Nissin Air Stage Seiryu Rods
The Nissin Air Stage Seiryu Rods are wonderfully light, extremely sensitive rods very well suited for tenkara fishing in smaller streams for smaller fish. Seiryu is generally translated as "clear stream" and these rods are about as nice as you'll find for fishing the crystal clear headwaters in the Catskills, the Smokies or the Sierras.
And if you happen to live too far away from little streams teaming with hungry trout, you'll find these are also wonderful rods for little streams teaming with hungry sunfish. They're not big fish rods (to be perfectly honest, tenkara is not a big fish pursuit) but for smaller fish these are just delightful little rods.
The first thing you'll notice when you pick one up is that it is almost unbelievably light. The shortest - which really is a bit too short for tenkara fishing but would make a dandy micro fishing rod - weighs only half an ounce! Once you get to the 2.4 meter rods, which at 8' are the shortest I would recommend for tenkara fishing in even the smallest of streams (and for small fish) the weight jumps up to .6 ounce.
The 3.4 meter rod at 11'2" is longer than many tenkara rods. It is lighter than any tenkara rods at just 1.1 ounce. Sure, it has a narrow grip but you're not going to get blisters! You can cast this rod all day and not feel like you've had a workout.
With a penny rating of 12, though, the Nissin Air Stage 340 硬調 is right in with the softer Nissin tenkara rods. The purists would not consider it a tenkara rod - lack of a cork grip, I suppose (which of course traditional bamboo tenkara rods didn't have, either). There is no reason, though, why it should not be considered for tenkara fishing by anyone who wants a very light, very responsive rod. Although these are headwaters rods, they're really not backpacking rods. The collapsed length on all of them is a relatively long 23 5/8".
In addition to being light and responsive, the Nissin Air Stage Seiryu rods are really pretty. The finish is a clear coat over blue speckles and is unlike any other rod I've seen. In the sunlight, the rod changes from blue to green depending on the angle of the sun.
The color is carried into the grip section, which, as on all the other seiryu rods I've seen, is just a widened section of the rod blank, to which has been applied a very effective nonskid finish. The lack of cork between you and the blank gives you tremendous feel for what the fly is doing (and what the fish is doing).
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The tip plug is plastic and has minute ridges either molded or machined into the part that goes into the rod tip. It is a very snug fit - much more so than on the perhaps more common wood / rubber plugs. It is definitelyh not going to slip out by itself. The grip screw is also plastic and seats securely in an aluminum insert in the end of the grip. The knurling on the screw cap allows you to tighten it securely or remove it easily.
For any these rods, I would recommend size 3 or 3.5 line and 7X tippet.
Like a set of fine china, replacement pieces are available but there is no warranty. Handle with care and you'll be able to pass it on to your grandkids.
International shipments require additional postage. Please see Shipping section below.
Nissin Air Stage 190 硬調 - $170
Extremely short (6'4"), insanely light (.5 ounce), this rod is for micro fishing at its finest. Only one rod in stock, subject to prior sale.
Nissin Air Stage 240 硬調 - $185
In my opinion this 8' rod is about as short as you'd want to go for effective tenkara fishing, even in extremely small overgrown streams. At only .6 ounces, it's also about as light as you can go. The 6" headwaters brookies will give you a fight on this one.
Nissin Air Stage 290 硬調 - $200
At only .9 ounce, this 9'8" rod is almost unbelievably light yet it is long enough for small headwaters streams, and more than capable of landing the fish you'll catch there. These rods are mid flex, as opposed to the tip flex of the Kurenai H30 rods.
Nissin Air Stage 340 硬調 - $225
This rod is is similar to the Suntech Kurenai HM33, but is a bit more mid flex (not softer, just a slightly different flex characteristic). You get a bit more reach than the Air Stage 290 yet it is still only 1.1 ounces. This is a rod for small wild trout in small wild streams that are just a bit more open to accommodate the rod's 11'3" length. Just a wonderful rod. Two rods available, subject to prior sale.
Rods made in Japan.
$10 from the sale of evey rod will go to fisheries conservation.
Payment
Payment is through Paypal but you don't need to have a PayPal account. You can use your credit card. PayPal payments will be made to chris at tenkarabum dot com. Credit card statements will read CM Stewart.
Shipping
Domestic shipping is $6 via priority mail (2-3 day delivery).
International shipping requires an additional $5 to Canada or $11 to other countries for the rod alone. If you live outside the US, please click the button for the appropriate shipping charge.
Additional items add weight to the order and may thus require additional postage. International orders of two or more rods, or any order totalling over $400 including shipping will be sent express mail. Please request a quote before ordering.
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| My oh my oh my! A lovely thing - only cast to lawn trout in the back yard with 9' of #3 but - my oh my oh my! .....fished two rivers and one pond today with the Air Stage [290]. The Air Stage works. I like where it bends but I felt it was underlined today [with a size 3 line]. I like the rod a lot. The grip is perfect for the rod length. It has authority with a fish on even though the grip is slim and the fish didn't push the rod much. It can handle 12"+ trout easily I feel, though I wouldn't take it to a tailwater. Dry flies went right where the were supposed to. An accurate rod. It reminded me something we often forget.....all you have to do to cast is get the line moving. You don't have to backcast unless you want to. The rod did all those circular casts Mr. Sakakibara does in the vids easily. The rod has vocabulary, if you know what I mean. Stephen M, Massachusetts |