It finally stopped snowing and blowing, and I was able to hit the river again.
I decided to go to a river close to home to see what I could entice with a
fly. I had full intent to use a kebari and tenkara techniques, but there was a
steady breeze that kept me from getting my drifts the way I wanted them, so I
gave in and changed to contact nymphing. This is easier to do in a steady
breeze.
At first I used a Higa's S.O.S. as a single fly, and although I did have
success, I changed over to a double nymph rig with a dropper and point fly. I
used a Synthetic Prince as the dropper and the S.O.S. as the point fly. Both
were tungsten bead heads, and the extra weight help me get the fly down deeper
than I was getting with just a single fly.
Higa's S.O.S., size #18
After getting dialed in, I caught some really nice fish. The largest was about
18 inches, but since I didn't bring a net I didn't get to reliably measure
him. The air temperature was 24°F. and I didn't bring a net on purpose, as I
didn't want to handle any fish I caught and run the risk of lifting out of the
water. I used the Ketchum Release tool instead.
Anyway, here's a video a some of the fish. There were others, but they were
small (8-9 inches) and there wasn't enough time to show them all.
We haven't had a really bad winter here in Idaho, but it seems longer than in past years. Is that due to COVID? I don't think so. I think it's due to the fact that I'm getting older and more impatient for the sun to head back north.
Last winter I was in Guatemala, and it was glorious! Sunny and warm every day. I think I put on a light sweater once. But Idaho is not Guatemala, and although the sun shines occasionally during the winter, it is only cosmetic sunshine. As I don't ski or snow machine, I'm ready for spring.
Here is a photo dump of some fishing of a small creek I did last spring. I've already fished this creek this winter, but I'm ready for spring!
The other day I fished a stretch of river that I had never fished before. I
had fished up to that section recently, but never further upstream. I was
expecting more trout than I hooked, but I guess that's what happens sometimes.
It was a slow day.
As many of you know, I like fishing small streams and creeks. These waters
present unique challenges, that larger streams don't provide. To tackle some of
these challenges, I prefer moderately fast action rods, that cast with tight
loops, have lightening fast hook sets, and power for fish control. That is why
I like the
Dragontail Mizuchi
so much; it accomplishes all of these goals so well!
But sometimes a rod like the Mizuchi is a little overkill. If you fish creeks
that don't regularly have trout up to 14 inches lurking in them, but rather, the monster of your creek is 7 inches, then maybe the Mizuchi isn't the right
rod for you.
So what is? Brent at Dragontail has put a lot of thought into that question,
and after some design and materials breakthroughs, he came up with a rod that
just might be the answer.
Introducing the _________Glass zx280 from Dragontail! Why the blank name
line? I'll tell you later on; first let me tell you about the rod.
The ________ Glass zx280 (G280 for short) is a small stream zoom rod that can
be fished at three different lengths: 200, 245 and 280 cm. It is also a hybrid
rod, combining the best of carbon fiber with that of S-glass fiberglass. How's
that for thinking outside of the box!
The top two sections of the G280 are carbon fiber, just like other Dragontial
tenkara rods. This provides a solid platform for line casting and hook set.
The third section (from the top) is a combination of 30% S-glass and 70% carbon fiber. It provides a smooth transition from the carbon to the glass sections. The remaining lower sections are made from fiberglass, specifically, S-glass.
How cool is that!
Look at those beautiful, transparent glass sections!
Older, more standard fiberglass is called E-glass ("E" for electrical grade).
It's been around forever, and many older fly rods are made with it. S-glass
("S" for strength) is a newer technology. It was developed for military
and ballistic applications. S-glass has a much higher tensile strength and
modulus than E-glass and is approximately 10% stiffer and 30%
stronger. S-glass strands are produced at higher temperatures and require
more expensive machinery therefore the cost is a bit more.¹
With these materials ,and a special design, the G280 provides the angler with
a slow, rich casting stroke, but strength for hook set and fish
fighting.
The overall coloration of the G280 is green, except the top three section which are very dark green to black. The finish is glossy. As mentioned above, the
G280 is a zoom rod and utilizes the standard torpedo segment on the two longest
sections along with O-ring on the butt cap to hold the zoom sections in place.
