Three Masters, Three Different Tenkara Rods

The Importance of Bend Profile

Choosing a tenkara rod can be a challenging proposition for some anglers. Not wanting to “waste” their money, many anglers look to the advise of others for guidance. Social media is awash with questions like, “what rod would you recommend for…”, or, “I’m looking for a tenkara rod for…”. I understand why these questions are asked, but unfortunately the freely offered answers may not help and may actually confuse the person asking the question. Why? We all have different expectations for a rod and we all cast those rods differently!

It’s difficult to describe a rod to someone who hasn’t used that rod before. There are a few parameters that may help, but the truth of the matter is that to find out if a rod works for you, you have to use the rod! There are no shortcuts. While a common way to describe a rod’s action is by its penny rating or Rod Flex Index (RFI), a rod’s bend profile is often overlooked. Penny rating only helps if you are comparing rods of the same length, otherwise it’s very deceiving. The RFI helps adjust for rod length, so you can compare one rod’s action to another, but it doesn’t take into account the rod’s bend profile. Some rods have very flexible tip sections and others are more flexible in the mid sections, but they both can give the same penny rating. When looking for a rod, it’s fine to talk about its penny rating and RFI, but always take into account its bend profile.

To assess the rod’s bend profile, the easiest tool to use is the 10 Penny Bend Profile. I wrote about this test in my Treatise on Static Rod Testing, so I won’t go into it into too much detail here. Started by Chris Stewart (TenkaraBum), it is where you take a rod and examine its bend profile when under load with 10 US pennies (25 grams). It’s not an overly scientific test, but it does a nice job of showing the bend profile of the rod.

Let’s see how the bend profile helps define three Japanese tenkara rods: Oni Itoshiro, Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu 330 5:5 and Shimano Keiryu Tenkara 34-38 ZL. Each rod is 330-340 cm in length and each is designed by a tenkara master. Although they don’t have the same RFI, the exercise is still enlightening.

First is the Itoshiro 340, designed by Masami Sakakibara. As you can see from the image, the Itoshiro has very flexible T1 (tip) and T2 sections. Under the weight of 10 pennies, it bends very deeply and demonstrates a tip flex profile. Despite being tip flex, it’s a “soft” rod with an RFI of only 3. This profile makes the rod excel at casting very light level lines, but also makes the rod less desirable for heavy flies or nymphing in deep water. This rod uses the same sections as the famed Oni Type-I.

Next is the Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu (Fuji-style) 330 5:5 designed by Hiromichi Fuji. As illustrated, it has a slightly stiffer bend profile than the Itoshiro. This is born out by its RFI, which is 3.3. Its T1 and T2 sections are stiffer than the Itoshiro’s causing the rod to have a less dramatic tip flex. It too casts a light level line beautifully, but in a different way than the Itoshiro. This is one of my favorite rods. It fits my casting style.

Finally, we come to the Shimano Keiryu Tenkara 34-38 ZL designed by Dr. Hisao Ishigaki. This is a single “zoom” rod that can be fished at its native 340 cm and its “zoomed” length of 380 cm. In its 340 cm configuration it feels markedly different than the two previous rods. The ZL has a significantly stiffer T1 section than the Itoshiro or even the Fujiryu 5:5. This rod bends further down the segments, but the tip section (T1) remains fairly stiff. At its 340 cm length, the ZL has an RFI of 5.6. Although the ZL casts level lines well (and was specifically designed to do so), it casts very differently from the Itoshiro and Fujiryu. In my hands, the ZL has a faster and more decisive hook set than the Itoshiro and I tend to lose fewer fish (Again, in my hands. Your results may be different).

A rod’s bend profile often visually demonstrates how the rod will feel casting. If a rod has a tip flex profile, then it often casts a tight loop. If it is more upper-mid or mid flex, then it may have a smoother, relaxed action with a more open loop. These may not always hold true, as taper and materials also play an important part in a rod’s action, but bend profile is still important in a defining a rod’s action. Some rods have solid T1 sections (Itoshiro), and others have hollow T1 sections (Shimano ZL). This also affects the rod’s action. Solid tips generally are more flexible, while hollow tips generally are stiffer.

Now let’s look at two rods that have similar lengths, penny ratings and RFIs, but have different bend profiles. As previously mentioned, the Shimano Keiryu Tenkara 34-38 ZL has a hollow T1 section which makes it stiffer. However, its lower sections are quite flexible, therefore its flex initiates lower down the rod. At its 340 cm length, it has a penny rating of 19 pennies and an RFI of 5.6. The DRAGONtail Mizuchi has a solid T1 section which makes it quite flexible. Its lower sections are quite stiff, giving the rod a lot of “backbone” and it flexes in the tip sections. At its 340 cm length, it has a penny rating of 18 pennies and an RFI of 5.3.

As you can see from the image, the Mizuchi has much more flexible T1 and T2 sections than the Shimano, and despite its penny rating being very similar to the ZL, it is more of a power rod than a finesse rod. In my hands, the Mizuchi throws a tighter, “power” loop and feels “faster”, while the ZL feels smoother, “slower” and throws a more open, “finesse” loop. By the numbers you may think this should be opposite, but bend profile makes all the difference when comparing these two rod’s actions. And for what its worth, these rods feel totally different when fighting a 14-16 inch brown in fast flowing water.

So there you have it, the importance of the rod bend profile. Although bend profiles for tenkara rods are not readily available in published form, it is still worth paying attention to.

What advice do I have regarding this less well known rod parameter? It is to take every opportunity to hold and cast (better to fish with) every rod that you can. Go to trade shows where tenkara rods are displayed. Consider attending tenkara gatherings or schools. Ask other tenkara anglers if you can cast the rods they have brought with them. If these options are not available to you, then keep searching for information and do the best you can. Contact other tenkara anglers who have the rod you might want to buy and ask them for information. And of course, sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith and buy the rod. Then you’ll learn first hand if that’s the rod for you!

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