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 Post subject: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 12:53 pm • # 1 
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Joined: 03/27/18
Posts: 8
Anyone here have any experience with these cheap rods on Amazon? I'd like to give Tenkara a try, but am limited to a $40 Amazon gift card for discretionary funds. The reviews on there seem to be positive overall, but I'd like to get a little more feedback if possible.


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 5:30 pm • # 2 
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Joined: 09/17/12
Posts: 142
Location: Washington State
I've been fly fishing since the mid 1970s but am fairly new to Tenkara. In 2017 initial amusement evolved to being impressed how well a Tenkara rod was working for my longtime fishing buddy. Without every really trying it myself I purchased a moderately low priced DRAGONTail Hydra zoom rod that I got on their very low introductory pricing that is a moderate step up from my friend's rod. I was amazed and astonished how different and fun it is compared to my western graphite and bamboo rods when I hooked and landed my first good sized fish. Later on I purchased a much more expensive Tenkara Times zoom rod for use on smaller streams; both of which I've written about here. I had read the I like this rod! - I really like this rod! reviews from Tom Davis at Teton Tenkara before both purchases. What's more important is that they cast and fish very well for me on similar streams, so it lends me to believe that Davis' reviews do reflect my own desires/tastes.

I haven't seen or fished the Goture so I can only go by the reviews on Amazon and YT, and try to discern how credible they really are. There is one very positive review from someone who has had a couple of moderately-priced Tenkara rods but may have mishandled or otherwise didn't take good care of them. There are a couple of bad reviews from buyers who discovered them broken out of the box and several more that may have been mishandled.
The Gribley YT review kind of sums it up. It depends on your attitude. You won't feel bad when you break a $20 rod if you mishandle it. However, I highly doubt that they would cast and fish as well as either one of my rods.

So here is a similar personal reflection. I have been a guitarist for 55 years. These days I play in a jazz big band and couple of local theater orchestras. I don't have a very large collection but have some very nice instruments that do what I want them to do (what the director needs) on the dates I play. If someone asks me how much they should spend on a guitar, I tell them they should play a bunch of guitars including high end stuff they cannot possibly afford. Then they know what fine instruments sound and play like vs the inexpensive ones and can make a real cost vs. value and priorities judgement based on what they hear, feel, and see (in that order).

After reading Davis' review of the Suntech GM Suikei Keiryu Special 53 I am interested in getting one from Chris Stewart at TenkaraBum but can't afford it right now in retirement. Fortunately I recently met a guy who has that rod and should be able to try it out this coming summer to help make that value and priorities judgement for myself. Perhaps there is someone or there will be a "Tenkara" gathering nearby where you can cast and fish some rods.


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 2:41 pm • # 3 
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Joined: 12/10/14
Posts: 218
Location: Manitoba
Forty dollars won’t carry you very far into towards a credible tenkara experience. I’d wait, keep reading and saving until your dollars match up with your research.

In the meantime, I wouldn’t hesitate to try one of the really cheap telescoping crappie rods and fish it like a tenkara rod. This will give you at least a hint of what tenkara is all about.

I have a crappie rod I got for 5 dollars that has seen more stream time than my $200 tenkara rod.

Harry


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:33 pm • # 4 
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Joined: 03/27/18
Posts: 8
I appreciate the input, guys. I certainly wouldn't expect such a cheap offering to be of the quality of higher priced rods, and I do get the mindset of saving up for better. And in the end, that could very well be the path I go down, but I can't see any way for me to put aside that extra money for a good long while. Since it refuses to quit raining here in NC, I'm not in a big rush to purchase anything, so I'll probably research my options for a while longer before I make any decisions.


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 10:12 am • # 5 
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Joined: 05/31/17
Posts: 38
Location: New York City
I have a used tenkara rod I could sell for $40 (and I can take your card). I will send details via PM.


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 6:52 pm • # 6 
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Joined: 05/28/18
Posts: 603
Location: Tucson , Hellazonia
I bought one on ebay for $9 shipped and it catch's fish . What is a Tenkara rod anyways but a fiberglass cane pole . lol


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:58 pm • # 7 
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Joined: 09/17/12
Posts: 142
Location: Washington State
**UPDATE**
I saved for and bought that Suntech GM53 from Chris. Wow, what a rod! I'm still trying to work out a good, consistent casting stroke for unweighted dry/wet flies with a 17' level line but it casts weighted flies very accurately and easily manages any fish in the Pacific Northwest mountain streams and lakes I intend to use it on. I see a Suntech TBumTraveller 39 in my future as my main small to mid-sized river rod, but a T. Davis (Teton Tenkara) collaboration rod to augment, or possibly replace my Tenkara Times Watershed 300Z small stream/creekin' rod will probably come first.

Also Chris is the greatest! Great rods at good prices and the Customer Service he provides is simply outstanding.


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 Post subject: Re: Goture Tenkara Rod
PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:14 am • # 8 
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Joined: 12/01/18
Posts: 24
You can't go wrong dealing with Chris. Incredible knowledge to go along with fair prices and great service. Many of us kiddingly refer to him as "The Great Enabler". I'm proud to call him a friend.


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