May 29, 2013

Suntech GM-R Special 36NP -- review

A few weeks back I received a long mailing tube in the mail. Chris Stewart sent me a rod to evaluate. The rod was the GM-R Special 36NP by Suntech.

I have fished with other Suntech rods (Field Master, Suikei, Kurenai) so I had some idea what to expect in this rods overall appearance and design. What I wasn't ready for was how much I liked the rod.

The GM-R Special comes in a larger and longer than usual plastic carton. This is because it comes with two tips. The second tip is not a true spare, but rather, it is a second tip that is slightly shorter than and slightly stiffer than the first tip. This allows the rod to be converted into two slightly different rods.

Second tip in small plastic tube




The lower section of the rod is gold, but the other sections are flat graphite grey with gold accents. This is a nice feature that I wish was more common in the tenkara rod world. I'm not sure if the glossy finish so common to tenkara rods really does scare fish, by causing reflections,  but I'd like to think that flat matte rods are more stealthy.

Matte finish (from Tenkara Bum)



The rod designation



The lilian is red and is attached using a micro-swivel.

Like all of the Suntech rods I have used, the handle is without cork but has a very effective anti-slip coating that works well both dry and wet. On the GM-R this coating is clear -- sort of interesting.

The butt cap is nylon plastic, black, with a rubber bumper to reduce rattling from the collapsed sections. There is a small drainage hole.

The tip cap is a Fuji KTC-12 universal cap. It fits nicely and would be very unlikely to spontaneously fall off.


Handle with clear coating and butt cap
KTC-12 universal tip cap (from Tenkara Bum)


The overall specifications for the rod are:

Rod type -- Seiryu
Extended length -- 350 cm, 360, cm (remember, two tips!)
Collapsed length -- 69 cm.
Weight (without tip cap) -- 47 g.
Common Cents Scale -- 350 cm = 23 p; 360 cm = 18 p.
Rod Flex Index -- 6.5; 5, respectively.

Rod Flex Index chart




On the water:






This rod is special, just like its name says. When I was dry casting it I thought that is would be too stiff overall for many folks, sort of like the Field Master, but when I got it to the stream I could immediately tell that this rod was a winner. I mainly used it in its 360 cm configuration. I used 12 to 13.5 foot, #3 and #4 level lines. It cast both well but the days I used it there was a breeze so I went with the #4 mostly. I fished with unweighted kebari-type flies.

Interestingly, most of the rod is quite stiff. When I say most of the rod, I mean the lower sections. But the upper two sections is where all the flex is. This creates a rod with very precise casting. Instead of the whole rod loading, the lower sections store the energy then transmit it to the tip sections. Loops are tight and targeting is very precise.

I fished a small mountain stream so I didn't hook any monsters; most of the fish I caught were 8-12 inches. It certainly handled these fish without griping; I'm confident this rod could handle a 14-16 inch trout in pretty good current. The rod is so light there is no fatigue from casting 3-4 hours.

360 cm tip with 10 inch cutthroat on the line






Conclusion: This is a nice rod. It is somewhat specialized for someone who wants a very light rod capable of casting tight loops yet able to handle the occasional larger trout. The two tips makes it versatile in usage. The flat matte finish is wonderful. The collapsed length is a bit on the long side but that shouldn't stop anybody from really enjoying this rod!

Want one? Contact Chris at Tenkara Bum.





May 26, 2013

TrailLite Designs Tenkara Creel -- review

I received one of TrailLite Designs Tenkara Creels for review. Like all of Thom Darrah's products, it is aesthetically pleasing, well designed and robustly constructed.

The creel is an ultralight way to keep a few of what you catch without making a mess. It is 12 inches long and has a mesh bottom to allow water to drain out. The creel has a titanium ring 6 inches in diameter that keeps the the creel open and from collapsing in on itself. There is a drawstring or cinch top that forms a funnel shape so you can just slide those little brook trout in without a fuss. This whole thing weighs 3.6 oz. -- only 2.2 oz without the webbing! It can strap to your belt or be used with the provided webbing.

