Seiryu - Keiryu Shoot out!

by Les Albjerg
(Caldwell, ID)

I was inspired by Chris' article "Seiryu Rods for Keiryu Fishing?" to do a comparison between the Suntech TenkaraBum Traveler 44 and the Diawa Sagiri 45.

I had Wilson Springs all to myself this morning. They must have planted it late yesterday or before I got there. There were a lot of trout jumping. That only happens during the first 24 hours of planting. Wilson Creek sounds a lot like the area described in Chris' article. This is a put and take fishery. The normal limit in Idaho is 6 trout. The limit at Wilson Springs is two because of the popularity.

I fished with the $5.00 "Keiryu Rig" listed under "Keiryu Acessories." I shortened it by one meter so it would fish well at the 40 setting. Since Wilson Springs is a slow moving pool, I used two Dinsmore #10 split shot instead of the larger split shot that came with the kit. I used Red Wigglers. I fished both rods at 40 and 44 (45).

The fish were cooperating today! There is a seam of current that flows toward the creek and forms a nice back eddy. This is where I like to fish. I caught 4 fish with each rod. Three at the shorter length, and one at the longer length. This is an ideal spot for a 4 meter rod. To begin with, you can't go wrong with either of these rods.

So, now to compare. Fit and finish is much better on the Suntech. The Suntech dampens the cast better. I don't know if that is a function of the quality or its higher penny rating. Both cast well, but I like the way the Suntech casts over the Diawa. Feeling the take of the fish was about equal with both rods. However, hook sets were much better with the Suntech. I had one fish with the Diawa take the Red Wiggler deep. Its "zero tension" might be too good, or I was sleeping on the switch. I had one missed strike with the Suntech and two with the Diawa. Both fished well at both lengths. The Suntech has the advantage in that it will zoom down to 36.

The fight was very fun on both rods. All the fish I caught today were around 8 inches. I know the Suntech will handle larger fish than the Diawa. That said, I had no trouble controlling the fight with either rod. Both of the rods have a nice bend progression when you are fighting the fish. The Diawa curves a lot more. It seemed to tire the fish a little quicker. I like the way the Diawa zooms a little better than the Suntech. The grip on the Diawa is a little longer than the Suntech. I like that better, but didn't really notice the difference when fishing.

I bought the Diawa for panfish. It is going to be perfect for why I bought it. The Suntech was my second premium rod. In my opinion, it is worth the extra $65.00. Fit and finish are amazing on the Suntech TenkaraBum Traveler. For 65.00 you get an additional length, the 36. Where can you buy a premium 360 cm rod for $65.00? If you just can't afford it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Diawa Sagiri. It works very well as a keiryu rod. So many choices, so little time and funds!

“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.