For years now, my go-to stream fishing rod and reel setup has been the St. Croix Triumph Travel TRS66MLF4 and the Abu Japan Roxani 2500MSH spooled with Daiwa J-braid x8 in 8lb test. I chose this rod because its a 4-piece and is easy to strap to the side of a pack or stow in the trunk of a compact car. The ML (Medium Light) action is perfect for chasing Velox.
This particular rod is made in Mexico but so far (3 years) it has held up well. The Roxani has been brilliant as well and is still smooth after everything it’s been through. We stream fish and that means wading! Some spots we’ve had to swim across or even swim through deeper pools to reach the next section. Both rod and reel have been dunked or splashed but they’ve held up well.
The Roxani was my first JDM (Japan Domestic Market) reel and won’t be my last. They just have a different feel than USDM reels. We will see how it goes as 2021 seems to be shaping up into a manner where I’m going LIGHTER. Both the rods and reels I’ve purchased lately have been lighter…1000 size reels as well as Light to Ultralight rods. Time will tell…stay tuned for more!
Velox Seeker 