Some Great Rods

[daves]

I've been trying out a few different rods recently. When I started Tenkara fishing over 2 years ago there was only one choice of rod Tenkara USA & they still offer some good rods, but now we have an ever increasing number of first class rods available from Japan & the UK.

Well, which recently tried rods really impress me?

The first I tried was the Nissin Pro Spec 2 Way 7:3 which zoom from 10' 3" to 11' 9" (310 to 360 cm). This is a fairly soft actioned rod for it 7:3 grading & feels very light. It is not a big fish rod, but is ideal for small streams with fish up to around the 14" mark. It is a cracking rod but not cheap & doesn't have the excellent warranties available with the other rods I've been testing. Nevertheless it has become one of my favourites.

Next I've been trying 3 of the Tenkara Centre UK's rods, the 8' Issui, the 12' Seiryu & the 13' Hamon. I love the matt black finish & cork-composite at each end of the decent quality cork handles. I also like the shortness of the handles since I always hold my rods right at the end. 2 rods of the particularly appeal to me. The 8' Issui is very much a niche rod but I have had great fun with it in some of the tightest spots on my local small North Yorks. Moors streams. It has made me aware of just how close one can get to the fish without spooking them (I use mine with a line plus tippet only as long as the rod or very slightly longer). The other rod I really like is their Hamon with a crisp, but not over-stiff 7:3 action. Casting is very precise with this rod. In calm conditions I use it with a 0.35 mm copolymer level line (just below 3 weight) & in wind I use 0.38 mm or 0.40 mm copolymer (3' shorter than the rod, with 3' of tippet for dry fly & 5' for nymphing).

Finally I've been looking at 3 rods from Esoteric Tackle, the ESO-tenkara 360 (12') 6:4 & 7:3 rods & the ESO-tenkara 410 (13' 6") 6:4.
These are also well finished rods in an understated gloss deep burgundy (red-brown) colour & with decent quality cork. I particularly like the two 6:4 rods which have a crisp action facilitating precise casting yet they are soft enough to protect fine tippet, whilst having enough backbone to handle decent sized fish. The 13' 6" rod would be an ideal big-river rod.

There is no doubt that the UK has caught up with Tenkara USA as suppliers of quality Tenkara rods at a decent price.

[custheyder]

Thank you for the quick review of the rods available. The development of rods is continuing and I am striving to produce the best that can be made at the price point. With such light lines it is important that the carbon fibre stops oscillating as quickly as possible after the casting stroke to keep the wiggles out of the line and deliver a precise cast. That is not something you will find with "Tenkara Style" rods that are on eBay.

Esoteric Tackle are working on 2 new rods for this season. A complimentary 410cm 7:3 for big fish on fast rivers and a secret rod that will show some new concepts with the best of the current technology and ideas.

[phil]

I agree with you Dave that we now have a fine selection of tenkara rods to go at with some very fine examples from the UK. I have had the luck to cast and fish with a fair number of rods and would suggest that one of the areas where the Japanese designed (not necessarily made) rods win over is in the weight department and felt weight in the hand while not scarificing the all important damping and recovery properties of the blank as Custheyder points out as a significant element in a quality rod.

I have cast almost the whole range of rods from Nissin and own a Fuji Air Stage 410 6:4 which feels superb and weighs in at less than 90g, in addition I have a Nissin Pro Square Super 360 6:4 which despite being the least expensive Nissin rod in the range I and others have found a beautiful rod to cast and it weighs just over 60g.

I have a TUSA 12' Iwana 6:4 which I think an excellent rod and perhaps my favourite out of their range. I have fished the 13' 5:5 Ayu which never felt in total control of the line, it's my least favoured rod of the TUSA range.

I like the ESO 12' 6:4 it feels very well put together and casts much like the longer Nissin Fuji Air Stage 410 6:4 I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one. On a recent Tenkara Day hosted by Steve Cheetham and myself on the River Wharfe we gave the participants four rods each from a different manufacturer all 12' foot in length and 6:4 in 'action'. They all liked the ESO rod the best. So interesting to see how arbitary the 6:4 designation turned out to be.

My favourite Tenkara Centre rod is the 8' Issui which casts excellently and feels very light in the hand, and as you say is a jungle rod for incredibly tight conditions.

Last, but by far not least, Paul Gaskell (Discover Tenkara) invited me to come over to the DT syndicate waters. He had recently got his new toy the sublime Oni rod from the imcomparable Masami Sakakibara (Tenkara No Oni) which he generously allowed me to cast. What a sweet rod, light in the hand, light in weight, exquisite control and recovery, and the ability to cast a super light level line to perfection.

I now have the dilemma of of convincing my girlfriend that having an Oni Rod is an essential addition to my kit, cheers Paul.

Long may we have a wide selection of tenkara rods to choose from. I look forward to the next generation of ESO rods to come. Exciting times.

Tight lines

Phil

[custheyder]

Thank you very much Phil for that recommendation of my rods.

It is possible to match the light weight and control of the very expensive Japanese rods but then people would have to pay the premium price as well. Is the UK market ready for premium rods from a UK manufacturer? Perhaps it will be very soon.

