Help Deciding on New JDM Rod

My current outfit is the Iprimi 56XXUL paired with an Iprimi 1003 reel. What originally drew me to it was the low lure rating being that I like fishing small finesse jigs and plastics primarily (normally starting at .7g, but I have used it to fish the Trout Magnet mini magnets as well). Have even managed to land quite a few smallmouth with this rod.


The time has finally come to try a true quality JDM rod with the amazing sensitivity I commonly hear about. The Iprimi has been fun but I'm looking for more in the sensitivity department. My standard style of fishing is rivers, streams, and creeks with a relatively slow flow rate targeting bluegill, perch, trout, creek chubs, and smallmouth bass. The baits I most often use are small finesse type jigs and trout/crappie magnets. Normally I would say my lures range from .7g to 2.5g.

Randy was kind enough to point me in the direction of the Lunakia rods or an Abu Garcia Eradicator Real Finesse due to the likelihood of encountering smallmouth. Many of the stream fish I catch are of modest size around 6-8" when it comes to wild browns, bluegill, or perch. Smallmouth in these areas normally range in the 8-14" range with the occasional 16+.

In looking at the Lunakia I see that Chris describes the 6"10" version as more of a hand feel style rod and that's normally what I like. I'm not one to watch my rod tip. What worries me with this selection is the weight of the lures I tend to fish with be on the lower end. I also don't want to loose too much fun with the average size fish I normally catch. When it comes to the Abu it seems the 6'9" XUL is easier to come by than the 6'7" SUL. The line/lure rating appears to be in the range I would prefer but I worry when it comes to the smallmouth I may encounter, is that an issue?

Maybe a the Tict Rockin Finesse would be a wise choice?


I'm of the mind that if I'm going to do this I may as well do it right and get a nice rod, so something mid-high end would make sense. I crave the sensitivity I hear about so often.


Any and all help is appreciated.

I’m thinking the little Lunakia might be a good option for you?

I should have elaborated a bit more…. I have both the Abu Slow Taper Special and the Tict Rockin Finesse and those rods to me don’t really scream creek or smaller waters to me. I use a Graphiteleader Corto 6’1” for my smaller river fishing playing around with trout, redbreast, redeye, and smallies. It is a great rod for all of the above but very hard to locate these days. I have always wanted to try the little lunakia and it screams to me in these smaller water situations. I also think it would be a quality stick for you and if bought from finesse fishing I believe it would have a warranty. I believe BobC has one and hopefully he will chime in.

Sounds scary those screaming rods but seriously the mid range cost JDM rods are a great next step in the journey to fun and sensitivity. Unfortunately not a whole lot of stock out there, pre-pandemic most rods could be sourced for a decent price and reasonable shipping times and cost. Majorcraft is in my book a step up from the Daiwa Iprimi and you get a good rod for your money. The Finetail line up varies from stocked stream to native trout to Area trout so a wide range of action is available but sensitivity for micro plastics will not be as spectacular as a some of the other blank choices from the Aji or Mebaru (Light Game) purposed rods. The Majorcraft Aji-Do rod has a new great blank that should be super sensitive and have a soft tip like the higher end rods however it is not in production right now. The Olympic Graphite
Leader Corto line of rods is awesome and affordable, again just not readily available. Chris at Finesse Fishing carries some of the Lunakia line up and you would be hard pressed to find a better built stick than found in the Tenryu stable. They are a little more expensive but worth the cost. The ABU Garcia line of Eradicator Finesse rods are my personal favorite,( not the Slow Taper), I have two that shine for my style of fishing the highland reservoirs and the small feeder creeks that fill them each Spring. Panfish are stuck before I can even feel the bite with the soft tips and forgiving blanks of these rods. They can sometimes be sourced in Australia as the Down Under blokes favor them as well. 6.1 to 6.10 sounds like your range of length, you didn’t mention bank or boat or both type of fishing styles as I would lean towards the shorter rods for the two feet on terra firma fishing. Sounds like you are actively doing the research, these threads are a great place to start. The bending curves on Randy’s and Victor’s (ifish) You Tube channels are also a place to focus on action of the rod as compared to the fish size being caught. In between the Howdy Folks and all the Shooting of Fire you can glean some great info as it relates to your style of fishing. Good luck and remember we like pictures of nice shiny new rods and reels.



