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PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:27 pm • # 1 
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Location: New Jersey
Received a new Major Craft N-ONE 6'4" ajing rod (NSL-S642AJI) from Japan and couldn't wait to try it. Wanted to see how it compared to my two other ajing rods, Kuying SuperLite and Major Craft Crostage 4-piece travel, both 7'6".

Here it is with a Shimano Stradic Ci4+ 1000 lined with Varivas Area Master Limited Super Ester 2.3#. While I appreciate the beauty of the rod, to me rods are tools and how well they work is what really matters.

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Took it out in a kayak on a local lake and was immediately impressed with how light it and crisp it felt. Don't know the specs, but obviously lighter than my other two, but also a foot shorter. Shorter made the casting feel a little more controlled. I used my standard setup, a 1.6 g jig head with a Trout Magnet for most of the afternoon.

Sensitivity was obviously higher than the other rods. Not at the level of my only higher end rod (Daiwa Presso AGS 54XUL-S) but enough that I think even a casual user would notice. Don't hold me to this but I will probably save my pennies to focus on JDM rods at this level and higher going forward. Will still buy the occasional Chinese rod but that will be more about testing if I like certain types of rods or styles of fishing before committing to a JDM purchase.

I'm not sure the N-ONE felt any faster than my other ajing rods while casting but when fighting a fish it didn't appear to bend as deep into the rod. None the less, it still did a great job of protecting the no-stretch ester, which had only a short 7X flouro tippet leader. No break offs.

After catching sunfish, perch, crappie and bass, I wanted to get a pickerel to complete a Jersey Slam. Trout Magnets have caught me many pickerel but to provide a more alluring target I put on a 1.5" Brewer's Crappie Slider paddle tail grub. Kept catching fish but no pickerel until I was maybe 100' from the launch, then BAM got the slam!

A great day with a great rod.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:24 pm • # 2 
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You are having way too much fun :applause :applause :applause :applause nice job.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 8:56 pm • # 3 
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Great trip. Looks like a fun little rod.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:16 pm • # 4 
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Thanks guys. I've become a big fan of the techniques used by Randy Goad, aka Trout Magnet Man (youtube), aka alphahawk (forums). I've always fished TMs but didn't really have the right tackle for it. The USDM just isn't the best place for UL and lighter rods. Randy documents his experimentation with high end JDM UL, SUL, XUL, ajing and mebaru rods on YouTube. He mostly fishes from a boat in deeper water, which I do as well, but these rods fish just as well in streams. To gain understanding and find what techniques I liked, I first experimented with rods from Aliexpress (mostly Kuying) to great success. But now that I've tried some better JDM rods, like the N-ONE, I'm spoiled. Fishing is my passion so I might as well spend money on what I love, despite my frugal tendencies.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 6:16 pm • # 5 
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Knotty wrote:
Thanks guys. I've become a big fan of the techniques used by Randy Goad, aka Trout Magnet Man (youtube), aka alphahawk (forums). I've always fished TMs but didn't really have the right tackle for it. The USDM just isn't the best place for UL and lighter rods. Randy documents his experimentation with high end JDM UL, SUL, XUL, ajing and mebaru rods on YouTube. He mostly fishes from a boat in deeper water, which I do as well, but these rods fish just as well in streams. To gain understanding and find what techniques I liked, I first experimented with rods from Aliexpress (mostly Kuying) to great success. But now that I've tried some better JDM rods, like the N-ONE, I'm spoiled. Fishing is my passion so I might as well spend money on what I love, despite my frugal tendencies.


Whats wrong with the Trout Slayer Series rod from TM ? He speaks highly of that rod and it's only $50 .


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 27, 2019 2:51 pm • # 6 
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Yes, Randy does say that the Trout Slayer rod is decent and often says that one doesn't have to buy higher end JDM rods and reels to catch fish. But he also points out how much more sensitive and enjoyable the JDM setups are to use. Buying a used Presso AGS showed me just what he was talking about. I don't want to spend $300-450 like Randy has but he recently got a sub $200 Major Craft which he says is right up there with the high end stuff. So that's the range I'm going to focus on.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 11:22 am • # 7 
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Sorry folks -- what is "JDM"?


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:57 pm • # 8 
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Location: Indianapolis,In
Japan Domestic Market.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:00 pm • # 9 
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Thanks. And presumably there are online channels by which one can purchase rods from Japan that were not originally intended for export?


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:20 pm • # 10 
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Aliexpress


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:34 am • # 11 
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Yes. https://japantackle.com, https://www.digitaka.com, these are two sites I have seen people mention.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:43 pm • # 12 
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I've had great service from Digitaka for JDM gear.

Aliexpress is the place for all things Chinese, including some very good fishing gear.


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