They are held snugly, but not overly tightly.
The handle is made of good quality cork and has the newer, more pronounced,
double hump or Japanese hyoutan gourd shape that Dragontail has adopted
for many of its rods. The handle is 24 cm in length. A ring of cork composite
is placed at the tip and butt positions of the handle.
The tip plug is wood with a rubber insert. The butt cap is black nylon
plastic, is knurled, and has a coin slot. No decompression hole is
present.
The lilian is red, and is attached to the tip section with a micro-swivel. The
entire rod can be disassembled for cleaning and drying.
Casting the rod is really fun. It doesn't take much to load this rod, so those
of you who prefer a full flex rod will be pleased. I used a #3 fluorocarbon level
line which worked really well with this rod. Again, since I don't use
furled lines, I can't give you an opinion on the G280's performance with that style
of line.
The casting arc is slow and rich, except in the 200 cm configuration. At an
RFI of 6.3, it is slow enough to feel the rod load, but not so much of a
noodle as to be functionally useless.
I fished the rod on a few different waters. I first fished the G280 on a wide
open river. It definitely was not the type of water the G280 was designed for,
but I had the rod with me, so I thought I'd use it. I caught cutthroats in the
8-10 inch range, and they were really fun with this rod. One trout was a
surprise, though. He turned out to be a 14 -15 inch rainbow! He was much too
large for the G280, putting a full, deep bend all the way to the handle. But
since I had plenty of room to fight him, I got him to hand. And of course, I
didn't have my camera with me so you'll just have to believe me (the fish was witnessed by Brent Auger of Dragontail though)!
Where I caught the large rainbow (but image taken on a different day).
I also fished the rod on a couple small streams/creek. These creeks are the
type of water the G280 was designed for. I had to retract and extend the rod,
depending on the situation I encountered. I caught trout from 6 to 12 inches.
As you would expect from a softer action rod, the hook sets were softer as
well and fighting the larger trout was more difficult. I say more difficult,
but not terrible. Remember, I like faster action rods. You, or any else who
likes softer action rods, would probably not have any issues with the rod's
fish fighting action.
Here is a video of me using the rod on the smaller creeks:
So, now we come to the big question: what is with the blank name line? Well,
Brent had a temporary name for the rod, but we thought it needed a better one.
After looking at some other names (that didn't seem to fit) Brent thought it
would be fun to let DRAGONtail enthusiasts and small stream tenkara
anglers come up with a name for the new rod. So, after a survey on Facebook, a new name was chosen and will be announced at a later time.
Conclusion: I like this rod! Although it is softer than I
generally prefer in a small stream/creek rod, I like the casting and fishing
action of the rod. I'm really pleased with Dragontail's commitment to pushing
the design envelope, and the addition of S-glass in this rod makes all the
difference. I'm definitely going to get me one of these rods when they are
available, and then, in combination with the
Dragontail Mizuchi, I'll have the most excellent, versatile coverage for any small stream/creek I decide
to fish!
Combine the S-glass zx280 with the Mizuchi, and you've got every small creek
scenario covered!
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. I received no incentive or compensation from DRAGONtail for a
positive review. I borrowed this tenkara rod and returned it after my
review.
The Air Stage Fujiryu tenkara rods are well known in Japan, and rightly
so; they are amazing rods! I've written about how much I like the
360 5:5 version, and consider it one of the best tenkara rods I've used. I also have the 330
5:5 version, a rod I prefer over the
Oni type III
or
Oni Itoshiro, and that's saying something (because both of those rods are wonderful)! The
Fujiryu line of rods as just plain excellent!
The Air Stage Fujiryu rods were designed by a true
tenkara master,
Hiromichi Fuji. With his decades of tenkara experience, Uzaki-Nisshin (Nissin) created rods
that are both beautiful and functional. They are perfectly balanced, blending
a graceful full flex casting motion with surprising fish control.
