2026.10.17

Shimano 26 Grappler 300: CoreSolid Body Jigging Baitcaster – Specs and 17 Grappler Comparison

minagiman

Ask Japanese anglers for a jigging baitcaster with the best balance of price and performance, and many will name Shimano’s Grappler. Now, for the first time since 2017 – nine years – the Grappler has had a full model change. The 26 Grappler is said to be as stiff as an Ocea Conquest. Here is everything that changed.

The 26 Grappler is Shimano’s low-profile jigging baitcaster. Shimano describes it as a “high-rigidity, high-durability low-profile model” – easy to palm, with all-round performance that suits any angler and any style. The lineup is the 300 size in HG (6.3:1) and XG (7.6:1), each in right and left hand. The XG (extra-high gear) is new – the 17 Grappler had none.

Contents

Specifications

Model	Gear ratio	Retrieve / turn	Weight	Max drag	Release
300HG (right)	6.3	85 cm	340 g	7.5 kg	April 2026
301HG (left)	6.3	85 cm	340 g	7.5 kg	June 2026
300XG (right)	7.6	103 cm	345 g	7.0 kg	April 2026
301XG (left)	7.6	103 cm	345 g	7.0 kg	June 2026

Shared spec
Spool diameter / width	43 mm / 22 mm
PE capacity	No. 1.5 – 500 m, No. 2 – 380 m, No. 3 – 250 m
Bearings	5 ball / 1 roller
Handle	75 mm (CI4+ round knobs)
List price	41,000 yen (excl. tax)

PE line only, per Shimano.

Features

1. CoreSolid Body

The headline. A one-piece aluminium body, with even the level-wind protector and side plate integrated in metal. Jigging means constantly working heavy jigs and absorbing hard runs from pelagics. If the body flexes, gear mesh shifts and winding gets heavy. Making the whole body metal keeps the winding feel unchanged under load – which is why Japanese media describe it as “as stiff as an Ocea Conquest”.

2. HAGANE Body and HAGANE Gear

Shimano’s rigid HAGANE body design and cold-forged, high-strength HAGANE gear. The gears resist wear, so the smooth wind lasts.

3. Micro Module Gear

Finer gear teeth with more teeth in contact. Less roughness when winding, and it is easier to feel the jig’s action and changes in current through your hand.

4. X-SHIP

The pinion gear is supported at two points to stop it shifting. Under heavy load, winding stays light – a difference you feel when fighting big pelagics.

5. X-Protect (water resistance)

Water-repellent treatment and a labyrinth structure keep salt water out. Offshore, you are constantly in spray, so water resistance directly affects the reel’s life.

6. SVS Infinity

The centrifugal brake is adjusted with an external dial – no need to open the side plate. It reduces backlash when casting jigs or when you lob a jig out and fish it at an angle.

7. Other technology

Exciting Drag Sound – a click when line goes out, so you can hear the fish running.
S3D Spool – a highly round spool that spins evenly.
SA-RB – shielded bearings that resist salt and sand.
Super Free Spool – lighter spool rotation in free spool, so the jig drops faster.
75 mm handle with CI4+ round knobs – 5 mm longer than before, for more winding power.

26 Grappler vs 17 Grappler

	26 Grappler 300HG	17 Grappler 300HG
Gear ratio	6.3	6.2
Retrieve / turn	85 cm	84 cm
Weight	340 g	325 g
Max drag	7.5 kg	7.0 kg
Handle	75 mm	70 mm
Spool width	22 mm	25 mm
PE capacity	1.5-500 / 2-380 / 3-250 m	2-380 / 3-250 / 4-190 m
XG	Yes (7.6)	No
List price (excl. tax)	41,000 yen	37,000 yen

In short: more body stiffness, stronger drag, a longer handle and an XG option. In exchange, it is 15 g heavier and 4,000 yen more expensive.

The spool narrowed from 25 to 22 mm, and the line capacity now lists PE 1.5 x 500 m. The design has moved from assuming PE 4 to assuming long lengths of thinner PE – in line with the trend to finer lines in inshore jigging.