With cinch top open and extended

Mesh bottom for drainage and aeration
Cinch top forming funnel
Webbing attachment




Personally, I don't eat trout. Less so for conservation, but more so in that I don't like the flavor. That said, I have been known to keep a few planter rainbows and, more preferably, a few of those pesky invasive brook trout to eat when I am backpacking. This creel will be a great way to keep my self-imposed fish harvest fresh until I get back to camp.

Although not designed for any other purpose, the TailLite Designs Tenkara Creel also makes an ultralight, ultra-secure, ultra-convenient way of collection streamside trash. It is large enough to hold a few beer cans and lots of plastic trash! Remember: Always leave the stream better than you found it.

If you too keep a few trout when appropriate, or need a way to carry out streamside trash, here is your answer. This is a well made product that does exactly what it's designed to do! If you want one, just go to the TrailLite Designs online store or TenkaraBum.






May 23, 2013

Weekend One Fly Tenkara 5-20-2013

This past weekend I got on my Rokon and drove over the mountain to fish one of the smaller streams in the area. I could have driven around the mountain, but driving over it was a lot funner.

The stream is small and has native cutthroat. I used the Nissin ZeroSum 360 with a #4, 10 foot line. This combination worked well. I started with a #3 line but the wind kept blowing it around too much. The #4 was better in this situation.

Willows line the stream, but there are areas of open grass and sagebrush. The water was mostly clear and so stealth was in order, still I scared a lot of fish -- this mainly due to my underestimation of how shallow of water a fish will hide in.



The ride over was nice: along a dirt road, up a Jeep trail at a 45 degree pitch, down through the aspen/fir forest and out into the mountain valley where the stream is. It takes me about one hour to do this. The Rokon doesn't go fast, but it will go anywhere.



I started fishing at some beaver ponds and then moved upstream from there. Since these fish are not too selective I decided to fish with just one type of fly, an Amano kebari with a peacock collar. It was tied with regular white sewing thread. It cast well with the ZeroSum and was easy to see in the water. I used it to catch most of the fish, until I lost it to a willow. I once again mainly fished upstream; I did try downstream presentation for a while but no hits with this method.

The fish were native Yellowstone cutthroat trout and ranged from 6 inches to 12 inches. I did hook into a couple of 12+ fish but I lost them as they dove into underwater hazards such as snags.






My goal this year is to fish this stream from its head waters to where is enters private land in its lower reach. That should take me well into autumn and take quite a few days of fishing. So far I have fished 31 days this year with 205 fish caught. Sheesh, I need to get out more :)

Here is a video of the trip over the mountain and some of the fish:






May 19, 2013

The Future of Tenkara

A few months ago I wrote about a trip I made to Arkansas to visit my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids. While I was there I took them tenkara fishing. We had lots of fun catching sunfish of various species; so much so that I ended up buying them their own tenkara gear.

My 4 year granddaughter also wanted a fishing pole so I got her a one that fits her perfectly right now. It's not really a tenkara rod, rather a keiryu rod (Kiyotaki 24), but she'll grow into a real tenkara rod in a few years.

Armed with her very own rod, her daddy took her fishing the other day. She cast all by herself and hooked and landed some fish. She's quite the girl; I wish I could have been there to see her with her fishes.



Excellent eye protection!

I couldn't be more proud! Here are a few short videos of her fishing sent to me by her daddy. Look how she has learned to choke up on the rod for better control -- cast, slowly drag the fly back, re-cast -- she's a natural!!











So there you have it, the future of tenkara in America. I'll get her first Tenkara USA rod in a few years, but for now she looks cute carrying her little rod in one of their rod bags!



The future of tenkara looks bright!






May 18, 2013

Tenkara License Plate Cover

I don't buy vanity plates for my vehicles, but I thought it would be nice to show my support for the fly fishing method I have learned to love so much. So, I had a license plate cover made to show my support for tenkara. I wanted to keep it simple, with only a few words, mainly so that the words would be large enough the read from a reasonable distance.

The plate cover says: "Tenkara" on the top and "Unreel" on the bottom. It looks nice. We'll see how durable the printing is: sun, water, mud, sand, snow, ice, salt are all coming its way.



