It's time for my annual favorites update. It's been 14 years since I started tenkara and the list illustrates my current preferences in gear. Most of the gear is the same as last year, but there have been some changes. Red lettering indicates a hyperlink.
Rod Comparison/Characteristics References:
Rod Flex Index - I use this table to compare rods to each other, and to categorize rod flex action.
Rotational Moment - I use these data when the rod is ≈4 meters in length or longer.
Favorite Small Creek Tenkara Rod:
DRAGONtail Mizuchi - All around. Tight canopy. Larger fish. Power rod.
Oni Type-III - Finesse fishing. Smaller fish. At 3.4 m, it's not conducive to many small creeks.
Shimano Pack Tenkara 31-34 ZW - Pack rod. Finesse fishing.
Favorite 360 cm Tenkara Rod:
TenkaraBum 36 - All around. Confidence rod. I'm not fishing this one as much lately, but its still on the list.
Nirvana Kokoro 360 - Japanese-like quality in an American rod.
Nissin Air Stage Fuijryu 360 5:5 - Finesse fishing. Easy to pack. Smooth casting rod!
Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu 360 6:4 - Larger fish. Easy to pack. Contact nymphing. Windy conditions. Faster currents.
Favorite 390-400 cm Tenkara Rod:
TenkaraBum 40 - All around. Confidence rod.
Oni Type-II - Full-flex joy.
Nirvana Kokoro 400 - Japanese-like quality in an American rod.
Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu 410 6:4 - Excellent rod for larger fish, windy conditions.
Favorite 450+ cm Tenkara Rod:
Gamakatsu MultiFlex Suimu EX 5.0 - Large fish. Large waters.
Nissin Air Stage Honryu 450 - Large waters.
Favorite Multi-length (Zoom) Rod:
DRAGONtail Mizuchi - Larger fish. Fast water. Triple length rod.
Shimano Pack Tenkara 31-34 ZW - Pack rod. Finesse fishing. Double length rod.
Shimano Keiryu Tenkara 34-38 ZL - Intermediate size fish. Moderate size streams. Double length rod. New version being released. We'll see if it supplants the older version.
Favorite Travel Rod:
TenkaraBum Traveler 39 - Modest sized fish. Modest sized waters.
Shimano Pack Tenkara 31-34 ZW - Compact rod. Small waters.
Pocket Rod:
The jury is still out. I'm not a fan of most. My other rods serve this purpose just fine.
Favorite Contact (Euro) Nymphing Rod:
Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu 360 6:4 - Easy to pack. My favorite contact nymphing rod.
DRAGONtail Mizuchi - Excellent euro nymphing rod for smaller streams.
Tenkara Prim Professional 400 - When I want a longer rod for euro-nymphing. Larger fish.
Favorite Large Fish (20 in./ 50 cm) Tenkara Rod:
DRAGONtail Hellbender - Large fish. Strong currents.
Gamakatsu MultiFlex Suimu EX 5.0 - Large fish. Strong currents. Big water.
Special Mention Rods:
Anglo & Co. Wasabi 36 - Hand-crafted, very special rod. I just don't fish it often due to difficult to obtain parts.
Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu 410 5:5 - I'm loving this rod more and more. It's just a hair tip heavy for its short handle. Still, I find myself fishing it more frequently.
Nissin Oni Honryu 395 - I use it on occasion when I want that classic Oni action.
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Favorite Line:
Dual Color Level Line - I mostly use a #3 fluorocarbon level line, but will occasionally use a #3.5, or #3.5-#3.0 80:20 tapered level line, if windy.
Favorite Tippet:
TroutHunter Fluorocarbon 5.5X - used most of the time. I change to 4.5X when larger fish possible.
Favorite On-stream Line Management:
Snap-On Line Winders - Used a lot of the time. When they don't fit the rod, I use a spool.
Favorite knot for tippet to fly:
16-20 Pitzen Knot - I use now more than my old standby, the Clinch knot.
Wading Staff:
T-top Wading Staff - My most important fishing accessory. I can't fish without it.
Wading:
Simms Freestone Wading Boots - I've used these for years. Basic boot, but they work. I use a rubber sole with Rocktreads or home-made aluminum bars.
Simms Men's Guide Guard Wading Boot Socks - I prefer wet wading, when possible. These keep my feet warm enough.
Riverruns Wader Gaiters - I use these to protect my knees and legs.
Lost Creek Men's Xti Wader Pants - When I do wear waders, I prefer these wader pants.
Chest Pack:
Zimmerbuilt Tenkara Strap Pack - It carries what I use.
Favorite Fish Release and Net:
Ketchum Release Tool - Used most of the time now. Doesn't fit large bead head nymphs without changing tool size, which can be a bit annoying.
Handy-Pak Net with Measure net Replacement - It has a little more capacity than my Shimano collapsible net. I don't deploy it often, only when I catch a net-worthy fish.
Favorite Flies and Kebari:
Flies and Kebari Collection, Volumes 1,2 & 3 - These are the flies and kebari that I use on most of my creeks and streams.
I reassess my preferences annually and update my favorites list. It's fun for me to see my preferences change from year to year. Just because I remove a rod or piece of equipment, doesn't mean I don't like it anymore. It means that my preferences have changed. Who knows. maybe my preferences will cycle back around in the future and those rods will make it back on my list!
