Kyogi 15 - Spoons - and Worms

by Les Albjerg
(Caldwell, Idaho)

On Thursday night the Kyogi 15 was waiting in the living room when I got home from work! My collection of Kyogi rods is complete! Chris was even able to get me a Yellow-Red-Yellow-Red set! I now have the Kyogi 12 (11 feet 11 inches long); the Kyogi 15 (14 feet 8 inches long); the Kyogi 18 (17 feet 9 inches long) and the Kyogi 21 (20 feet 8 inches long.) You might say, I like the Kyogi rods!

I headed over to Wilson Springs Ponds to test the new rod this morning. My first impression was, "Wow this rod isn't tip heavy at all!" It is a heavy rod. On both of my scales it weighs in at 5.4 ounces. Nissin doesn't just add sections to their rods. The base section of the rod is shorter than the 18, but the tip diameter of the handle section is the same. These are well engineered rods. This is the most balanced 450 centimeter rod that I own. It is a sweet two handed casting rod. That said, I had no problem casting it one handed as well.

I began fishing with a size 8 Keeper Kebari just to get a feel for the rod. I was using size 4 level line. I caught 1 fish in 20 minutes. This is not a Tenkara Rod! It fishes nothing like the Suntech Keriyu Special 44 at the 44 length. The flex with a fly just isn't there. Once you get used to it, the feel is there, it is just different. That said, a nice smooth back and forward cast drops the fly first every time.

I just finished reading Tenkara in Focus' lesson on mid-cast corrections. This isn't a rod for practicing that technique. This is a powerful rod like the other Kyogi rods, rated for 4x to 0x. The 10 to 14 inch planters I caught today gave a fun fight, so even with the power they are sensitive rods. I caught 2 trout on Red Wigglers and a split shot.

One of the reasons I bought this rod is my love of 450 cm rods. I also wanted a rod to fish spoons with a fixed line. I switched to a 14 foot size 3 level line with 18 inches of 4x tippet and a Crusader 2.5 gram spoon. This setup on the Kyogi 15 is amazingly balanced! On my first cast, I had a fish on! On the next several strikes, the fish were striking short. Chris reminded me of an old trick I had used when I lived in Minnesota. I put a Red Wiggler on the hook. It was six fish in six casts! Then the timer on my phone went off! My 45 minute fishing session was done for the day!

I really had a smile on when I was driving home. The Kyogi 15 is all that I thought it would be. I am hoping to get out next week and do some Czech nymphing with it on the Boise River. Like all of the Kyogi rods, it is very smooth casting as well as fighting fish. The 12 inch fish with the Kyogi gave me as much satisfaction as I have enjoyed with the TenkaraBum 40.

These rods have a very nice progression. I have caught an 8.5 pound carp with the Kyogi 12 in the trees in Lake Lowell, and felt I still had power to spare. I caught a 14 pound carp in Claytonia Pond sight fishing with a Keeper Kabari on the Kyogi 18. It is my only carp on a fly so far. It is my biggest carp to date. I have caught several 10-12 pound carp with a method feeder on the Kyogi 21. I have caught some nice small and largemouth bass on the 18 and 21 as well.

I couldn't be more happy with the Kyogi 15! It is balanced, powerful, and yet sensitive enough to enjoy the fight with a 12 inch trout. Thanks for special ordering it for me Chris. There is something amazing about having a trout slam a spoon on a fixed line rod!

When I got home, I thought it was time to give my Worm Ranch a little love. I am raising worms for fishing. According to my log, I have used close to 250 worms this month. I have spent less than an hour this month tending my worms.

I went to a double bin system. I dumped all of my worms from the small bin into the large bin. I then made a new bed of peat moss and sand in the small bin. I made up some food out of coffee grounds, chopped up bananas and my worm food that is mostly corn meal. The worms seem to love leaves, so I added more leaves to the mix. I also added some fresh peat moss in the large bin. I then transferred 200 worms to the small bin. I found plenty of baby worms, and eggs so I know the Ranch is doing well. I estimate that I have at least 2000 worms. Total time was less than a half hour. A small Red Wiggler Ranch is so easy, and they do catch fish! I have mine sitting in the corner of my shop, and they don't take up much room.

I highly recommend the Kyogi rods, and the Kyogi 15 is simply amazing! It can be fished two or one handed. Chris can special order one for you.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.