If you see a white Toyota Highlander with a "Tenkara Unreel" plate cover parked near a stream then there a good chance I'm working the water. Stop me and say "Hi".


May 16, 2013

Life is Like a River

Spring is the time for snow melt. In the Rockies, spring run-off replenishes the water table and adds greatly to stream flow. In years of heavy run-off, the stream beds are scoured, remodeled , replenished and revived. But for fishers it can be a time of famine.

High water often creates conditions where its either less profitable, or less safe to fish. In tenkara, where we concentrate on high gradient mountain streams, this is particularly true. Therefore it is often important to check stream levels before heading out for some well needed time of your favorite stream or river.

There are many ways to keep track of stream levels, but the classic way is to follow the data provided by the US Geological Survey or USGS.  Data from real-time stream monitors is provided at USGS WaterWatch and is very useful for locals and vacationers alike.



But I prefer a different method of monitoring stream flows. It uses the same data from the USGS but it is provided in a more convenient way to view it. I am talking about river data on Weather Underground. Weather Underground is a highly usual weather forecasting and almanac site provided on the Internet free of charge. Go to it URL, type in your desired location or local ZIP code and bring up the satellite page. Open the layers side bar on the right side of the screen and scroll down to find the "Rivers" button. Click this on and you will see all the monitored streams for that geographical region. If you click on one of the streams you can see the real-time data. This is very useful for planning your next tenkara outing. Weather Underground lets you see weather, cloud cover, wind, and stream data all in one convenient location. Very nice.

The Real-time stream monitors in my area




Another, more mobile way, to monitor stream data is to use your smart phone. I use an app called StreamWatch. This app uses the USGS data for selected states (MT, WY, CO, UT, ID, NM, CA, WA, OR). You select the streams you want to monitor and it will update their data in real-time. You can also set alarms for your favorite streams to tell when conditions are perfect for tenkara.



You have probably been monitoring water data on your local streams before you go tenkara, but here are a few other options for keeping a closer tab on your favorite water. Also, if you plan on fishing here in the west during May and June, it is always good to know what the water levels will be like before you come.


May 13, 2013

May is Always Tough Fishing in my Neck of the Woods

May is my least favorite month of the year -- for fishing, that is. I love that the weather is warming up. I love that the leaves are budding out. But I don't like the high water created by the spring run-off.

I know, I shouldn't complain. And I'm not really complaining. Its just that run-off makes my streams hard to fish. I do have some tail waters relatively nearby, but they are big waters and hard to fish without a drift boat. These are the South Fork of the Snake and the Henry's Fork below Island Park reservoir. I do fish them but they are not tenkara water. Also, there are some spring creeks nearby, in the Fort Hall bottoms, but other than a brief Mother's Day caddis hatch they usually don't get going until June.

My first love is mountain streams, but it is these that get hit with the snowmelt the worst.

This weekend I visited one of the few cutthroat streams that isn't closed until July 1st. Most are closed to allow the fish spawn to occur without disturbance. Anyway, I visited this stream just to see how the water was. There is not a USGS real-time stream flow meter on it so I can't check on-line. To see if the water is good or not I just have to go.

The water was up, but still quite clear. I decided to head in and see what I could hook into. The canyon was beautiful; the leaves just coming out and the undergrowth just breaking through the soil. The weather was very nice -- 70 degrees -- and unfortunately the sun was unimpeded by any clouds. This, combined with the high water, made the fishing more difficult.

Deep plunge pool


I have become spoiled by tenkara. When I mainly western fly fished it was not uncommon that I got skunked on streams like this. But since fishing tenkara I have become used to catching many fish in just a few hours. Today was not one of those days.

I used the 390 cm River Master with a 10 foot, #3.5 line. 2.5 feet of 5X tippet was also used and because the water was really moving I went with a #10 DC UKB.

Normally I wade with Simms Guide Boots that have HardBite star cleats in the soles. They work well for basalt and other sedimentary rock lined streams, but they don't work well for the stream I was currently fishing. It has polished, round granite rocks about 1-2 feet in diameter for a stream bed. The HardBite star cleats just slide right off these rocks making footing treacherous. But today I went with my other pair of boots, Simms Rivershed boots with AlumiBite cleats. This was the first time I had used this boot/cleat on this water and they worked great!! The aluminum cleats just stuck to these slippery rocks. I was pleased, to say the least.

