit. They'll keep one stowed under the car seat or in their work truck, so if they drive past a patch of fishy-looking water on let say their lunch break, they've always got a rod handy. The Shimano Spectrum Telescopic fishing rod is an affordable, collapsible rod that's all about convenience.
A Note From Our Local Experts
"The Spectrum has been in Shimano's lineup for a long time, and it's a rod series we've sold for years. Its main strength, and why we've had so few issues with them, is the inserted fibreglass tip. On a telescopic rod, the tip is often where things go wrong from knocks to user error. That solid fibreglass tip featured in the Spectrum series makes it much more forgiving. It’s not a high-performance casting rod for lures, but for a backpacker or a traveller who just needs a dependable, collapsible rod for bait fishing on the go, it's a proven range and an affordable choice."
- Ben Czulowski, Owner, Fishing Tackle Shop (Ocean Storm) | 20+ years industry experience
Decoding the Features: What Matters
This Shimano portable fishing rod is built to be simple, convenient, and tough enough for general fishing. Here’s what the components are for.
Pro-Tips: How to Use This Rod
- Balancing Your Reel: A common mistake we see is putting a big, heavy reel on this rod. It ruins the balance. This is a portable, lightweight rod. Stick to a 2500 or 4000-size spinning reel for the 6-8ft models, and a 6000-10,000 size for the 10-12ft models. This keeps the whole outfit light and comfortable to use.
- Protect the Guides: The guides are another weak point on any telescopic rod. When collapsing it, gently twist and push each section, don't just jam them down. The rod bag it comes with is important. Use it. It can help protect the guides and the blank from gathering minor scratching while it's in your luggage or under the car seat.
- Fish it to its Strengths: This rod has a forgiving, solid-tip action. It's not a fast-action lure-casting rod. It's designed to 'lob' a bait and sinker out, not for aggressively working a spinning lure or stickbait. Use it for bait fishing from a wharf, river, lake or beach, which is what the Spectrum telescopic series was built for.
Which Shimano Telescopic Rod Model Should I Choose?
Here’s a simple guide to matching the rod to your fishing style and the right reel. We find these rods are a good match for a 2500-4000 size reel for the light models, and a 6000-10000 size reel for the heavier beach and rock models.
- Lake & River Models (6ft - 7ft): These are your light, short-range rods. They're a good choice for fishing from wharves, jetties, or riverbanks for bream, whiting, or trout. We'd pair these with a 2500 to 4000 size spinning reel.
- General Purpose Model (8ft): The 8ft rod is a good all-rounder. It's long enough to get a bit more casting distance, making it useful for light rock or sheltered beach fishing. We'd match this with a 4000 or 6000 size reel.
- Beach & Rock Models (10ft - 12ft): These are for casting distance. The 10ft and 12ft rods are designed to cast heavier baits and sinkers out past the shore break, making them the right choice for salmon and tailor. We'd pair these with a 6000 to 10,000 size reel.
Technical Specifications: Shimano Spectrum Telescopic Rods
We stock a range of models for sale. Prices vary depending on the model you select.
| Model (Length Extended) | Extended (m) | Collapsed (Approx) | Line Class | Cast Weight |
| 6ft | 1.8m | 46cm | 3-4kg | 2-10g |
| 6ft 6in | 1.98m | 45cm | 3-4kg | 2-10g |
| 7ft | 2.1m | 52cm | 3-5kg | 5-15g |
| 8ft | 2.4m | 63cm | 5-8kg | 7-14g |
| 10ft | 3.0m | 74cm | 5-8kg | 10-40g |
| 12ft | 3.6m | 75cm | 6-10kg | 10-40g |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why buy this rod instead of the full Shimano Telescopic Combo?
The main reason is flexibility. We find many customers already have a spare spinning reel (like a 2500 or 4000) that they trust. Buying the rod only instead of the combo lets you pair it with your favourite reel to create a custom, portable setup.
Are telescopic rods as strong as normal 2-piece rods?
To be honest, no. A 1-piece rod will always have a smoother action and more strength. A telescopic rod has multiple joints, which are all potential failure points. This rod is not designed for heavy-duty lure casting or fighting big kingfish. It's a convenience rod, and it's built to be strong enough for general bait fishing for bream, flathead, salmon, and tailor.
Can I use this Shimano rod for boat fishing?
It depends. This series is not suitable for offshore boat fishing on the reefs. However, as an inshore boat rod, the 6ft-7ft models are ideal for fishing from a tinny in a river or lake.
How do I stop the rod joints from getting stuck?
This is the most important part of owning a telescopic rod. The #1 rule is to always rinse the rod with fresh water while it is still extended. This washes salt and sand out of the path of the joints. If you collapse it while salty, it be difficult to re-extend. Let it dry fully before collapsing.
Is this rod better for braid or monofilament line?
This rod was really built for monofilament. Its forgiving, 'slower' action (from the fibreglass tip) works perfectly with the stretch of mono, especially for bait fishing. You can use braid on it, but it may be prone to wind knots as opposed to if you just stick with monofilament.
Do the Shimano Telescopic Rods only fit Shimano brand reels?
No, while we recommend you purchase or use a Shimano brand reel with these rods to have a complete Shimano setup, they will take many reels from other brands. However, they are only suitable for "spinning" reels, not overheads.
Why are the guides on telescopic rods different to regular fuji guides?
They are a special guide designed to slide into the next section when the rod collapses. This is why our Pro-Tip about protecting them is so important. They are strong enough for fishing, but they can be damaged by a direct knock or if you forcefully extend or retract the rod.
Buy A portable, collapsible rod for your next holiday. Choose your length and add a Shimano Telescopic Rod to your cart for fast dispatch from our Australian based warehouse.
