Oni type 2 rod

As I did write a few days ago I am back today to post a initial review of a great rod I have been fishing with a lot lately: the Oni type 2 rod.

Let's start with its characteristics. 

This rod is 4 meters longs, in 8 sections, and weighs 90 grams. Just like the Oni type 1 its weight is a little higher than its competitors of same length but the balance of Oni rods is so perfect that they literally feel weightless when casting. Oni rods are very surprising on this aspect and every time I have made someone test one of these rods they just did not understand how a 4 meters long rod can feel so light. 

The black foam handle is one foot long and its shape allows several ways to hold it. Something I have discovered about foam handle is that I really like because it is very comfortable and has a big advantage if like me you are very meticulous with your tenkara gear: the only thing needed to give the handle its brand new appearance is a little bit of clear water. That is not the same thing with cork handle once they have started blackening. 

The tip cap which is made of hard plastic is perfectly adjusted to the diameter of bottom section, the bottom cap is pretty small and features a slot coin and a drain hole. It is knurled as well to make it removable without tool. This small sized and rounded cap is really appreciable if you like to handle your rod by the bottom with the cap in the palm of the hand. A rounded cap is definitely a plus compared to flat caps of bigger diameter.

Aesthetics is sober and finishes are very high quality. One can check the slightest details of this beautiful rod  and be assured he would not find any flaw. This rod is not only beautiful it is also a high performance fishing tool.

This rod has very high quality in its design, its aesthetics and its production but all these qualities would be nothing if the Oni type 2 rod was not a high performance fishing tool. This is to me the most versatile 4 meters long rod I have tried to date and this is very important because I think that versatility is one of the criterion that distinguishes exceptional rods from the mass. 

I really want a tenkara rod that can be performant with any kind of line I might use and the Oni type 2 rod is that kind of rod. 

My go to line is fluorocarbon level line, especially the Nissin Pals size 3 but I am also a fan of Okaniwa-san titanium lines  . Nylon tapered lines are also very good on the Oni rods.
Like the other Oni rods there is no mention of the action on the rod but the Oni type 2 is a 5:5 which is very good for the angler who is looking for clean presentation of their kebari. This rod has a really smooth casting stroke and I really like it, it is really not tiring on long fishing outings compared to stiffer rods.
As I did write in a prior article this rod was designed by Masami Sakakibara to perfectly match his long light line style and if you respect the natural casting stroke of the Oni type 2 you will effortlessly cast long lines. I have been surprised how easy it was to obtain very accurate casts with the "Long Type" tapered lines that have designed by Masami-sensei. 

You will see a lot of pictures, and probably videos, of this amazing rod on this blog in the forthcoming weeks and months because I have a lot of pleasure to fish with it and this great tool will help me improve my technique.

Like the couple of other rods designed by Masami-sensei the Oni type 2 has become for me the master standard to which I compare the other rods I might try. European anglers can purchase the Oni type 2 rod from Tenkarastyle.com, American anglers can get it from Three Rivers Tenkara.