Almost every sport that you see, has undergone change and evolution. However, the one that has been resistant to change is fly-fishing. With the introduction of Tenkara rods, a lot has changed for the anglers as well as manufacturers.
A very minimalist rod, the Tenkara rod has no reel and is light in weight. Brought to the West by the Japanese counterparts, Tenkara fishing rods are most sought after and the options within this segment are plenty. The basics for the rod, remain the same – lightweight, collapsible and durable.
The DRAGONtail MIZUCHI Small Stream Tenkara Fly Fishing Rod is designed in collaboration with Tom Davis of the Teton Tenkara fame. The venture has resulted in a superior, small stream rod that comes in three lengths – 8 feet, 9.6 feet and 11f feet, Tenkara Rods.
Tested by Tom Davis for feedback, this rod ticks all the boxes, when it comes to a small stream rod. The MIZUCHI Ultimate Small Stream Tenkara Rod can be used for fishing at very tight spots and at the same time, it can be extended for longer reach when streams open up.
Based on Tom’s goals for the rod, the team addressed the concerns of a rod that is a minimum 240 cm length and with the ability to “zoom” to a longer length for use when the stream opens up. The balance of the rod and the flex action were also refined, when considering Tom’s insights.
The resulting MIZUCHI 340zx Tenkara rod is designed such that it can be used for fishing at three different lengths, and has two locking zoom sections. These three different lengths in one rod give you the advantage of covering many different waters with the same rod.
Designer: Brent Auger of DRAGONtail Tenkara & Tom Davis of Teton Tenkara
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DRAGONtail MIZUCHI Tenkara Fly Fishing Rod
A collaboration design with Tom Davis of Teton Tenkara to make a superior small stream 3 Length (8ft, 9.6ft, 11ft) Tenkara rod.
The Idea of the MIZUCHI Ultimate Small Stream Tenkara Rod
“This prototype MIZUCHI zx340 small stream Tenkara rod was born from a collaboration rod design we did with Tom Davis (a master of fishing small overgrown rivers that most people pass up) of Teton Tenkara Blog. Tom’s input & testing was key in shaping the outcome of the MIZUCHI rod prototypes, we even let him name the rod,” Auger told Yanko Design.
Tom had a few goals in mind that he wanted in a small stream Tenkara rod that would make him more efficient fishing his creeks and overgrown streams.
It must:
– Be no shorter than 240 cm length.
– Be able to “zoom” to a longer (not just longer, but practical and usable) length for use when the canopy opens up and a longer reach is desired (beaver ponds, meadow sections, an opening in the trees, etc).
– Have excellent balance at all lengths, especially in the fully extended length.
– Have a flex action appropriate for the intended use of the desired length.
– Be dull in finish and non flashy in color scheme.
– Have great sling shot casting abilities (other name is bow and arrow cast).
– Be robust so to handle the unique stresses of a small creek. But it should also have great customer service and be easily and economically repaired if breakage does happen.
– Be able to be completely disassembled for drying and cleaning.
Prototype Demo Addressing the Goals
3-Tenkara-Rods-In-One For Tight Spots and Open Water
The MIZUCHI 340zx Tenkara rod can be fished at 3 different lengths with its two locking zoom sections, making it an excellent choice for small stream fishing to open water fishing.
The 11ft (340cm) long length is excellent for when you have open casting room such as wider sections of the stream, a river, or even on still water. The 11ft length is a great general purpose length for a Tenkara rod that will work great in most types of water where there is room to cast.
The 9.6ft (290cm) middle length is great when the stream or canopy are a bit to tight for a long rod but don’t require a super short rod.
And the short 8ft (240cm) length is perfect for when there is lots of canopy overgrowth. You can also perform an excellent bow-n-arrow cast if things are to tight for this length.
What is Tenkara?
It is basically a form of fixed line fly fishing with origins from the mountains of Japan. Tenkara fishing uses a long (commonly 10-13ft) telescopic rod with NO REEL. A short light weight line (about the length of the rod) is tied to the tip of the rod, with about 3-4ft of tippet and a fly on the end.
The gear is simple and the basics are easy to learn so you can start catching fish early on in the learning process. That being sad, you can spend a lifetime learning different different casting presentations and fly manipulations techniques that go way beyond the basics.
Some of The Big Advantages of Tenkara Fishing Gear
– Simple, light-weight and compact telescopic rod that can be packed with you anywhere (it is very popular for hikers, bike packing). The rod collapses down to about 2ft long with no reel; so the only other gear you need to carry is a small spool with your line, some tippet, and some flies.
– The long rod and short light line allow you to create a triangle keeping the majority of your line off the water so you get a perfect drift with little effort. You can reach over current, guide your fly around obstructions, or guide your fly to drift into the perfect hole.
– Having a tight line to your fly gives you the ability to perform fly manipulation techniques with the slightest twitches, allowing you to temp fish to strike your fly when a dead drift does not work well.
– There is no reel to mess with! This means line management and less fuss and more enjoying what is around you.
It is quick to learn the basics and fun to learn new ways to present and manipulate your flies.
MIZUCHI Rod Specs:
– Collapsed Length: 64cm (25.2in)
– Extended lengths: 240cm (7.88ft), 292cm (9.58ft), 339.5cm (11.14ft)
– Weight (with out tip plug or cap): 79.2 g (2.8 ounces)
– CCS/RFI: 16 pennies/6.6, 17 p/5.8, 18 p/5.3
Kid-Friendly Rod
With its 3 lengths, the MIZUCHI rod will be a great option for kids as well. Little kids can learn on the short lengths of the MIZUCHI Tenkara Rod that is easier for them to handle. As they get older or more experienced, they can graduate up to using the longer lengths of the MIZUCHI Tenkara rod. It is like a rod that grows with them.
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