In part I of my review of the Gamakatsu Suimu 4.5 I discussed it's physical characteristics and attributes. Here, in part II, I'll briefly discuss its use on the water.
I fished the Suimu 4.5 on a typical western tailwater, using a two fly rig consisting of a dropper and point fly. Both of the flies had 3.3 mm tungsten beads, and thus were moderately heavy. My line was 380 cm #3 fluorocarbon level line with 90 cm of 4.5X tippet added.
The Suimu 4.5 cast this fly rig without any complaint. In fact, it handled the flies so well that I could had used even heavier flies had the situation required. With these two flies, I cast the rod using a slow, open loop, but I'm confident that if I was using a single unweighted kebari that a tight loop with high line speed could have been easily achieved. I did decide that for me, I preferred casting the rod at its 4.0 meter length, as at the 4.5 meter length my arm would fatigue. Still, casting at the 4.5 meter length was very doable, and I spend quite a bit of time casting at that rod length. I found that gripping the rod at the upper part of the handle (as opposed to near the butt) worked best for me in both casting and drifting.
I hooked rainbow trout from 10-14 inches and these fish didn't even come close to testing this big, beefy rod. Controlling a 20 inch trout in streamflow conditions would have been easy with the Suimu 4.5, given its power flex action and its long length.
Conclusion: I really like this rod! With its three very useful lengths, the Suimu 4.5 will likely be the rod in the Gamakatsu lineup that I will use most often. All three rods, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 meter, have their own distinct personalities and purposes, but I think the 4.5 meter will be in my hand the most when I reach for one of these stellar rods. I guess time will tell.
If you're in the market for a large fish Japanese tenkara rod, a rod that can transition from mountain stream (keiryu tenkara) to mainstream (honryu tenkara), then take a look at the Gamakatsu MultiFlex Suimu 4.5. It's the middle rod in a titan lineup of tenkara rods and will not let you down!
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 have no affiliation with Gamakatsu, and I purchased the Suimu 4.5 at full retail price.
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