07-26-2003, 06:38 AM
Hey there myu,
Sorry to hear of the big problem with the Ugly Stix. There is a really different mind set concerning rod action between the way we fish in Japan and here on the West Coast and California, no matter what kind of fishing. Having fished in Honshu, Okinawa, Miyakojima and Amamiojima, those places reflect the closest conditions resembling fishing in California, Baja, or the Sea of Cortez. Yet still, many rods in Japan would not suit most anglers here. I wonder if your model of rod was offered as just something to match the local competitions specifications without much field testing.
In the US, I think, generally, anglers demand less sensitivity in their rods compared to Japanese anglers. There are certianly many, many more parabolic rods used in Japan than in the US. While lots of guys really work hard on finesse saltwater fishing techniques in Japan, we tend to be more heavy handed here. That's why I think the design/action of the 12 foot rod you mentioned sounds like it would be more for East Coast Striper or bluefish surf fishing than the coral and sand shallows of Okinawa.
I was spoiled in Japan with the having very lite and sensitive rods avaliable for just about any kind of fishing I wanted to do. Returning to the US, I had to us freshwater Heavy Duty freshwater rods (flipping and pitching sticks) to get the sensitivity I was familiar with in Japan. ha ha ha
As was mentioned, the main point of the Ugly Stix was it's ability to take rough treatment that would destroy a rod designed with a more finesse fishing method in mind. My fishing friends in Japan seemed to take much better care in maintaining rods than myself or many I see fishing here in the US. I would think the Ugly Stix's toughness would not be as important in trading for less sensitivity for you.
JapanRon
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