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Originally Posted by VaCrappieMan

I should have elaborated a bit more…. I have both the Abu Slow Taper Special and the Tict Rockin Finesse and those rods to me don’t really scream creek or smaller waters to me. I use a Graphiteleader Corto 6’1� for my smaller river fishing playing around with trout, redbreast, redeye, and smallies. It is a great rod for all of the above but very hard to locate these days. I have always wanted to try the little lunakia and it screams to me in these smaller water situations. I also think it would be a quality stick for you and if bought from finesse fishing I believe it would have a warranty. I believe BobC has one and hopefully he will chime in.

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I took a hard look at the smaller Lunakia rod but seeing how it was described on Chris’s site as a rod that excelled at its tip sensitivity vs the larger rods ability to transfer the feel to your hand is what had me considering the 6’10. Maybe I’m focusing too much on those statements though.

Many of the waters I fish would max out at about 25’ across or so (but it’s not uncommon to fish small 5’ wide sections). I fish either from the bank or wading in these situations. I’m used to the shorter rods 5-6’ but that has always been by chance more so than design I suppose.

The overwhelming variety coupled with the difficulty tracking some of these things down is daunting to say the least.

I appreciate your advice.


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Originally Posted by StantheMan2567

Sounds scary those screaming rods but seriously the mid range cost JDM rods are a great next step in the journey to fun and sensitivity. Unfortunately not a whole lot of stock out there, pre-pandemic most rods could be sourced for a decent price and reasonable shipping times and cost. Majorcraft is in my book a step up from the Daiwa Iprimi and you get a good rod for your money. The Finetail line up varies from stocked stream to native trout to Area trout so a wide range of action is available but sensitivity for micro plastics will not be as spectacular as a some of the other blank choices from the Aji or Mebaru (Light Game) purposed rods. The Majorcraft Aji-Do rod has a new great blank that should be super sensitive and have a soft tip like the higher end rods however it is not in production right now. The Olympic Graphite
Leader Corto line of rods is awesome and affordable, again just not readily available. Chris at Finesse Fishing carries some of the Lunakia line up and you would be hard pressed to find a better built stick than found in the Tenryu stable. They are a little more expensive but worth the cost. The ABU Garcia line of Eradicator Finesse rods are my personal favorite,( not the Slow Taper), I have two that shine for my style of fishing the highland reservoirs and the small feeder creeks that fill them each Spring. Panfish are stuck before I can even feel the bite with the soft tips and forgiving blanks of these rods. They can sometimes be sourced in Australia as the Down Under blokes favor them as well. 6.1 to 6.10 sounds like your range of length, you didn’t mention bank or boat or both type of fishing styles as I would lean towards the shorter rods for the two feet on terra firma fishing. Sounds like you are actively doing the research, these threads are a great place to start. The bending curves on Randy’s and Victor’s (ifish) You Tube channels are also a place to focus on action of the rod as compared to the fish size being caught. In between the Howdy Folks and all the Shooting of Fire you can glean some great info as it relates to your style of fishing. Good luck and remember we like pictures of nice shiny new rods and reels.



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My river/stream fishing is exclusively done from either the bank or wading. I can appreciate the idea of the shorter end of the spectrum, which is where my choices generally reside. It just seems like many of these sensitive rods lean more toward the upper 6’ range.

So many options to choose from it seems. It’s easy to get caught up in the fear of making the wrong choice. I’m happy to spend the money for a nice model as long as it fits the bill. It’s a shame I didn’t tumble down this rabbit hole just a few years sooner.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.




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Originally Posted by RyanRX7

My river/stream fishing is exclusively done from either the bank or wading. I can appreciate the idea of the shorter end of the spectrum, which is where my choices generally reside. It just seems like many of these sensitive rods lean more toward the upper 6’ range.

So many options to choose from it seems. It’s easy to get caught up in the fear of making the wrong choice. I’m happy to spend the money for a nice model as long as it fits the bill. It’s a shame I didn’t tumble down this rabbit hole just a few years sooner.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.




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Plenty of short rods with extreme sensitivity.

Regards


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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Plenty of short rods with extreme sensitivity.

Regards


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Yes, absolutely. My statement was poorly made.

What I meant was that many times in the big threads when I see folks mentioning their favorite rods which they just love for their feel and sensitivity, they seem to commonly trend toward the longer size. Many times when I see shorter rod names pop up they’re models not lending as well to small plastics. I’ve seen many glowing reviews of shorter stream style rods but have been told in the past that they’re normally too stiff for what I’m looking to do. On the other hand the reviews of shorter rods can also be models too delicate for the common threat of smallmouth where I fish. The last thing I want is to break one of these beautiful rods.


