Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

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fezken
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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:27 am

Sounds like you need two rods to do what you want to do. I do not own any stream trout rods but do own 4 area rods.....and another is on the way. I have 3 Fine Tail Banshee rods...a 6 foot SUL.....a 6’ 7” L action.....a 5’ 9” XUL on the way....1 Palms Egeria in a 6’ 4”, and a Fine Tail Area Stage rod 6’ 3” model. The area rods are very sensitive....the Palms not as much as the Major Craft rods I have but it is a lot of fun. There are some 7 foot plus Mebaru rods that could work out for your over 7 foot rod for trout. The Area Stage rods are in my opinion a great rod for the money spent. Had the pandemic not hit I could have given you feedback on a Daiwa Presso Limited AGS along with a Graphiteleader Super Bellezza.....unfortunately both were returned to sender as they never got off the ground in Japan. So just how much do you want to spend on each rod?
What is the major difference between the Banshee and the non-Banshee Fine Tail rods?
Right now, this is looking very tempting. I assume that is the Fine Tail Area Stage you recommended. I've seen some green ones on ebay aswell, possible not the X model. Not sure about the difference to be honest. How small are the guides on this rod? Im usually fishing with braid and FC leader, and was wondering if the knot will fit through the guides.

Pricewise this rod is pretty cheap, so it would be a decent start to the JDM rod adventure. Free shipping from digitaka, so I don't feel compelled to purchase multiple rods at once. Already spent too much money on a daiwa exist lt, so I might just go with one rod for starters.
Here in Norway rods are very expensive. A Shimano Speedmaster BX(3 pcs) 3 - 14 grams has an MSRP of around 400 dollars. And that is pretty much top of the line here(for light game), unless you import something yourself. Pretty insane.

Right now im torn between the Tenryu Rayz Alter(RZA62UL-S) and the MajorCraft Fine Tail Area(FAX-632SUL / FAX-632UL). I will ponder on it during the evening, and hopefully make the purchase before going to bed.

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by Alphahawk » Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:35 am

fezken wrote:
Sun Jul 26, 2020 9:27 am
Sounds like you need two rods to do what you want to do. I do not own any stream trout rods but do own 4 area rods.....and another is on the way. I have 3 Fine Tail Banshee rods...a 6 foot SUL.....a 6’ 7” L action.....a 5’ 9” XUL on the way....1 Palms Egeria in a 6’ 4”, and a Fine Tail Area Stage rod 6’ 3” model. The area rods are very sensitive....the Palms not as much as the Major Craft rods I have but it is a lot of fun. There are some 7 foot plus Mebaru rods that could work out for your over 7 foot rod for trout. The Area Stage rods are in my opinion a great rod for the money spent. Had the pandemic not hit I could have given you feedback on a Daiwa Presso Limited AGS along with a Graphiteleader Super Bellezza.....unfortunately both were returned to sender as they never got off the ground in Japan. So just how much do you want to spend on each rod?
What is the major difference between the Banshee and the non-Banshee Fine Tail rods?
Right now, this is looking very tempting. I assume that is the Fine Tail Area Stage you recommended. I've seen some green ones on ebay aswell, possible not the X model. Not sure about the difference to be honest. How small are the guides on this rod? Im usually fishing with braid and FC leader, and was wondering if the knot will fit through the guides.

Pricewise this rod is pretty cheap, so it would be a decent start to the JDM rod adventure. Free shipping from digitaka, so I don't feel compelled to purchase multiple rods at once. Already spent too much money on a daiwa exist lt, so I might just go with one rod for starters.
Here in Norway rods are very expensive. A Shimano Speedmaster BX(3 pcs) 3 - 14 grams has an MSRP of around 400 dollars. And that is pretty much top of the line here(for light game), unless you import something yourself. Pretty insane.

Right now im torn between the Tenryu Rayz Alter(RZA62UL-S) and the MajorCraft Fine Tail Area(FAX-632SUL / FAX-632UL). I will ponder on it during the evening, and hopefully make the purchase before going to bed.
The Banshee was Major Crafts high end area trout rod.....but is no longer in production. The older Fine Tails with the green blank I do not recommend. The 2018 Fine Tail Area Stage rods are an great rod for the money spent. While I do not own an Rayz Alter it is a much superior rod than the MC Area Stage rods.....thus the price difference.

Regards

fezken
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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Sun Jul 26, 2020 10:36 am

The Banshee was Major Crafts high end area trout rod.....but is no longer in production. The older Fine Tails with the green blank I do not recommend. The 2018 Fine Tail Area Stage rods are an great rod for the money spent. While I do not own an Rayz Alter it is a much superior rod than the MC Area Stage rods.....thus the price difference.

Regards
Okey. The Banshee on ebay is the same price as the Rayz Alter from Digitaka. So I will probably not bother with the banshee.
What is the lighest lure I can get away with, while retaining some casting distance with a SUL rod(0 - 4 grams). Have to purchase some new lures aswell(mainly spoons), as anything lower than 4 grams is not possible get a hold of here in Norway.
Also; Are there any JDM softbaits that resemble troutmagnets ? I was looking to get some of those, but I have to pay like 50 dollars in shipping to get it sent here(from Amazon).

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by Allsorts » Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:31 am

WRT alternatives for Trout Magnets, look at Crazy Fish as a brand, plenty of options and widely available the EU.

fezken
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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:56 am

WRT alternatives for Trout Magnets, look at Crazy Fish as a brand, plenty of options and widely available the EU.
Thanks, I will have a look around.

So, I'm pretty much set on the Major Craft rod, but I while browsing I stumbled upon the Tict Icecube IC-74FS-Sis . Anyone have any experience with this rod? I was thinking it might be an alternative to the Area rod, but not sure if it is suitable for lures and plugs. Tbh, I have never owned a rod shorter than 8 feet, so I feel that 6'3 might be weird to get used to.