[daves]

I think the UK is just about ready for a UK supplied premium rod. I'm finding more & more folks taking up Tenkara, with many becoming serious addicts. Obviously those who are just starting & are testing the waters of Tenkara will most likely opt for a lower priced rod, but those of us who are confirmed converts may well be tempted by a premium rod.

My Nissin Pro Spec offers no real advantage over the ESO-tenkara 360 6:4 other than its ability to zoom between 310 & 360 cm & its incredible lightness.

The big advantage of a UK supplied premium rod would be the ease of getting spare parts should the rod get broken. I know breakages are rare (I've had over 3000 fish up to nearly 4 lb on my Tenkara rods & only 2 breakages) but it's good to have the reassurance that spares are readily available.

[phil]

I think, like Dave, that those of us who have become confirmed converts to tenkara, have or would like to have a source of premium rods, and as Dave says, a UK source offers many advantages over those brought in from outside the EU.

I have brought in premium and also less expensive Nissin rods direct from Japan for people who have expressed an interest and all have reported favourabily on their performance but an accidental breakage to the tip, for instance, requires a wait of at least 7 working days to get a replacement, which come to think of it ain't too bad but still a precious long time given the vagaries of our weather on getting out on the water.

Tight lines.

[Paul G]

On our group days, it is always the 'Ferrari' rods that people aspire to and want to buy. For tenkara, these are still cheap compared to top end fly rods...

[custheyder]

Interesting views, thank you. There are interesting times ahead!

[paul1966]

I agree with the previous comments also I've noticed that TUSA have put the price of their replacement tips up to $17. They say the price covers P&P but if you buy two tips it's $34. I'd like to buy premium rod with the back-up in the UK or EU.

[daves]

I didn't comment on the ESO-tenkara 360cm 7:3 rod in my initial post since I felt it was a bit too tippy for my liking. However I've given it a more thorough trial & it has grown on me. Thanks to its fine tip it casts even a light (0.35 mm) copolymer line well.
I wouldn't choose it for fishing small dry flies on light tippet (7x & 8x), but with 6x tippet it handled the 1 lb 4 oz to 2 lb 4 oz rainbows that I catch in my local river (whilst fishing for the wild brownies) very well.
It would be a very good rod for big grayling in fast rivers since the butt has the guts to get them back upstream to the net. There is nothing worse than having a big grayling hanging below you with the rod bent to extreme, thus prolonging the fight beyond what is safe for the fish's full recovery.
It should also be great for Czech nymphing since it has the guts to drive a decent sized hook home.

[daves]

Yesterday I had the chance to try Tenkara Times' new TRY 360 6:4 rod. First impressions are that it ranks with the best.

It is a very light rod (64g with 2 Fuji EZ clips & a copolymer level line plus tippet just longer than the rod). It also feels incredibly light in the hand, important to me as I like to hold Tenkara rods at the end of the butt. The handle is good quality cork & I really like the shape. I also like the matt slate grey blank (with subdued purple tipping to most sections).

My test was a 3 hour session on a desperately low Yorkshire Derwent, although fortunately the river was a bit coloured after rain which aided a close approach. It easily cast a 3m level 0.35mm copolymer line, plus a tippet made up from 20cm 0.25mm copolymer then 50cm of 0.10mm copolymer, even into a breeze. Casting was pinpoint precise & the rod responded to the slightest flick of the wrist. It was a delight to fish with since I really didn't have to think about the rod at all. I landed 16 small wild brown trout up to 27cm (just under 11") & 2 grayling up to 32cm (12"). Despite the low diameter butt section it had quite a bit of guts lower down for a light rod & I'm sure it will cope with reasonable sized fish. I'd say, in my opinion, that it is ideal for typical Tenkara fish (to 35cm, 14") & 6x or 7x tippets fishing dry flies, Sakasa Kebari & small nymphs. There are better rods for Czech nymphing for big grayling in fast rivers, but other than that its a real gem.

I'm off to Tenkara fish in Austria in a couple of weeks time & can't wait to give the TRY (& some of the other rods mentioned in this thread) a more thorough try. I'll update this thread when I've returned & let you know how it (& the other rods) perform.

[flatsghost]

Dave
That is a sound, comprehensive and practical report - thanks. Going to Austria to field test rods sounds a great scheme to me, I must try that one on the wife - some chance!!
Nice pics. too.
Cheers
Glyn

[daves]

Well I'm just back from Tenkara rod testing in Austria (& Belgium) with my mate Steve Donohue. Despite heavy rain & snow we had well over 800 fish between us (brown trout to 15", rainbows to 16", brook trout to 14" & grayling to 13") on our Tenkara rods, so we gave them a good testing. Rods used were:
Tenkara USA's Ito, 12' Iwana, 5:5 Ayu, 6:4 Ayu II
Tenkara Centre UK's 13' 7:3 Hamon
Esoteric Tackle's 13' 6" 6:4
Tenkara Times 12' 6:4 TRY

Over the next few days I'll give you an appraisal of the rods I tested out & the rivers where they were tested, but to wet your appetite I've attached some pictures.

[dbl]

What exactly is in the mouth of that beautifully marked fish?

[daves]

It's a size 10 Yellow Chernobyl Ant. Brook trout love them!!!