This is of course in my limited research and reading.








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Hi Ryan. Like VACM above stated, I have the 6'3" Lunakai rod, and it has been just a super rod for creek/small stream pans and crappie. Rather than go thru a lot of stuff again, please go to the Sticky above "JDM rods relative to panfish", and start at page 51. You will see my post from 2019 and my water and style of fishing is very similar to what you do. Bear in mind that in 2019 a lot of the JDM info on rods was evolving due to trailblazers like Alphahawk, Yodie, Chris Stewart and others. You will read thru a lot of questions you have about both Lunakai rods. I ultimately went with the 6'3", and as my target fish are pans and crappie 99% it was the perfect choice. It casts a 1/64 with a TM very nicely, and a 1/32 will go further than you would want! The one thing I can add to my 2019 post is I now use an EZFloat float to keep the lure just in the strike zone, but eliminates constant hang ups and bottom river snot on my very warmwater creek. I have the rod paired with a 6.5 oz Pflueger 20 size, and it balances just right for me. I have an eye out for a Daiwa Legalis as a 6.5oz upgrade, but right now are out of stock everywhere. I use JDM 3lb true breaking strength nylon. I have caught smaller smallies with it no problem, and it could whip a bruiser if I'm patient and let the drag and rod do the work and not horse it. These rods sure look fragile, but if you use the proper line and set your drag I don't think you will break it. Massive hooksets, slinging and high sticking are discouraged. So there you have it. In the last several years there has been a lot of info posted here on other rods that can do the job, but I would recommend the "little Luna". I bought mine thru Chris Stewart at Finesse Fishing and he is a good person to do business with.
Hope this helps,
Bob

Thanks Bob, I appreciate the recommendation. I’ll go check out your past review before posing any questions. I’m happy to hear from someone who has and genuinely likes the rod. Chris would absolutely be the guy I’d go with if I land on this particular rod choice.


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For what it’s worth with your drag set properly I don’t think you would have any issues with breakage on a sub 20” smallie. These rods are far more durable than one would think. Any of the above mentioned rods would be able to tame one as long as he doesn’t have a log to run under :D

I'd take a look at this one if I were in the market for Eradicator; it might fit your preferences. This price would be very hard to beat (compare with list prices at Digitaka etc). I've resisted, because I have few too many, but it wasn't easy...

ERFS-510ULS-EXF-TZ

Whatever you choose, enjoy the journey!

Ryan, I'm with StantheMan about the mid range JDM rods being steps up in sensitivity department and I can also recommend checking this out: the Nissin Ares blue porter from Plat. The specs itself speaks volume....99% carbon, under 60 grams, solid tip for sensitivity. Sometimes in the mid of Graphiteleader this and Evergreen that discussion we forget there's lot of other JDM manufacturers out there outside of Shimano and Daiwa when it comes to rod building. Here's a video of its review.
ARES Blue Porter AJ-509S - японец за разумную цену? Первые испытания - YouTube

There are so many excellent JDM rods that it makes picking the right one very difficult. My favorite of the 7 JDM's I own was my first and was the cheapest. I liked it so much I bought a second one. My most expensive JDM is actually my least favorite. It's so light it feels like there is nothing there above the handle, it just feels weird. I'll stick with my two 7' Shimano Soare BB's, they have been very reliable the last four years and have been killing it with big crappie and some nice bass lately. Had one bass run under the dock I was fishing and the way the rod was bent I thought the rod was going to break but it didn't and I was able to pull it out from under there and land it. If it's working there isn't any good reason to change.

JJJ, I hear you! My favorite rod for the green sunfish of my home water has always been a $85 Abu mass beat XUL with #2 line casting top water micro lure. But lately been giving the Tict RF a lot of water time until the winter hit. Now I’m waiting on 2 rods to add to my little collection: a Abu Eradicator in 5-10 from Australia $230 shipped and a Xesta black star 2nd gen 4-10 (my shortest UL.) from Plat. Try keeping it real and not tempted by $500 rods just yet..:)


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Originally Posted by RyanRX7

Yes, absolutely. My statement was poorly made.

What I meant was that many times in the big threads when I see folks mentioning their favorite rods which they just love for their feel and sensitivity, they seem to commonly trend toward the longer size. Many times when I see shorter rod names pop up they’re models not lending as well to small plastics. I’ve seen many glowing reviews of shorter stream style rods but have been told in the past that they’re normally too stiff for what I’m looking to do. On the other hand the reviews of shorter rods can also be models too delicate for the common threat of smallmouth where I fish. The last thing I want is to break one of these beautiful rods.