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by Alphahawk » Mon Jul 27, 2020 12:07 pm

fezken wrote:
Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:56 am
WRT alternatives for Trout Magnets, look at Crazy Fish as a brand, plenty of options and widely available the EU.
Thanks, I will have a look around.

So, I'm pretty much set on the Major Craft rod, but I while browsing I stumbled upon the Tict Icecube IC-74FS-Sis . Anyone have any experience with this rod? I was thinking it might be an alternative to the Area rod, but not sure if it is suitable for lures and plugs. Tbh, I have never owned a rod shorter than 8 feet, so I feel that 6'3 might be weird to get used to.
I own 2 rods from the Ice Cube series.....but nothing over 6’ 11”. They make a very good rod.......sensitivity is off the charts.

Regards

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:33 pm

I own 2 rods from the Ice Cube series.....but nothing over 6’ 11”. They make a very good rod.......sensitivity is off the charts.

Regards
Sounds compelling. I see the only model left on digitaka is a solid tip model. Not really sure how that will work with spoons and plugs. Do you know what type of tip the major craft area rod have?

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by Alphahawk » Tue Jul 28, 2020 4:29 am

fezken wrote:
Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:33 pm
I own 2 rods from the Ice Cube series.....but nothing over 6’ 11”. They make a very good rod.......sensitivity is off the charts.

Regards
Sounds compelling. I see the only model left on digitaka is a solid tip model. Not really sure how that will work with spoons and plugs. Do you know what type of tip the major craft area rod have?
Solid and tubular tips on the Major Craft 2018 Area Stage rods....depends on model.

Regards

fezken
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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:58 am

I'll be ordering the rod today. Realise that I'm going to need some light lures aswell. 4 grams are the lighest lures available on the domestic market here in Norway, so need to order some light ones. What is the optimal casting weight for these rods? Something in between the lower and upper limits?

Not 100% sure if im going for the UL or SUL. Any insights?

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Tue Aug 25, 2020 3:31 am

Small update:

Thanks alot for the recommendations guys.
I got my package from digitaka an hour ago.
5 days shipping from Japan to a remote village in Norway is insane to me, and the gear is cheaper than here. This is wild.

I received a Major Craft Finetail FAX 632UL, Daiwa Exist FC LT2000S-P, Sunline Small Game PE-HG #0.3 , Sunline FC Sniper 3lb test
and a whole bunch(25 - 30) of different lures.
I am beyond exited to try this setup.
I am already looking to acquire the Graphiteleader Super Bellezza UL. What an adventure!
This weekend I will hike to one my favorite mountain lakes in the area to give this setup a proper test. The condition on the brown trout there is unbelievable this year.

Also: I figured the lures would be small, but I had a good laugh when I saw how tiny the spoons are. Love it!

Again, thanks a lot for all the help

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by ftl1951 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 5:21 am

Congratulations on your new set up. I am sure you will really enjoy using everything and are excited to get out to try it all. I attached a couple of pictures of a Super Bellezza with a Daiwa Luvias 2500 and an Exist 1000 for reference (I believe the Exist 1000/2000 is the perfect size for this rod). I hope you are able to find a Super Bellezza when the time comes. They are not easy to get... Good luck with everything..!!!

D47E18CD-B1B7-4C15-91A0-CF084A7FDC39.jpeg
D47E18CD-B1B7-4C15-91A0-CF084A7FDC39.jpeg (88.5 KiB) Viewed 6304 times
1D46F6C1-4026-42EF-9BEF-7E7CC597D08F.jpeg
1D46F6C1-4026-42EF-9BEF-7E7CC597D08F.jpeg (89.03 KiB) Viewed 6304 times

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by Allsorts » Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:33 am

Bellezza drool! How would you describe the Bellezza? Action, power etc. Thanks!

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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by Alphahawk » Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:45 am

Since Global Rakuten closed it has become more difficult to get Graphiteleader rods for us in the states. I have contacted several of the shops that sell the Super Bellezza but none will ship FedEx or DHL.....and no telling when I would get it with the slowdown of EMS to the states.

Regards

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ftl1951
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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by ftl1951 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:00 am

Allsorts wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 6:33 am
Bellezza drool! How would you describe the Bellezza? Action, power etc. Thanks!
The Bellezza is just an absolutely delightful rod. The action is parabolic without being too soft. Sensitivity is quite sharp and hook rate really excellent, especially with micro spoons. It certainly handles larger fish with ease and smaller fish are just fun to catch. I have a Tenryu Rayz 682ML I use for river fishing or streams with fast current, but have used the Bellezza on those as well with really satisfying results. The build quality is superb. Although I am getting more and more into this JDM ultralight world, I still am a bit old school when it comes to trout fishing. I love the cork handle and the way it feels in the hand. The Tenryu is similar with its cork handle, too. When I am wading, it just gives me a little more confidence in the grip and lets me know I have something in my hand. The Bellezza casts like a dream and with a little practice, highly accurate with all different presentations (underhand, sideways, overhand). My all time favorite trout rod is an older model Daiwa Heartland Z (solid) 5’9” ultralight one-piece rod built for the JDM. As good as that rod is (really, really good), the Bellezza just smokes it on the water. The only down side is that the rod is almost too pretty to fish with...lol, and they are hard to come by...

fezken
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Re: Looking for recommandations for a UL trout rod

Post by fezken » Tue Aug 25, 2020 2:13 pm

Which Bellezza model do you use? UL model seems the way to go for me, but not quite sure .
Looks i'll have to use a proxy service to acquire the rod from Rakuten. Probably going to be a little more expensive, but it looks like it's worth it.

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