Choosing One’s Own Path…

I have never been one who followed the herd. I am not special nor a trendsetter. Honestly, I could care less about being in any form of “limelight.” If I develop a concept or theory in my head, then I follow it and see where it leads.

Yes, this article brings JDM gear back into focus. I am not trying to sell anything and never will. If you’re interested in JDM gear then you understand. What I will try to demonstrate is that it is possible to defy normal convention.

Case in point: Almost all JDM stream/native trout rods have cork handles. Cork is fine and we are not against that. However, we have found that having a composite handle suits us much better. Area rods tend to have a lot of dense EVA foam on them. Cork and foam tend to be insulators whereas straight composite grips transfer every nuance of the lure or fish straight to your hand. I have often wondered what a graphite/carbon fiber fly rod handle would feel like while nymphing! The problem is finding a rod that meets our criteria and we are forced to look at other possibilities.

The easiest way to explain it is that Area trout rods are more whippy and have a parabolic bend, whereas Stream/Native trout rods have a stiff backbone yet possess a responsive tip. This also transfers over to UL Saltwater/Light Game whereas the Mebaru rods have a similar action to Area rods and the Ajing rods are similar in action to the Stream/Native rods. Area = Trout Pond and Stream is exactly what it sounds like.

We spend quite a large amount of time researching Ajing (Horse Mackerel) spinning rods. These rods are NOT designed for our intended purpose, but we try them anyway, and so far it has worked in our favor. Not only are these rods lighter, but also more sensitive and responsive.

I have literally held my Tenryu Lunakia 6’10” 2-piece rod straight out in front of me and had a friend rub a dandelion seed head against the tip…and I could feel it!

I am not knocking USDM (US Domestic Market) rods…too much, but I honestly can’t stand the way they feel/respond. Components are quite unimpressive and the price is off in my opinion. But then again, in all openess, we’ve never found a USDM rod that is designed for the fishing we like to do. That being said, if I’m chasing Northern-strain Smallmouth, then I’ll grab an off-the-shelf rod and use that. My priorities are pretty simple at that point…ML to Med action and be a 2-piece rod. That’s it!

With the exchange rate being what it is……currently 148.14 YEN to $1 USD, it’s a no-brainer for us. It’s the perfect time to find bargains on quality rods and reels. Another factor is the Japanese have sales quite often and you can save even more. Several online sites even offer free shipping adding up to more savings. Sorry if it sounds like im preaching!

On another note…the reels I have settled on are the 2019 Shimano Vanquish and the 2023 Daiwa Airity.

We do own Shimano Stella’s and Daiwa Exist’s which are their top of the line reels. But for me anyway, these mid-range reels are just about perfect and I don’t ever see me buying a high-end spinning reel again.

Defy convention…don’t think outside the box, just get rid of the box! Fish can’t read.

With all that being said…once it warms up to above freezing, we plan on hitting the trout ponds today. The stocking schedules have been off due to the recent winter storms so we will keep our fingers crossed.

Catch you on the next one…

P.S. Just a “public service announcement”- If there are any bass guys reading this, JDM Tackle Heaven is having a huge sale until January 31 and they have a ton of Megabass rods on sale. www.jdmtackleheaven.com

No affiliation on my part.