Amago Rod ReviewAmago Rod Review: The Amago is a big rod, designed for bigger fish. At 13 1/2 feet, and a 6:4 action, the rod blends the best characteristics of the Ayu and the Iwana. The 13' Ayu had been Tenkara USA's longest rod but it is also a very soft rod. While it is unsurpassed for casting the lightest possible line, Daniel Galhardo, Tenkara USA founder, wanted a long rod that had the crisp, precise casting feel people love about the Iwana rods. Rather than just make a 13' Iwana, he pushed the envelope to create a rod different enough to carry it's own name. I have written in the past that I generally like to use the longest rod I can get away with. The benefits of a long rod are significant. Tenkara fishing is a compromise between presentation and stealth. The closer you fish to where you are standing, the better your presentation can be, but the stealthier you have to be.
Amago tenkara rod
If you fish far off, as Charles Cotton recommended, you don't have to be nearly as stealthy, but your presentation suffers. A long rod allows you to achieve the excellent presentation possible with tenkara, and yet still fish a bit further away. Because I fish in hip boots rather than chest waders, sometimes that extra foot in the length of the rod (and thus about one and a half feet in the length of the cast) allows me to fish on the other side of a current tongue, keep my fly where I want it, and still keep my feet dry. For a rod to be any longer than the Amago, it would have to be very well designed to avoid being tip-heavy (and some tenkara anglers have told me that the Amago feels a bit tip heavy). I had thought the bulb on the end of the Amago grip was pretty clever - not so much to balance the weight because that little bit of cork can't weight much at all. What it did do, though, is allow you to grip the rod with the bulb under the heel of your hand and your fingers wrapped around the grip just in front of the bulb. That slightly changes the angle of your hand relative to the angle of the grip, which seemed to lessen the perceived weight of the rod. The grip has since been redesigned to be very similar to the Iwana grip, which is generally well liked. I have not fished with the new grip so I cannot say if it helps to counterbalance the rod. I find it a bit surprising that the Amago is actually a bit lighter than the Ayu. It feels heavier to me, I suspect just because it is longer. It is noticeably heavier than the 12' Iwana, which is to be expected because it is a foot and a half longer. The first time I picked up the rod it felt a little unweildy, but I found that you quickly get used to the weight. The second time I fished with the rod I really didn't notice it. The 6:4 Amago is definitely stiffer than the 5:5 Ayu. The Amago will still cast a light line, though. The size 3 level line casts nicely, but I suspect most anglers would prefer the size 4. For that matter, for fishing in a breeze or with wind resistant flies like hoppers, or with a team of 4 flies as in pesca alla Valsesiana, the Amago will handle the size 5 line nicely. For people just getting an Amago, or just getting a level line to go with their Amago, I would recommend the size 4
Hi-Vis Fluorocarbon
line to start with.
It also has enough more backbone than the Ayu that it would be a much better choice for a warm water fisherman wanting a longer rod, especially if the next cast could result in a catch like the bruiser to the right. Until I got a Daiwa LT39SF, which feels significantly lighter when casting, this was my favorite rod for warm water tenkara fishing. It's not too stiff for panfish, and the Amago would be an good choice if you are looking for a tenkara rod for bass. It has the backbone you want, but with a bit more flexibility than the Yamame. The additional length and flexibility seem protect light tippets a bit better as well. It should be an excellent rod for fishing hoppers, or the hopper/dropper combination, which though not traditional tenkara, is still a deadly method in the west. The Amago would be ideally suited to the larger, more open western streams. It is also ideally suited to the larger fish one can catch there. You can see a couple brutes from Utah on the hand tied lines page. For those tenkara anglers interested in trying pesca alla Valsesiana, the Italian fishing method that also uses a long rod with the line tied to the rod tip, this is the rod to use. It has the desired length, and sufficient backbone to cast the four reverse hackle flies that are used. Fishing four Sakasa Kebari flies works for trout and is absolutely deadly for bluegills, where I've found it to be much more productive than fishing a single fly. Being able to cast a heavier line than the Ayu also means that it can cast a longer line. Although tenkara is generally considered a small stream pursuit, the Amago is Tenkara USA's big water rod. contact us page.
And it's still fun with small trout
Return from Amago Rod Review to Tenkara Rods
|
