Shimano Caius Casting Combo Review

I set the hook and immediately knew it was a monster fish as it doubled over the rod and made the reel sing as it stripped drag. My buddy Landon, the striped bass expert on the trip, tried to keep me calm, but reassured my suspicion that this would be the biggest fish of our trip.

Whether I was bass fishing at my pond, striper fishing in the river, or crappie fishing a local creek, I’ve put the Shimano Caius casting combo through the ringer after receiving it last summer. 

Shimano boasts that it is “built to provide bass anglers with broad-spectrum versatility,” and I’ve given it every chance to prove just how versatile it actually is. 

In short: The Shimano Caius casting combo is one of my favorite combos to use, no matter if I’m tossing a Texas rig or dragging a bladed jig. I can bomb casts into the wind without worrying about a massive backlash. It’s lightweight, so my arm doesn’t get tired after a long day of casting, yet it’s strong enough to haul in giant fish.

Shimano Caius Casting Combo Review

As I gripped the rod and reel for the first time, I was very impressed with how comfortable and lightweight it was for a 7-foot rod. I love the split grip handle for casting, and it’s balanced pretty well, though it is a little tip-heavy. 

I’ve owned other Shimano fishing products and have always thought highly of the company, so my expectations were high for this reasonably priced bass fishing combo. 

Build Quality

The Caius rod and reel just look good with the matte black coloring and modern design. But looks aren’t what’s most important; the build quality always trumps looks for me, and the Caius combo delivers here too. 

The fast-action, medium-heavy power graphite rod has a comfortable grip around the reel, with an exposed section to help you feel those light bites. While casting and reeling, I love the foam rod handle and the Titanium Oxide Guides that help your line cast and retrieve smoothly. 

Shimano used its Super Free Spool technology and Variable Brake System that reduces the chance of backlashing and “eliminates distance-robbing friction and improves overall casting performance.”

Even though this combo costs the same as some Shimano rods and reels, Shimano crafted a well-built setup that weekend bass anglers, like myself, can confidently cast while on the water. 

On-the-Water Performance

The first trip with my new Shimano Caius was to my pond, where the biggest bass might be a 3- to 4-pounder, but I only hooked a couple of 1- to 2-pounders, so I didn’t get to push this combo’s limits. 

However, my next trip with it was to the river, chasing striped bass. The river I was on was home to the state record, and my buddy said we could find some fish that would come close to the 47-pound giant.

While this combo is designed for black bass anglers, I wanted to see what it could really handle, so I tossed my bait into a deep hole, and when a big striper started swimming upstream with it, I set the hook.

I battled the 25- to 30-pound fish for what felt like an eternity, but was actually only a few minutes before landing it with the Shimano Cauis combo. It stripped the drag and doubled over the rod, but nothing broke, and I don’t feel like it even came close to breaking. 

Since my striped bass adventure, I’ve taken it bass fishing many times, and it’s held up very well, despite bouncing around in my kayak trailer rod box while traveling down gravel roads and getting tossed in the back of my truck. 

Not only is it durable, but it still casts and reels like a dream after a year of heavy use and abuse, though I wouldn’t recommend using big heavy lures like swimbaits or 1-ounce jigs with it. It’s remained one of my go-to combos for my kayak fishing adventures. 

What the Shimano Caius Does Well

As I expected, the Shimano Caius performs exceptionally well in many areas. I think the price is spectacular for the durability and quality you get. 

The rod and reel cast and retrieve like a dream because Shimano chose to use high-quality materials and technology when designing this combo. I also appreciate how versatile the Caius is; it can replace a couple of combos while I’m on the water, so my kayak is less cramped.

Lastly, I’ve proven that it can handle catching giant fish when I landed the biggest striped bass I’ve ever caught with it. 

Where I See Room for Improvement

This rod and reel leaves me with few downsides to point out because it performs exactly as designed, and it performs well. Shimano didn’t design this combo for bigger lures, so skip it if you fish with 1-ounce or heavier baits.

Also, if you’re a tournament angler, you’ll likely want to pass on this setup and opt for one of Shimano’s higher-end rods and reels because the Caius doesn’t utilize Shimano’s latest innovations and technologies. 

Who Should Buy It

The Shimano Caius is a great buy for weekend and serious bass anglers. I would bet that I get to fish more than most, and it’s one of my favorite combos to use. It’s also still within the price range for beginners who are looking for a high-quality combo that doesn’t cost a fortune. 

Conclusion: Shimano Caius Casting Combo Review

The Shimano Caius Casting combo is one of the best combos I’ve ever used (yes, even the higher-end combos), capable of handling bigguns and dinks. I’ll keep using it until it breaks from the abuse I put it through or I pass it on to my kids.