I just buy good 3lb floro and use it.
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Yesterday, May 22nd, Chris added this rod to his website. Along with commentary comparing the Pocket Mini vs the Tenkara Mini. Specifically the tippet size recommendations.
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7x max.
I won’t use any stronger. You don’t need to with this rod if you are using the rod for it’s design.
I concur with Chris, I’m happy to see he prefers cork, me too.
I have built three lines for my Pocket Mini kit; 3.3 - 4.3 and 5.3m #4 Nylon “White” with a #3 50cm clear fluorocarbon tip to tippet ring.
That’s where I’m starting.
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Have you fished it yet?
I think it is pretty much the Mini V3. I had 3 different lengths of those and used the 3.6m as a primary rod for a year and then took it to Japan and used it there on my last trip.
The last two months have been pretty thin with fishing with the stresses of job and school and focusing on Honryu Tenkara but as I write this, it is 3:36a and the rod is in my bag. I’m headed up to my favorite streams for the first time this year to bend it.
I’ll grab a video for you. We are headed to some quality water.
Super excited to be back on track.
Thanks for asking.
I wiggled this rod in Japan last week. If I didn’t already have a 3.2m rod that I love, I’d have bought it. Felt great, I think the cork gives it a more neutral balance.
A little more tip biased than I normally like but I think it would still fish nice.
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If I had to do it over, I wouldn’t have bought it.
I should have got the 2.7m Pocket Mini.
I have been fishing the mini quite a bit lately and found it to be very capable and comfortable rod to fish. I’m really quite impressed.
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Ok, more fishing and more lines made for it.
Level Line for 3.2m Nissin Mini: Tippet ring to 60cm of Seaguar #3 clear knotted to 4.1m Oni Pink #3.5 (all knots locked with Knot Sense) for a total mainline length of 4.7m.
This seems to be the sweet spot for me. Line doesn’t crowd the tip, will allow larger fish with some play, not too bad moving along with the extra length from spot to spot.
With this line I am able to tight loop, fly first accurate cast using .4 Seaguar Grand Max FX tippet 50cm to 1m with size 12 Japanese bait hook tied kebari.
The Nissin Mini is still a back up rod but a unique and completely viable primary rod if I would choose.
Although my Furaibo is my primary rod, I really feel satisfied that I could use it for small stream tenkara with little compromise.
In short, I have a great back up system now.
It is one of my three tenkara rods I own.
I’ll hang on to it.
The line just needed to be figured out. It was that way with the V3’s as well.
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Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Vladimir is all hooked up!
I’m looking forward to your thoughts on this rod too.
What kind of line have you made for it?
Hi Adam, first I set the Level line # 3.5-3.5 meters + 50 cm tippet 0.14 mm. But then I put a gift from Stephan Gressak, its braided cord 4.5 m + 0.5 m tippet. The cord flies perfectly. I did not have the opportunity to test this rod on trout. But I liked it for its compactness, sensitivity.
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Cool!
Try longer lines, they are not as easy but when you get used to them, they become more usable to various sized streams and bigger trout. With the tiny tip section of the Mini, I want to not crowd it with a short line.
Practice tenkara your way but I suggest working towards longer lines.
Take care and thank you for your time.
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Thanks for the advice Adam.
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You might like it, you might not.
Have fun!
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Maybe I’m in the minority, but I’ve not heard/read the phrase “crowd the tip”, which you’ve used twice in this thread. Can you explain what you mean by that?
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Short lines do not give any slack to the system when you are busy with a stuck fly, fighting a fish, moving spot to spot.
Long lines give the tip section room.
Room for flexing, room for movement.
It’s that short stop that isn’t good.
It’s a term that I must of made up.
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