Reminiscing - Vlog #200!

 I started investigating tenkara late in 2011, and I bought my first tenkara rod and line early January 2012. I soon discovered that tenkara was very effective, and I decided to start doing a video log of my progress. 

My first tenkara vlog post was January, 27, 2012. I used my first tenkara rod, a Tenkara USA 12' Iwana. I was a great rod. At that time, I wasn't really fishing tenkara, as I was using bead head nymphs and parachute dry flies, but that didn't matter, it was just plain fun! I shot my first vlogs using a chest mount camera. 

Here's the video:

 

Although I fished that river quite a lot early on, I haven't fished it since 2018. I did go back in 2016 once, but the river was undergoing a transformation. The Idaho DFG started transitioning this reach of the river from a heavily stocked put and take fishery to a self sustaining wild, native fishery in 2015. Fish numbers declined dramatically and so I moved on to other waters. 

Ever since those first few vlogs, I felt that a good way to document my outings was using video. I've published most of those vlogs on YouTube for others to watch, if they were so inclined. They are not done for entertainment, but rather, are a video journal. I don't get a lot of views, but that's OK. I'm not doing them to show everyone that I'm an expert in tenkara, because I'm not. I'm just, as Christ Stewart of TenkaraBum would call me, some guy with a video camera who occasionally records his fishing trips. 

I don't video the vast majority of my tenkara outings, but when I fish new waters, want to document a specific place, or when I feel like it, I'll put on the camera and document the trip. I've had mostly kind and encouraging comments from viewers over the years, but I've had a few trolls telling me that I'm doing things wrong and what a incompetent angler I am. But I guess that's where our society is nowadays. 

The other day I thought I'd go back to that original river and see how things had evolved. I was getting ready to shoot video number 200 and I thought going back to where it all started would be fun and somewhat sentimental. 

When I arrive there was one other vehicle in the parking area, but I never saw it's owner. I essentially had the river to myself. I fished kebari this outing. I used a fluorocarbon level line and used many of the tenkara techniques and manipulations that I had learned over the past 8 years. It was delightful!

The river was now full of cutthroat trout. I started catching them within the first few casts. I don't know how many I caught in the 1.5 hours I fished; I lost count. But needless to say, the outing was very successful. Now that the fish are back I'll have to go back more often. It can be a challenging place to fish, and it's a great place to practice ad refine your tenkara skills.

Here's the video:

Anyway, thanks for reading the blog and watching my vlogs over the past years. I am grateful for all the friends I've made in my tenkara journey. Hopefully I've just begun and I'll be able to share my tenkara journey, blog and vlogs with you for many more years!

TenkaraPrim Professional 400 7:3 tenkara rod review

Not too long ago I did a rod review on the TenkaraPrim Professional 315 7:3. I was so impressed that I purchased its big brother, the Professional 400 7:3. Making a well balanced 315-320 rod is one thing, but making a well balanced, well casting 400 cm rod is another. 

It took about a month to receive the rod, but it was very well packaged and in perfect condition. The Professional 400 7:3 looks exactly like a more beefier version of the 315 7:3, so I'm going to forgo the description and refer you to my Professional 315 7:3 rod review for details. 

Here are my measurements:

Nested length: 94 cm

Extended length: 399 cm

Weight (without tip plug): 73 g

CCS/RFI: 19 pennies/ 4.8

Rotational Moment: 6.3 

Rotational moment is a simple estimation of the tip heaviness of a rod. As I have stated in other articles, this measurement is used by Gamakatsu to measure their rods. A 6.3 measurement is pretty darn good, and can be taken as a pat on the back to the rod designer. I would have like to see it less than 6 (as that is the threshold for feeling tip heaviness) but it is much better than some pretty great rods, like the Zerosum, Royal Stage and Karasu! Here are some measurements of other 390-405 cm tenkara rods:

Oni type I ______________________ 5.2

TenkaraBum 40 _________________ 5.5

Tanuki XL-1 ____________________ 5.6

Nissin Zerosum Oni Honryu 395 ____ 6

Gamakatsu Multiflex Suimu 4.0 _____6.5

Allfishingbuy Hirame-ML-3909 _____ 6.8

Nissin Zerosum Tenkara 400 7:3 _____6.9

Nissin Royal Stage 400 7:3 ________ 7

Discover Tenkara Karasu 400 ______ 7

Daiwa LT39SF _________________ 7.1

DRAGONtail Hydra ZX (@390) ____ 7.5

TUSA Ito (@390 cm) ____________ 7.8

TUSA Ayu II ___________________ 8.5

TUSA Amago __________________ 10

Here is an RFI Comparison chart. Click HERE to see a larger view:

As far as casting the rod, there is no surprise that because it is a 4 m rod there is some wind load when casting. But it's light for its length and its swing arc is very pleasing. It does have just a little tip oscillation at the end of cast if you over power the rod, but that just means that you need to let the rod do the work rather than your pitching arm. 

I cast the rod with #3 and #3.5 level lines in the 390 cm length plus 90 cm of tippet. It did well with both, but it's my opinion that the rod prefers the #3.5 line. 

I fished the rod on a typical mountain stream using unweighted kebari. I caught trout in the 10 to 15 inch range in moderately fast flows. The rod did great! There were no issues whatsoever! 

I also fished a larger stream, with slower flows, for larger fish. I used a 4.25 m tapered fluorocarbon line with 95 cm of 5.5X tippet. Again, the rod did great, except where I lost my head and overpowered my cast. In those situations I couldn't blame the rod, as any rod I have would have griped! I caught fat trout up to 17 inches and again, the rod did wonderfully.

Here is a video of the mountain stream (sorry about the highway noises, the stream is right next to a busy highway): 

Conclusion: This is a really nice rod! I like it!  I like its weight and balance, as well as its casting arc and fish fighting capabilities. The Professional 400 casts somewhat similar to the Shimano Mainstream ZE, but it weighs 20 grams less than the Shimano. I do wish it had a rotational moment of 6 or less, but at 6.3 it's not that tip heavy. It casts an unweighted kebari well, and it casts a level line well too. I think the rod prefers a #3.5 level line, which is OK by me. I don't mind the long nested length at all; I think it helps make this rod a winner! 

So, if you are in the market for an outstanding 4 m length tenkara rod that can handle larger trout, and one that is not very tip heavy, then consider the TenkaraPrim Professional 400 7:3. Don't let the month shipping from Russia put you off. It's worth it!

Disclaimer: My opinion regarding this rod is just that, my opinion. Your opinion may differ.  Also, your rod may not have the same length, issues, or functionality as my rod. There are variations between rods, even in the same production run. No description can fully tell you how a rod feels or fishes. For this, you must personally hold, cast, and fish the rod then make up your own mind. Don't just take my word for it.
I have no financial affiliation with TenkaraPrim. I purchased the rod at full retail cost.