EVERGREEN Kaleido Inspirere IGTC-611XMH The Grand Cobra GT

**A 33-ton serpent strikes — a new era of versatile rods born from the fusion of high-elastic firmness and mid-elastic resilience.

Grand Cobra Limited (Black Series)**

Apart from tournaments, Katsutaka Imae has always loved bass fishing as a pure hobby, especially the pursuit of untouched mountain ponds. For him, trekking through dense brush to reach hidden “Shangri-La” waters echoes the spirit of exploring the Amazon. Yet carrying multiple rods through such terrain had always been a major source of stress.

“Is it possible to combine the performance of several bank-fishing rods into just one…?”

Imae began conceptualizing the Grand Cobra when big-plug fishing — especially big baits in small ponds — became a standard tactic.

However, achieving a rod capable of handling the essentials of bank fishing — Texas rigs, rubber jigs, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs — while also handling big-bait plugs and swim baits at a high level proved incredibly difficult.

A rod light and agile enough to handle typical lure sizes lacks the power and strength required for big baits.
On the other hand, increasing power for heavy lures inevitably increases weight, destroying the nimbleness and versatility needed for general-purpose lures.

To overcome this contradiction, a thick-walled regular-slow taper that transfers power throughout the blank was required, not a fast taper. But if mid-elastic carbon is wrapped thickly, the slow taper creates excessive tip-heaviness.
Using high-elastic materials alone results in a stiff, unpleasant feel and reduces the rod’s ability to handle reaction baits and moving baits.

Imae’s demands were so extreme that the concept reached the brink of abandonment.

The breakthrough came with the early incorporation of the cutting-edge carbon material Toray® T1100G, the critical key to solving the problem. This 33-ton carbon sheet achieves both high strength and high elasticity — a combination previously considered technically extremely difficult.

By deliberately wrapping this lightweight yet ultra-strong advanced carbon sheet in thick layers, the Grand Cobra achieves a rod that bends like a whip, combining high-elastic crispness with mid-elastic muscular resilience in a regular-action low-taper design. The entire main shaft is then reinforced with full-length Quattro Cross (4-axis) technology. After three years of development, this revolutionary rod was finally completed.

It not only handles full-power casts and low-trajectory casts with 3 oz class big baits, but also offers outstanding lure-following characteristics that naturally “load” even subtle swim-bait or crankbait bites. At the same time, it maintains the precise operability needed to work light 5 g Texas rigs, while possessing the raw torque to dominate heavy cover and grass areas.
A rare combination of brute strength and finesse, the Grand Cobra is the ultimate “one-rod solution” for bank fishing.

Ironically, its exceptional performance is proven by the fact that Imae now uses it not only for bank-fishing shoots, but also for boat fishing and tournaments. From casting to pitching, with swim baits, big baits, crawler baits, football jigs, slow-rolling, jig-worm, heavy Carolina rigs—its versatility is undeniable.

Originally developed for GROUND (shore) use, the Grand Cobra has grown through three years of refinement into a true serpent worthy of its name — GRAND COBRA.

Features

**■ Blank

■ Toray® T1100G + Nanoalloy® Technology**
The low-taper blank is constructed with Toray® T1100G high-strength, high-modulus carbon fiber enhanced with Nanoalloy® technology, wrapped thick for resilience. Despite its light, slim form, it delivers sharp responsiveness, immense toughness, and power. Its unique combination of “firm yet flexible” characteristics enables exceptional versatility.

All layers from tip to butt use T1100G, creating a seamless bend curve and remarkable load-following ability for an exceptionally wide lure-weight range.

■ Kaleido Super Quattro Cross (4-Axis Reinforcement)

To control torsion without unnecessary weight or stiffness, the blank is fully reinforced with Super Quattro Cross.
• ±45° fiber orientation from tip to mid-section
• High-density ±30° reinforcement in the butt section

This hybrid full-wrapping construction extracts maximum performance from the T1100G blank.

■ Guide System

All guides use double-foot Fuji titanium frames with Torzite rings, chosen for strength and resistance to twisting. The doubled foot/thread area greatly enhances durability, torque, and toughness.

Although thick-walled, low-taper blanks + all double-foot guides typically cause tip heaviness, the lightweight T1100G blank and the weight-balanced thick-walled grip-section blank eliminate this issue.

■ Foregrip

A foregrip-less design reduces weight further. A cutting-edge winding check and a minimal 4-axis carbon sleeve nut contribute significantly to weight reduction and improved sensitivity.

Only the Grand Cobra Black Series uses an aurora-colored winding check.

■ Reel Seat Design

A slim, lightweight Fuji ECS reel seat with blank-touch construction prioritizes sensitivity and grip comfort.
The Black Series features a Black-Mica finish to match the EVA grips and elevate the premium aesthetic.

■ Signature

The reel seat features Imae Katsutaka’s signature in kanji as proof of his direct involvement in the rod’s design.

■ Grip Design

A lightweight, highly operable separate grip design. EVA is used for both center and rear grips, providing:

• Reduced wrist kickback during casting
• Advantage during continuous casting with heavy or moving baits
• Excellent long-term durability without shrinking or cracking

The grip end features an original end plate inspired by a kaleidoscope (Kaleido motif).

■ Internal Grip Blank

A thick-walled 30-ton carbon blank is incorporated inside the grip section to achieve both rigidity and optimal weight balance. Reinforced with ±30° 4-axis carbon, it eliminates twisting and prevents flex-related power loss during casting or hooksets.

This design also distributes weight toward the rear, removing the “tip-heavy” feel typically associated with low-taper, thick-walled blanks with double-foot guides.

■ Grand Cobra BK Limited — Aurora Metal Parts

Winding check, reel seat ring, and grip-end ring feature special aurora-color components exclusive to the Grand Cobra Black Series.

■ Made in Japan

This product is entirely made in Japan.

■ Certified by the “National Fishing Rod Fair Trade Council”

Carries the official certification mark based on Japan’s Fair Competition Code for fishing rod labeling.