I agree with your definition below, and feel that the foliage density challenges on a wild stream is often a attribute overlooked when people recommend rods.
It is human nature to fish easier water. Easy access usually also means that there is a stream side trail, some angler pruning of foliage, and a deadfall free waterway. To add to your definition, Small streams I think of are often remote and more challenging to access and often without any evidence of human activity. No tippet or trash anywhere.
Is the RS 330 you mention the Nissin Royal Stage Honryu 330? If it is, it seems it might have slightly different specs than what you note. 2.5 oz and 12.5 penny. That rod has not been on my radar. I would dig hearing a review of that rod.
Hi Gressak, the rods I was speaking of are not Tenkara rods. They are Seriyu rods, which have no cork or foam grips but have just a flaring of the rod blank with a wet/dry friction coating for a positive grip. And hence, much less weight and more tactile sensitivity than T-rods have. Generally speaking, seriyu rods are designed for catching smaller fish in gentler current flows than tenkara rods are designed for. I also concur completely with what you said about vegetation challenges, remoteness and diffaculity of access. Often when I fish a small stream that others also fish, I will just hike upstream till I reach a point above where other fishermen turn around and head back to their vehicle before I start fishing. I also seek out remote waters within the time constraints physical abilities available to me. Living in a state that now has more than 40,000,000 people, many of which fish, virgin water is not all that likely of a possibility. Thank you for your comment and your interest…Karl.
I like your analogy of the Mizuchi being like a Jeep. It’s a robust, functional rod, but I’ll admit, it does lack certain refinements. It’s definitely not a rod for everyone. It’s a product of my home waters and the species and size of fish I catch, as I too was disappointed with the rods I had been using.
@T-stillwater: So, while I do see a Royal Stage series in the Nissin catalog in their Seiryu section, none are shown as 330cm in length. Is this a discontinued rod? There are three different colored 3407 rods shown. For instance: Royal Stage Seiryu rod on Amazon.co.jp
So you in NorCal or SoCal? If the former, any interest in a fishing excursion?
Scott_T, I bought the rod from Tenkara Bum some years ago. I do not know what its present status is or if it is still in production. I just got the rod out to check to see that I did not make a mistake. Printed on the rod it says: ROYAL STAGE SYUNKI 330 NISSIN
Hi Tom! It is so good to hear from you. I was pleased to see that you look in on us here from time to time. I have missed not being able to read your posts and see your excellent videos, a lot. Is there any water you can fish close to down where you are stationed? I have hopes of hearing about some fixed-line rod Peacock Bass adventures in the future…Karl.
i just recently received a mizuchi rod. im loving it so far. two days ago i landed an 18” 2.25 pound largemouth bass. the mizuchi handled it perfectly. once i figure out how to add a pic i will
I feel compelled to add to this thread given how much I’ve enjoyed using the Mizuchi. I’m new to tenkara, picking it up while trying to learn euro nymphing. I chose the Mizuchi because my favorite local streams are quite challenging: wild fish (no stockings on these streams), a mix of wide and narrow sections, trees and low overhanging canopy throughout (making casting in the best lies very challenging). I wanted a rod that would excel at euro nymphing methods, could be fished at lengths from 9-11 feet, and was sensitive enough to make catching average sized fish (8-10 inches) enjoyable, but could also handle potentially big fish (~20 inches). Based on Tom Davis’s reviews (and input to Dragontail), the Mizuchi seemed like my best bet.
The Mizuchi has delivered on everything I wanted. Casting is great; I’m including bow and arrow, which I use a lot, and the faster action of the rod is fantastic for this. As you would expect from a tenkara rod, even the most subtle takes are easily seen/felt. Landing 8 inch wild browns is fun, and the rod can handle 18-20 inch monsters (I was shocked at how in control I felt landing bigger fish with this rod).
This is now my go-to rod for most fishing situations; casual day hikes with my family where we might encounter a stream/lake, but the focus is on hiking; or dedicated fishing days in my favorite and most challenging streams.
Lastly, I’ll comment on my experience with Dagontail. Wonderful! Very competitive prices, quick ordering and delivery, excellent customer service. Since buying this rod and having such a great experience, if I’m buying anything for fishing or tying, I go to Dragontail first to see if they have it.
I can’t recommend the Mizuchi strongly enough to anyone new to tenkara or someone looking for a “can do everything well” highly versatile rod.
