A while back, I wrote an initial review of the Tenkara USA Yamame. But until now, I hadn’t actually had a chance to fish it. Now that I’ve had it on the water, I wanted to report back as promised. To read my more detailed review of the Yamame’s features and design, read my initial review here. This report is strictly about how the rod fishes.
I fished the Yamame on the S. Platte river about 10 miles outside of Deckers, CO using the new Tenkara USA #4.5 level line. I figured the heavier line would load this stiff 7:3 action rod better. At first, I had a little trouble casting the Yamame because I’m used to much softer rods like the Ito and Ayu. However, after adjusting my casting stroke, I got the hang of it.
The rod casts well in the wind (especially with the heavier line) and the stiff tip is very sensitive, making it a great rod for nymphing. It’s also got a LOT of backbone. I don’t fish for bass much anymore, but if I were going after largemouths and needed to toss big flies and heft big fish out of the weeds, this would be the rod I would bring. Hopefully, I’ll get to test it out on some bass this summer. I need to expand my tenkara fishing to different species.
One thing I noticed is that since the rod doen’t flex much, it’s not as easy to get it to load using the typical 10 O’clock / 12 O’clock tenkara cast. Since it doesn’t load as easily as a softer rod, I found it harder to keep my arm close to my body like I usually do and had to cast closer to what I would call a western style. That’s no fault of the rod. If you want a stiff rod with a lot of backbone, then you have to cast in a way that will load it. It’s not my preferred style of casting but physics is physics. This is about as stiff of a tenkara rod as I would ever want. If anything, the Yamame convinced me that I would never want an 8:2 action rod.
While I prefer softer rods and the Yamame is overkill for most of my trout fishing, I can see it having a place in my arsenal. Especially for something I’ve been wanting to try for a long time: saltwater tenkara. Next Christmas, I’m going to Argentina and plan to do some saltwater fishing in Uruguay. I’ll definitely be taking the Yamame and some Crazy Charlies to see what I can get.
A Yamame was my first tenkara rod and I have never been sorry I got it. I also have a Iwana and prefer the way it casts. But when it comes to Largemouth Bass and salt water angling a Yamame will always be my first choice. When hooking into a 20″ largemouth that weighs a few pounds and wants to get into a nasty slop of water lillies you need all the backbone you can get. Your review is dead-on for this rod.
Thanks Chris. Which patterns to you use for tenkara bass’n?
My Kiwi’s Killer and small black woolly buggers…they seem to be all that I need. Sometimes when I least expect it, a #12 s.k. of any type will catch a small bluegill which is then inhaled by a largemouth (usually 15+”) a few seconds later and then I have both. That has happened at least a dozen times.
I bought the Yamame last year for my first Tenkara rod. I often fish with wind and I would like to try it on the San Juan. I found your review both affirming and helpful. Thanks.
So, the Yamame has more “backbone” than the Iwana, or the Ayu.
Casting is noticeably different. Throwing a Clauser won’t be a problem.
But if you are using 5x tippet(recommended)it seems like the only difference in landing a big fish is the amount of bend you will see in the rod.
How does less flex making landing easier?
Mega-Flex looks scarey, but doesn’t it provide a softer touch to that hard running fish?
Just wondering how all this fits together…
light clousers only, anything more is going to feel too big. and do not hit the tip when casting, sure fire way to ensure you will be buying a new set of tip sections.
As Jason points out, the Yamame is much stiffer, and harder to cast with unless you adjust your style more towards western. Instead of more arm power, moving to the swoop using a thumb (see a Lefty video) can help you get more power without major increase in expenditure.
salties are gneerally muhc bigger than the trout etc we would normally hunt. the stiffer rod in the Yamame allows you to use the bottom section to control the fish more. the softer rods give control to the fish, with inevitable stand-offs followed by break offs. with a Yamame, it’s tip flex protects the light tippet, (and, as line is fixed, the tippet is the ultimate fail safe for the rod and this is critical for swoffing) while the stronger butt gives you some chance of controlling a fish and playing it net.
As I have seen 8-10wt salt water rods broken in the butt when fighting fish, there is obviously a limit in there somewhere, but fortunately the 5x tippet should usually be sufficient to avoid disastrous failure.
another issue with swoffing with tenkara is that most salties will break a 5x tippet with their “teeth”. sometimes a short section of stronger bite tippet is needed at the terminal end (connected by 5x to leader of course, see above).
Yamame is particularly useful for hunting the smaller estuary species near cover, or around piers, where prey is closer at hand and very flighty. i.e. minimise its limits (distance and lure design) while maximising its advantages.
Dang! Saltwater Tenkara…
I bet this is a pretty stupid question, but to a tenkara newbie like me (0 hours on the water, but tons of reading about tenkara) it seems better to have a long, soft rod when dealing with big fish because the softness would allow more give, aka more tippet protection, and in the case of a fish running for faster water or cover, could’nt I just bring the rod farther back or take a step back to put more pressure on the fish???
Gavin, it’s not a stupid question. In fact, it’s a good point. You’re right about softer rods offering more tippet protection. But, sometimes you also need more backbone to control larger fish and tire them out. It’s a delicate balance between the fish’s proclivity to running, tippet strength, and rod action. I think there’s kind of a tradeoff. You can land a large fish on a soft rod but it takes longer and is trickier. You can use a stiffer rod which will give you more control over the fish but you might risk breaking the tippet. All in all, tenkara rods are typically intrinsically softer than their western counterparts so even a “stiff” tenkara rod can be relatively soft by comparison. It all depends on your skill level in fighting large fish.
I bought a Yamame as my first rod and an Amago as my second shortly after. I fell in love with the Amago and really have not used my Yamame ever since. I found that backbone-wise, they felt very similar, but the action of the Amago was more favorable to me. I was contemplating trying to trade it with someone for a softer rod, but after reading this post I dont know why I never thought of taking it to the ocean! 😀 I’ll have to load up on some salt water flies myself and give it a whirl.
Hi to all! Yamame was my 2nd Tusa rod (1st one was the Iwana), It is a darn beatiful and strong rod, i use 4X tippet to cast for peacocks and, perhaps never tryed, i feel 3X will be not of an issue on it.
What i don’t like about it ?
Well maybe it’s just me, may be the 7/3 action, but it is tiresome to cast it all day from my kayak!
Reading this review gave me some light about its casting stroke.
If nothing changes, i’ll pass it away!
Thanks.
Bernie
Hey jason, i read your yamame review, but something doesnt jive. I purchased my yamame from tenkara usa and i got it because it is a 6/4 rod with a nice soft action. Your description doesnt match my rod. Are there different action yamames out there?
What doesn’t jive Bernie?
Jason, after a little research, here is what didnt jive. I purchased my yamame back in 2009. At that time the yamame was classified as a 6:4 action. I contacted tenkara usa and they advised me that the yamame was reclassified later to be of 7:3 action. Now it looks like i will have to try a real 5:5 or 6:4 rod and use a lighter line than the 5 wt. running line i have been using. After fishing tenkara for the last 9 years , it took your review of the yamame to show me that i have been using a 7:3 rod all this time. Now i cant wait til spring to try a 6:4 rod to see the difference. Hope i can net as many fish as the yamame has given me.
Thanks for all you do for amateurs like me jason