Why can’t they ship to the US @TenkaraOdyssey? Is it because of things related to C19?
@Peder, yes. Japan Post isn’t delivering most packages to the U.S… I think it mostly has to do with how few flight there are. Haven’t been able to order from Tenkara-Ya, Anglo, Oni, and most others that use Japan Post. Amazon.jp has been pretty reliable though. They ship DHL. The big shipping companies like DHL, FedEx, and UPS operate their own aircraft so they have continued to be mostly reliable.
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I have a BFS rod coming from Anglo that is normally a 6 month wait… I ordered in January, pre-COVID and am reeeealy hoping EMS starts shipping to the US soon. A planned 6 month wait is one thing, but I’d hate to wait a year+.
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Hey all. I’m finally finding time to write down my impressions on the rod. I had the chance to fish it in a variety of streams over summer and in the autumn, here are my key takeaways.
- Casting is very precise (and joyful) with all types of flies I use, from lightweight dries on a #2.5 line to slightly weighted beadheads. I went up to 5m+1m tippet and could still cast dries properly and I’m not really into long lines.
- The rod definitely has backbone (it handles fish up to 16 inches in very sustained current) but still provides that delicate feeling I’m after when casting, think gentle flick of the wrist. Smaller fish (under 4 inches) sometimes get slingshot out of the water when you set the hook, not something I like, but that’s the tradeoff I had to make for more control in current or tight quarters.
- The handle is shorter and thinner than average (which partially explain the very light weight) so if you have big hands, it might feel small.
- It’s a beautiful, pared-down rod. Not everyone cares but for me it’s a big deal to use objects that are simple and beautiful.
Hope this helps !
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Great review thanks for putting it up. I’ve been using and enjoying the Anglo Wasabi 40. Also a great rod with a really nice feel. It’s an interesting mix between something like the Honryu 395 and the TB40. It casts level line wonderfully and works well with Kebari or weighted nymphs. The Wasabi 40 is similar I imagine in quality to the 36. They make really nice rods with attention to detail.
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Does anyone here have a Wasabi 32? I know there are several here that have the 36 and the Kowasa. I would love to hear from someone who has used the Wasabi 32 or even better yet someone who has used both the 32 and the 36. I was going to pull the trigger last summer on a Wasabi but because of the pandemic they were not shipping to the U.S… I am having a hard time deciding what length to get. I really shouldn’t let myself get both (yet). I get much more use out of a 32 but I already have several great rods in that length. I am leaning towards the 36 even though it won’t get used as much. Talk me into one or the other (or better yet, sell me yours).
One more thing, I recently broke the 3rd section of my Wasabi 36 retrieving a snagged fly (my mistake) and received a replacement 10 days after I emailed Anglo, so all good on the replacement parts front.
Also, I had to fish with an older rod in the mean time and I think the thinner diameter of the Wasabi’s handle really grew on me, it feels more delicate.
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I just ordered a Wasabi 36 and Kowasa! Should be on their way this weekend…can’t wait!
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And just like that, they have arrived! I was trying to decide which rods to take on tomorrow’s trip, but I guess I know now!
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I was able to get some time on a creek today to test the two Anglo & Company rods. As I anticipated, they are great rods! Like others have said, they are ultra premium with exceptional fit and finish. I was a little surprised at how tip flex the Wasabi 36 is when fighting a fish. Maybe it just seemed that way after using the Fujiryu 360 5:5 recently. It only took a few casts to get the timing and power to get fly first casts with a soft hackle and it handles small bead heads with ease. Hook sets are nothing more than a flick of the wrist. Whereas the Fujiryu 5:5 is effortless, the wasabi 36 requires a touch more effort to me, but it has fantastic tip recovery and accuracy.
The Kowasa just makes me grin when I handle it. Although the looks and dimensions make it seem like a toy, you definitely feel the quality and engineering that went into that little rod. My first fish with it was 13”-14” with some current and those short sections bent in a perfect arc! Fortunately the fish cooperated because you don’t have a lot of control with such a short rod that is flexed that much. I wasn’t targeting fish that big, but it was just a nice hole (new water) and I didn’t want to switch rods again. I was unsure about the short grip, but I ended up really enjoying it. My index finger sits right on the blank above the cork, which is comfortable to me and helps when using a “tapping” manipulation. I was amazed at how supple the rod is for being so short with such tiny sections….no problem casting unweighted flies comfortably.
I’m looking forward to some more testing, but my initial impression is WOW!
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I agree 100%, the casting is not as effortless as with a full flex rod, but it’s laser sharp.
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