Soyokaze Smallmouth Bass

by Harold B.
(Indiana)

Today I fished a local stream with the Soyokaze 27 9-foot rod I purchased a couple weeks ago. I was using 2# monofilament line for tippet because it is cheap, I expected snags and knew the fish would be small.

Had a lot of fun, catching a couple dozen sunfish 2.5 to 6 inches of various varieties. Snagged the leader 3 times, it was beat-up and had a couple wind knots in it but I didn't change it because I was ready to go home.

As I was wading out I made a cast under the roots of a tree and hooked a smallmouth bass. The bass put up quite a fight, with one spectacular leap out of the water. I had to be gentle because I knew the "tippet" was weak. At the same time I had to put some pressure on him to keep him out of the tree roots and rocks. After some time I landed the bass and he measured a little over 14 inches.

A real demonstration of the quality of the little Soyokaze rods. It was soft enough to protect a weak tippet, but had the backbone to handle a good sized fish. Very impressive.

“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.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.

Seriously, all the hooks sold on TenkaraBum.com, whether packaged as loose hooks or incorporated into flies, are sharp - or as Daiichi says on their hook packages, Dangerously Sharp. Some have barbs, which make removal from skin, eyes or clothing difficult. Wear eye protection. Wear a broad-brimmed hat. If you fish with or around children, bend down all hook barbs and make sure the children wear eye protection and broad-brimmed hats. Be aware of your back cast so no one gets hooked.

Also, all the rods sold on TenkaraBum.com will conduct electricity. Do not, under any circumstances, fish during a thunder storm. Consider any fishing rod to be a lightning rod! Fishing rods can and do get hit by lightning!