This is of course in my limited research and reading.








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Originally Posted by LVSpinfisher1

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Attachment 417157
Ryan, if you haven’t made up your mind yet here’s another rod I just ordered. However since I don’t believe folks on this forum has written a review on it I purchased it sight unseen. Just got confirmation from Plat it’s on the way via FedEx. Xesta has a 4-10 size Ajing rod in this line up to 4lb test if you need strong short rod. Check it’s review on YouTube if you like. Have fun finding the rod you seek! Cheers!



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[QUOTE=LVSpinfisher1;4218151]Attachment 417157
Ryan, if you haven’t made up your mind yet here’s another rod I just ordered. However since I don’t believe folks on this forum has written a review on it I purchased it sight unseen. Just got confirmation from Plat it’s on the way via FedEx. Xesta has a 4-10 size Ajing rod in this line up to 4lb test if you need strong short rod. Check it’s review on YouTube if you like. Have fun finding the rod you seek! Cheers!



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Congrats, looking forward to your impressions of this rod, I am tempted by the 6.10…….very tempted :biggrin

StantheMan, the 6-10 specs speak volume here as its weight is inline with the famous and popular Tict RF. Now if only we know what the Tict carbon content is.

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Originally Posted by LVSpinfisher1

StantheMan, the 6-10 specs speak volume here as its weight is inline with the famous and popular Tict RF. Now if only we know what the Tict carbon content is.

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Tict quit displaying carbon content several years ago. But I can tell you in all likelihood it is 99 percent.

Regards


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Alphahawk, as i recall you were quoting many threads ago that you don't consider an 85% carbon rod as "high-end" so price aside do you now think anything over 95% in carbon content a high-enough-end (lol) cause by golly some of them dubbed "high-end" models also comes with a mighty-high-end price tag as well! Oh by the way I never doubted the Tict as anything less than spectacular as it's been the lightest rod i owned up until now in 30 plus years fishing. Cheers!

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Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Tict quit displaying carbon content several years ago. But I can tell you in all likelihood it is 99 percent.

Regards


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It is indeed 99%, according to the label that came with the rod.

I posted here sometime ago that I was apprehensive about lower carbon content in some JDM rods discussed. I believe it was about Lunakia. I must confess that the most sensitive rod that I've experienced since has a blank made of 96% carbon and 4% glass, so I've changed my opinion about carbon content quite substantially – many more factors go into building extremely sensitive blanks.

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Originally Posted by s_v

It is indeed 99%, according to the label that came with the rod.

I posted here sometime ago that I was apprehensive about lower carbon content in some JDM rods discussed. I believe it was about Lunakia. I must confess that the most sensitive rod that I've experienced since has a blank made of 96% carbon and 4% glass, so I've changed my opinion about carbon content quite substantially – many more factors go into building extremely sensitive blanks.

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Carbon content is not the be all end all….but rods in the mid 80 and lower percentage will be pretty dead compared to rods that get in the mid 90’s. One thing that has not changed and I don’t think will change is the fact the lighter and more rigid the rod the more sensitive it is. I know since the 10 years I’ve been doing this they have been able to take slower rods and make them far more sensitive than ever before. The first Fine Tail Area rod I owned was as dead as a door nail. That was the knock on those rods back then….but those days are gone.

Regards


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Originally Posted by LVSpinfisher1

Alphahawk, as i recall you were quoting many threads ago that you don't consider an 85% carbon rod as "high-end" so price aside do you now think anything over 95% in carbon content a high-enough-end (lol) cause by golly some of them dubbed "high-end" models also comes with a mighty-high-end price tag as well! Oh by the way I never doubted the Tict as anything less than spectacular as it's been the lightest rod i owned up until now in 30 plus years fishing. Cheers!

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I have 2 rods still in my arsenal that are 82 and 85 percent carbon…..both are fun but pretty dead in the sensitivity department. Yes I feel when you get to the 95 percent range you are getting some sensitive rods. But many do not list carbon content so I look at the weight. That is how I decided to get the 2018 Corto….just under 2 ounces for a 610 rod…..a great buy on a great rod.

Regards


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Apologies to Ryan, Op if it seems I’m hi-jacking this thread! Thanks both s-v and Randy for chiming in!


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