Some may mind the extra 15 g. But with the extra stiffness, it may actually be less tiring over a day of working heavy jigs.

HG or XG?

	HG (6.3)	XG (7.6)
Retrieve / turn	85 cm	103 cm
Winding power	Excellent	Good
Pick-up speed	Good	Excellent
Suits	Light jigging, inshore pelagic jigging	Semi-deep (around 200 m), fast jerking
Max drag	7.5 kg	7.0 kg

Shimano tester Hiroto Yamamoto recommends the HG for light jigging and the XG for semi-deep water around 200 m. In deep water, retrieving takes a long time, so 18 cm more per turn adds up over a day. If unsure, the HG is the default – the jig feels lighter, and it suits any style.

Compared with similar reels

Reel	Gear ratio	Weight	Max drag	List price (excl. tax)
Shimano 26 Grappler 300HG	6.3	340 g	7.5 kg	41,000 yen
Shimano Ocea Conquest 300HG	6.2	355 g	7.5 kg	61,300 yen
Daiwa 25 Saltiga 300	6.3	420 g	10 kg	65,900 yen
Daiwa 25 Saltiga IC 300-C	6.3	400 g	10 kg	101,000 yen

vs Shimano Ocea Conquest

The Ocea Conquest is the higher round-body model: 355 g and 61,300 yen in 300HG. The 26 Grappler is over 20,000 yen cheaper, 15 g lighter, and low-profile for easier palming. Many people choose a round body for stiffness, but the CoreSolid Body narrows that gap.

vs Daiwa 25 Saltiga 300

Daiwa’s top low-profile jigging reel. With 10 kg of drag its power is overwhelming, but it is 420 g and 65,900 yen. For seriously big yellowtail amberjack and yellowtail, the Saltiga; for comfortable inshore jigging, the 26 Grappler.

vs Daiwa 25 Saltiga IC 300-C

The Saltiga with a depth counter. Seeing depth and jig position as numbers is a big advantage in semi-deep fishing, but at 101,000 yen it costs more than double. The 26 Grappler has no counter; if you need one, look at this or Shimano’s counter models.

Fish and fishing

Fishing	Depth	Target	Gear
Light jigging	30-80 m	Medium yellowtail, Spanish mackerel, rockfish	HG
Inshore pelagic jigging	50-120 m	Yellowtail, yellowtail amberjack, greater amberjack	HG
Semi-deep jigging	150-200 m	Blackthroat seaperch (akamutsu), bluefin driftfish, bottom fish	XG

With 380 m of PE 2, one reel covers inshore pelagics through to semi-deep jigging. 7.5 kg of drag is plenty for 10 kg-class yellowtail and yellowtail amberjack. But for amberjack over 20 kg or tuna, a reel with around 10 kg of drag is safer. Choose the reel for the largest fish you expect – that is how to avoid mistakes. (See how to set your drag.)

Who it suits

Anglers stepping up from an entry reel to one that will last.
Anglers whose main fishing is inshore jigging and who do not need a flagship.
Anyone who prefers an easy-to-palm low-profile reel.
Anyone wanting one reel from light jigging to semi-deep.

If you want a depth counter, or lightness above all, compare counter models and smaller 150-size reels too.

Tackle

A rod from the same Grappler series is a natural match. Inshore jigging basics: 300-400 m of PE 1.5-2 and a 30-50 lb fluorocarbon leader. Shimano’s Ocea Jigger LD is another jigging baitcaster option.

Minagiman’s take: the “just-right upper model” is back

Jigging baitcasters tend to leave a big gap between entry models in the 10,000-yen range and flagships over 60,000 yen. At 41,000 yen, with stiffness approaching the flagships, the 26 Grappler is exactly the “just-right upper model”. The CoreSolid Body especially is a luxurious build for the price. For a second jigging reel, or one to keep for a long time from the start, it is a strong candidate.

On the other hand, the lack of a counter and the extra weight over the previous model may matter to some. For tai-rubber or slow jigging, where you want to track depth closely, compare counter models too.