The water depth varied from knee depth to waist deep.  The current was fast, but I've waded worse. I absolutely needed my wading staff today and I had to move slowly through the current so not to be pushed downstream.

Hooking into a cutthroat


I had to place the DC UKB into precise lies to hook up fish. I think because the water was high and fast they were not willing to move very far to intercept the fly. Precise casting was the order of the day. I'm not sure I did very well as my back was hurting and I was still coughing, getting over a upper respiratory infection. But I had to go to the river. I figured, "if I'm going to die, I rather die on the stream than at home on a beautiful day like today"! Needless to day, I didn't die.








Well, it's all good. Sure, I should have caught more, but I could have caught less too! I'll ride out the run-off; the temps are up to 85 this week so that should really get the water levels up! But then it will die down and the usual fishing will commence. I can't wait!

Here is a video of the fish:






Coming up: more rod reviews, line reviews, and hopefully fishing!




May 11, 2013

Why Does This Rod Feel Tip Heavy? The Rod Cantilever Effect.

Rods used for tenkara are long, really long. We all know this. We use log rods. This fact, as well as the fact that we don't use a reel which acts as a counter weight,  means that often times the rods we use feel tip heavy. This is the cantilever effect. The fulcrum of a tenkara rod is low down on the handle (where we place our hand) -- everything proximal to this point acts as a cantilever beam. It is our hand that anchors the cantilever beam and provides the counter weight for the rod.

from here


Why is it then that some rods feel tip heavy? For the fact that its balance point is further up the rod than other rods. This is part of the rod's design. Again, rods used for tenkara are particularly prone to tip heaviness because there is nothing to counterbalance all that carbon hanging out in space.

In a previous post, I showed that sometimes the tip heaviness between rods can be dramatic -- making one rod feel "heavier" than another of the same or similar length. This "heaviness" feeling may be independent from the rod's actual physical weight. I compared the AllFishingBuy Kasugo-4209 to the Tenkara USA Amago. Although they weigh about the same, the Amago feels much more tip heavy than the Kasugo.

For some time now I have wanted to test the cantilever force for the 380-390 cm rods (advertised length) that I currently own. I define the cantilever force as the amount of weight in grams required to balance the tip of the fully extended rod at 30 degrees above horizontal. At this time I have not measured my 360 cm or shorter rods since tip heaviness seems much less of an issue.

Method: The rod is fully extended. The actual length of the rod is measured in cm to where the lilian bends near the tip (this may be different from the advertised length -- see image below). The rod is placed on a box that has two V-notches cut into it.  The rod is adjusted so that the handle butt is 12.5 cm behind the rear V-notch (this corresponds approximately to the mid point of most cork handled rods -- this is the fulcrum point for the test). To keep all things equal across different rods, this fulcrum point (12.5 cm proximal to the handle butt) was used on all rods, cork handled or non-cork handled. Weights were then applied to the butt of the rod until the tip of the rod was raised and balanced at 30 degrees from horizontal. The weight was applied, or removed, to bring the rod barely in contact with the cross bar -- ideally the rod would hover or balance just under the 30 degree cross bar. The applied weight in grams was measured to the nearest US penny (2.5 g).

Length of Shimano Kozuka 39NT: 385.5 cm


AllFishingBuy Hirame-ML-3909 --- just hovering under 30 degree bar
Tenkara USA Ayu-II

Tenkara World River Master


Results: Here are the results of the rods that I tested. I would like to test other rods but I only tested the 380-390 cm rods that I currently have.

Most tip heavy (top) to least tip heavy (bottom)



Conclusion: Rods that have a smaller cantilever force have less tip heaviness than rods that have a larger force. This may translate to less fishing fatigue after hours on the water and hundreds of casts. Tenkara rod designers should take into account the amount of weight used to raise the rod as measured from the midpoint of the handle, not just the static balance point of the rod.

What do you do with this information? I don't know -- whatever you want! :o)