This is the first rod from Keiryu Rod Co. (KRC) that I’ve reviewed. However, it’s not the first one that I purchased from them. KRC carries many Japanese rods and I have purchased a couple of these over the years. Keiryu Rod Co. has been around awhile, but have mostly been promoting keiryu style fishing rather than tenkara, so I haven’t purchased any of their other branded rods.
Recently, KRC introduced the MiniMax. It’s a compact tenkara rod designed for backpacking, or any application were a compact rod would be more welcome than an regular tenkara rod. The rod has already received some positive reviews, so I thought I’d purchase one, test it out and pass on my thoughts to you.
Overview
The KRC MiniMax comes well package in a miniaturized rod tube and rod sock. Also included are extra T1 (tip) and T2 sections. The rod is handsome in its design, and fit and finish are very well done. The segment blanks are unsanded and are charcoal colored with a matte finish. The only adornment on the rod is a dark red accent ring on the tipward portion of all but the T1 (tip) section. The handle segment has a short section of carbon fiber weave with a glossy finish. It’s really nicely done!
The handle is nice quality cork and has a teardrop shape, rather than the usual tenkara double hump or hyotan gourd shape. It fits your hand well and is very comfortable.
The tip plug and butt cap are black plastic nylon and fit well. The butt cap is rounded, has a rubber bumper to silence nested sections chatter and is slightly knurled to aid removal.
The lilian is dark brown and is attached to the T1 section via a glue joint and micro-swivel. The glue joint is well-executed, but is too large to allow the T1 section to be removed through the T2 section, Therefore, most, but not all of the rod, can be disassembled for cleaning and drying.
Measurements
| Description | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Sections | 20 |
| Nested (w/ tip plug) | 26 cm (10 in.) |
| Extended | 356 cm (11 ft. 8 in.) |
| Handle | 19 cm (7.5 in.) |
| Weight (w/o tip plug) | 65.1 g (2.3 oz.) |
| CCS | 16 pennies |
| RFI | 4.5 (but tip flex by bend profile) |
Performance
The MiniMax is, for the most part, a pleasure to cast. I say “for the most part” because due to its stiff mid section and very soft tip sections, it casts slightly differently than most tenkara rods. It took me a few minutes to dial in “fly first” casting. It’s more of a “flick of the wrist” rod than a “forearm” casting traditional tenkara rod. The casting stroke is short and fast. Because of the rod dynamics, casting loops are tight and accurate. You can get the fly into some pretty tight lies if your casting arc is timed correctly. Also, tip dampening is good and I didn’t detect any tip overshoot at the end of the casting stroke. I found the handle to be very comfortable and really like its diameter and shape.
I fished the rod on a typical Wyoming mountain creek using slightly weighted (brass bead) and unweighted kebari on a #3 fluorocarbon level line. It should be noted that KRC recommends a #3.5 fluorocarbon level line, but I usually prefer a #3 line, so that’s what I went with. I caught trout from 6 to 14 inches (15 to 35.5 cm) in moderately fast water. The rod did well. Again, it took me a little time to find the correct casting stroke for the MiniMax, due to its bend profile. I did find that hook sets were lightning fast and fighting the fish was easy with this rod. I also appreciated the extended length of almost 360 cm (12′). Most pocket rods are too short for my creeks, and when at all possible, I prefer a “longer rod-shorter line” approach to increase my casting accuracy and fish fighting control.
Here’s a video of my outing with the Keiryu Rod Co. MiniMax:
Conclusion
Keiryu Rod Co. MiniMax is a fun rod to use. It casts a light level line well, but may benefit from a slightly heavier line depending on user preference. The rod is very compact at only 26 cm (10 in.) nested and has a very usable extended length of almost 360 cm (12′). I found the rod to produce tight accurate loops and very fast hook sets, but it did take me a while to get the casting timing right for “fly first” presentations. The cork handle shape is ergonomic and very comfortable.
So, if you are in the market for a full length, fast action tenkara rod designed for backpacking, bike packing, or convenience carry, then you may want to consider the Keiryu Rod Co. MiniMax. It’s a nice rod in a small package, and it’s up to the task!
Disclaimer: My opinion regarding this rod is just that, my opinion. Your opinion may differ. Also, your rod may not have the same length, issues, or functionality as my rod. There are variations between rods, even in the same production run. No description can fully tell you how a rod feels or fishes. For this, you must personally hold, cast, and fish the rod then make up your own mind. I purchased the MiniMax at retail price. I have no formal affiliation with Keiryu Rod Co.
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Not all tenkara rod reviews are created equal. For my part, I give credibility to those where the reviewer: (1) has a lengthy experience doing it (e.g., 15 years); (2) has reviewed a large number of rods from all over the world; (3) provides written, objective, measurable, comparable, and consistent review criteria with every review; (4) has a long history of contributions to the tenkara community and delivering insightful concepts (e.g., RFI, RM, RFI, etc.) and maintaining accessible reference materials for assessing and comparing both new rods and those long out of production; and (5) is clearly motivated by a desire to share useful information rather than having the ulterior motive of seeking clicks, likes, subscribers, brand recognition, and self-promotion.
Tom, your work and contributions–especially your tenkara rod reviews–stand alone. I offer my sincere thanks.
Thanks, Gary. I appreciate you kind comment.