A Great Micro-Fishing Rod . . . Really!

by John Evans
(San Antonio, TX)

Do you enjoy exploring tight, brushy streams in search of micro fish? If so, there’s a rod you need to try: the Nissin Air Stage Hakubai 240. I’ve fished the one that I bought from TenkaraBum at least a dozen times now, and it’s an exceptional pole. It’s definitely a small fish rod, incredibly light at .6 oz., and amazingly fun to use. It casts smoothly and accurately for a rod that’s only 7’8” long, and it really comes alive when you play a fish. It’ll make you a kid again.

I have two rods that always bring astonished looks to people’s faces when I place them in their hands. One is the Suntech Kurenai HM30R and the other is this Nissin Air Stage Hakubai 240. The usual reaction is, “Oh . . . Oh . . . Wow!” Instinctively, people want to cast them. How do these two excellent rods differ? Obviously, the Suntech is longer, but it’s also more of a tip flex rod. The Nissin Air Stage has a full flex feel. I use my Kurenai for fish up to and including stocker Rainbows and Guadalupe bass. The Nissin is more of a micro-fishing rod. When I head for really overgrown streams . . . you know, the little creek just down the road that’s teeming with yellowbellies . . . the Air Stage is the one I pick. The Kurenai is splendid for the next size up and is also a delight to use. If you have both of these rods in your quiver, you won’t regret either purchase.

The Air Stage is not as popular as the Kurenai, but I assure you that it’s a special rod. How much do I enjoy the Hakubai? As soon as I ordered one from Chris Stewart and fished it, I immediately ordered another as a reserve. It really is that good. With the Hakubai you can delicately place soft casts under low-hanging limbs and around submerged roots—you know, right where the fish are! This rod allows a delicate presentation that doesn’t spook the fish as much.

How do I set up the Air Stage for micro fish? I typically use lightly-weighted size 14 or 16 Utah Killer Bugs with six feet of ultralight furled leader and a couple of feet of 7X tippet. I sure wouldn’t use any heavier tippet than that. The biggest fish I’ve caught was a half-pound male cichlid, but what a fight! Both the fish and I were tired when we finished. A six-inch bluegill will also push the Air Stage to its limit. I wouldn’t use this rod if I knew I was going to hook bigger fish, or I’d at least make sure to use extra-light tippet to protect it.

I always tell people that I don’t own any perfect rods, and there are usually a few things I’d change. In the case of the Nissin Air Stage, however, it’s hard to nitpick. I’m not a big fan of the Nissin soft plastic rod pouches, but you can easily fix that by ordering one of Chris Stewart’s TenkaraBum rod socks. Hey, the colors even match! The rod does have a fairly long collapsed length of 23 5/8”, but that’s never been a problem for me. In fact, the fewer sections help the rod to cast smoothly.

This is also a beautiful rod, sort of a deep sparkly green that really attracts the eye. The rod is also gracefully-proportioned. From the slender handle to the fine tip, it flows together in a pleasing way.

If you think you might like to try micro-fishing, or you already know that you enjoy it, this is one seiryu rod you must consider. Short enough for tiny streams, flexible enough to cast tenkara-style, and sensitive enough for even the smallest fish, the Nissin Air Stage Hakubai 240 is hard to beat. The first time you pick one up and extend it, you’ll know you have a winner.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.