Hiromichi Fuji
But in addition to the truly divine 5:5 flex versions, Fuji-san also designed
6:4 versions, for those situations when a faster action rod is needed. In this
review I'll outline my thoughts on the 360 6:4 rod.
The rod comes in a plastic carton and with a simple rod sock. In other words,
it's packaged like most Japanese tenkara rods. There's no rod tube, so don't
expect one.
Left to right: Air Stage Fujiryu (ASF) 360 5:5, ASF 360 6:4, ASF 330 5:5
The Air Stage Fujiryu 360 6:4 looks exactly like the 360 5:5 version (see
image above). Nested length, extended length, handle shape and contour, and
cosmetics are exactly the same. Here are some of my descriptions of that rod
that apply to the 360 6:4 version: "The coloration is a dark red wine color that really shows up in the sun.
Most of the sections also have terra cotta colored accents that are
tastefully done. The handle is made from cypress (some sources say cedar),
and is unfinished. It has a slightly tapered shape and is relativity short
at 18 cm. Despite this, it is very comfortable to hold, especially if
you use a light grip. The winding check is stainless [metal] and fits tightly against the handle. The tip cap is a Fuji KTC-16 universal
cap, which I prefer over the tip plug type. The butt cap is stainless metal,
is aggressively knurled, has a rubber bumper on the inside, and a very
adequate air hole. The lilian is red and is attached to the tip section with
a perfectly executed glue joint. Section 1 (the tip section) can be removed
through the second section for complete disassembly of the rod."
A portion of the Rod Flex Index Comparison Chart.
CLICK HERE
and ask for a link to the full chart.
Casting the rod is different from casting the 360 5:5. Whereas the 5:5 version
is full flex, with a rich, effortless casting stroke, the 360 6:4 is quick,
responsive and more energetic. Because the rod flexes more near the tip, your
casting stroke is quicker and more deliberate than with a full flex rod. But
that's the point, isn't it. There's more fish controlling backbone with the
6:4 than with the 5:5. The further you go away from the tip, the stiffer the
section are.
The 6:4 rod will throw a #3 fluorocarbon level line nicely, but a #3.5 line
seems to hit the sweet spot. I'm sure a #4 level line or even a furled line
would store even more potential energy in the rod, but since a don't use
furled lines I can't comment. As for flies, the rod handles unweighted kebari
as well as tungsten bead head competition nymphs. Here is a video of me
fishing the 360 6:4 with unweighted kebari on one of my favorite mountain
streams:
I use the Air Stage Fujiryu 360 6:4 on high gradient streams where the fish
are larger, and where I need more control due to aggressive currents. This rod
has a fast, decisive hook set, and plenty of power to work fish through and
around heavy currents. But that said, no love is lost on a 6 inch trout. They
are still fun.
Another time I prefer the 360 6:4 is for euro or contact nymphing. The rod is
long enough for a good reach and line control, but not too long as to fatigue
your arm. Since it has a faster action, it can handle heavier nymphs, or
multiple nymphs without issues. It also sets the hook well in deeper water, as
the tip reacts more quickly than a softer action rod. It's an excellent
contact nymphing rod! Here are a couple of videos of me using the rod for
contact nymphing:
Conclusion: I really like this rod. I've had this rod for
a few years now, and it has never let me down. Its longer than a standard 360
cm rod, giving excellent reach and line control. Its nested length is short
enough to easily travel in a backpack or bag, let a lone a car. It's a little
stiffer overall than the
Shimano 36NR
(Dr. Ishigaki's stiffer tenkara rod with an RFI of 5.4 versus the 360 6:4's
RFI of 5.9), but it's not too stiff to be not enjoyable. The 360 6:4 is still
a tenkara rod, not a tenkara rod designed for western fly fishers who are
transitioning to tenkara, and it's not overly stiff like a 5 weight fly rod.
It's the real deal. It's the real McCoy, not a wannabe toy! Combine the 6:4
with the 5:5 and you'll have the best combination of tenkara rods there is!
If you would like one,
TenkaraBum can get one for you.
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. I received no incentive or compensation from Uzaki-Nisshin. I
purchased the rod at full retail price.
