DRAGONtail Hellbender Zoom Big Fish Tenkara Fly Fishing Rod

Finally got to take this out for the first time today. Didnt catch anything. But thats typical for where I went. So this review wont cover how well it performs catching fish.The fit and finnish on this looks amazing. From the rod tube, the sock and the rod itself. Flawless. The rod tube and cap fit perfectly. No slop or looseness. The stock arrived with no snags or runs. The Hellbender has no scratches or marks and the color scheme is beautiful in person. Extended it feels like a 1 piece rod.Had a lot of issues casting at first. But this is my first time using a Tenkara rod. Not sure if the furled line and flies are supposed to sink or float. Never used a furled line on my fly rods. But after an hour I was getting some beautiful delicate casts and presentations. Minus how badly I mangled up the tippet, or should I say got a ton of wind knots.The only flaw I can even think of is the tube could be just a hair wider or the sock be made of a little bit thinner material. You can turn the tube upside down with rod and sock inside and they wont come out without a struggle.Tenkara will not replace my conventional fly fishing. But the Hellbender is definitely going to be a welcomed addition to my fishing arsenal.**update**Took this to the mountain lake i trout fish at. No room to back cast. So typically I either wade, or roll cast from shore. I'm able to cast this normally with no problems. The delicate casts got a lot more attention than normal. Caught several Browns and Rainbows missed twice as much just starting off. Can't wait to see how this handles when the pressure is off this lake

This is my first, and currently, only tenkara rod. I feel that I chose wisely. There are a lot of good rods out there, but I want to catch small fish, good size trout, and salmon as well. I’ve caught tiny fish, medium trout, and am hoping to land some nice salmon this fall. It’s super fun to fish with, ridiculously light weight and small when folded down. The storage tube is great for traveling, the sock is good for most of the time. The line it came with casts very well. I’m very happy I went with this rod, and have been using it for a little while now with no issues. (And if you’re wondering if it’s too long, like I was, it’s not. Works great, and I’m glad I got this larger rod. Though I am mostly fishing on larger rivers)

I was looking for a tenkara rod that I could use in warmwater for bluegill and the occasional bass. I typically used a three and five weight standard fly rod when chasing these. The Hellbender has picked up and taken over this role now. The advantage it has in a kayak is that I can cast it one handed leaving the other hand free for paddling the kayak. I'm using the Bushi line it came with and it can cast a size 10 popping bug with a size 12 nymph tied behind it on a dropper rig no problem. I suspect it could cast heavier flies than that but I haven't stretched it that far yet. Great rod and tube, loads of simple fun the way fishing was when I was a kid.

I use it for Smallmouth bass in midwestern rivers, creeks and streams. In addition to casting flies, I use it to cast plastic lures to 3.5" long on up to 1/12 oz jigheads. Tippet strength goes to 6-pound-test (2x, .009 in). The waters range from flows of 50cfs to 1000cfs. The fish can run to 20". In smaller waters or close casting uses I use the rod at the 11-foot range. For longer cast or regular water I use it at 13'. I like that versatility. The rod performs well once fish have been hooked. So far, there have been no issues. Sometimes that is the best report.

I will start off with Amazon decided to send me a returned rod that someone clearly abused. It looked like they flicked it open like a baton and then smashed it back together to return it. Please, when you open a Tenkara rod, pull it out carefully one section at a time starting with the tippet.I rang up Dragontail and they had it sorted within a few minutes, and I was fishing in two days. I waited a bit to write this to get a good feel for the rod, and it fits its role perfectly. It is a beefy rod, a bit heavier than a lightweight Tenkara rod, but not so heavy that it weights you down after a few hours of fishing. This thing is still sensitive enough to fish for sunnies with, albeit a good hook set will cause some of the smaller ones to go airborne. I threw some larger Muddler Minnows and Wooly Buggers on it and started dropping them into the holes of weeds and went for bigger bass, and the rod was perfect for it. You can feel a good thunk from the bass and it gives a good fight. The length and balance fits larger (12"+) fish battles, and the quality of the rod is great for the cost.The only downside, if you can call it that, is the extended length gets some getting used to. On that same note, the length also helped me in a few situations in deeper wading water, with the height of the rod tip on the backstroke, I wasn't snagging behind me on the taller grass, just in front of me with the trees. As a starter rod for those who are a bit more 'aggressive' with the rod, I would recommend this one. Even if the rod isn't the premium quality that some people look for, the customer service is.

I received this rod and took it out to the local lake same day and I am very impressed with it. This isn't my first 7:3 rod, I have other brands to compare to. This is a softer 7:3 than other rods that I've fished.I caught bass in the 7-9" range and a little bite sized bluegill on my first outing and have no complaints about sensitivity. Hook setting is smooth and I think the rod casts very well.Not my first Dragontail, won't be my last. This is a great rod.

An excellent package, and an excellent transaction. Couldn't have asked for more.You can see plenty of good reviews of the rod and kit, but for me the real enjoyment was in the simplicity of the fishing experience.I arrived at a neighborhood lake, attached line, extended rod, cast, and had fish on - elapsed time, less than two minutes.In 30 minutes of fun I caught more than 15 fish, mostly small, but on such a light, responsive rod, every one is fun.Well worth the money!