Short BFS rod

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:36 am

I finally decided to order Tsurinoya Master Trout C472UL:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000029 ... 4c4dcxotiE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVvEr1Q7Ijo&t=195s
(Not mine video)

Ares is extremely good, but I hope this Master Trout would cast even better...

User avatar
Hobie-Wan Kenobi
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 3014
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:25 pm
Location: Michigan (U.P)
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:20 am

I heard the Master Trout is a little stiffer than the Ares
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:21 am

Yes it is stated a little stiffer and more backbone (and not so flexy). Certainly not as fun with fish but hopefully it casts a little bit longer (despite of Ares casts very good) and hopefully still fun with fish. I think it will be very near of action of Shimano TroutOne.

I will make new wrapping / hook protection in the front of hook keeper as a new for this rod, for avoiding accident which I had with Ares...

Freddie
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 168
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:44 am

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by Freddie » Sun Aug 15, 2021 9:59 pm

Did the Trout Master arrive yet? I’m curious about it…

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Mon Aug 16, 2021 12:15 am

UPS has updated estimate of arrival to Thursday.

Some issues with customs clearing?

I probably call to UPS today if shipping don't get proceeding...

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Wed Aug 18, 2021 1:32 pm

Trout Master arrived today. First impression when taking rod from package, that this is a high quality product. Probably best quality what Aliexpress stuff can be.

Didn't go fishing today. Just tried this rod a little indoors in my house. (it's raining heavily and I had rush at work.)

It felts it will cast decently.

I connected Ares and Trout Master by line via pulley and did some pulls against brake. Actually there is a very little difference in how these rods bends. And that's good, because Ares is good with fish. (Took a video of it but managed to delete it...) There's some differences but those are slim in this bending test.

There is coating only in the bottom part of Trout Master. Tip is without coating. It must be a lot of more fragile against scratches than Ares. There's no hook keeper in Trout Master. [I checked again: Yes there is... :D ] Rod tube is different than Ares. In Trout Master there's pocket inside in the tube for butt part. I like Ares tube more because it's more handy. Trout Master handle / reel seat is more clearly for palming. It is clearly supposed to use by palming also when casting. Ares handle and reel seat feels a lot of bigger than in Trout Magnet. And Ares doesn't feel big...

But probably Trout Master is (much?) more sensitive than Ares, because of carbon wrapping, tiny handle and reel seat and carbon butt. At least it felt like that when I tried it at indoors.

Overall I'm impressed for this Aliexpress rod (Trout Master) quality and I'm happy that I bought it and I can't wait to take it into the action. But I'm also happy that I have bought Ares :D
Last edited by jvelth74 on Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

Knotty
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 261
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2018 9:06 am
Location: Northern NJ

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by Knotty » Wed Aug 18, 2021 4:56 pm

Interesting that there’s no hook keeper on your Trout Master since in the video he has one. Looking forward to your first fishing report.

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:57 am

Knotty wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 4:56 pm
Interesting that there’s no hook keeper on your Trout Master since in the video he has one. Looking forward to your first fishing report.
I checked again. Yes there is hook keeper. :D I don't know how I managed to miss it yesterday. :?

And bent rods again. Actually there's no difference between Ares and Trout Master. Both bends similarly when lifting 50 ... 350 grams by line put through guides. Rod blanks weight practically same. In the handle part is ~10 g difference in weight. I want to experience how it's casting. That is already clear that it is good when fish on.

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:14 pm

First fishing trip with using Trout Master...I didn't get fish, so it was purely casting.

I cast 3 - 8 g lures. With 8 g Trout Master cast clearly longer than Ares. At 3 g difference in casting distance was slim. With my reel (ct Alphas), spool (K.T.F.) and line (0.10 mm Spiderwire Stealh Smoot 8) casting sweet spot was at 6 grams. (4 Grams was also very good.) So, Trout Master is slightly stiffer than Ares but difference is not that much. I'm not sure from where that stiffness comes. Because in my (un-accurate) bending tests there was not difference in practical. Maybe carbon in Trout Master just is faster, that makes same powered rod acting as 'stiffer'.

So, casting distances are good in Trout Master (because it casts longer than Ares, which is also very good). But this is not whole story. Ares somehow feels more precise tool than Ares. It just does everything more likely as caster wishes, and if backalsh occurs, it's more clear to understand what went wrong. And after cast, there is near zero wobble of rod tip. It dampens very fast...

And what is slightly surprising was Magforce settings. I have 2 settings which I use normally in BFS. Basic setting, in which casting is really easy and reliable and I must cast really bad to get backlash, and I use that also for pitching, (If I remember to turn it on). Another setting I use for maximum distance, and when casting in that setting, I must concentrate and cast carefully. But now I felt that use of that distance setting widens with Trout Master, it just was easier to cast with that setting. Maybe it's something with that, this Trout Master just feels more accurate and more precise tool...

At the ending of my fishing session I remembered to try underhand pitchings (because I arrived to a place where those were useful) with this new rod. Actually it went great! Surprisingly I might have progressed to master pitcher (which is not true) or this Trout Master is much better in pitching than Ares.

Trout Master handle I don't like much (yet) - I like more Ares handle. Trout Master handle forces to take some kind of palming grip. But that's not actually bad. It might be good if BFS fishers are forced to use palming grip also in casting :) . It's possible that I turn to like very much of Trout Master handle. But fisherman who likes to take traditional baitcasting grip, I recommend not to buy Trout Master. What is strange in Trout Master handle, it made me felt like reel should be smaller (than ct Alphas). With Ares and Kuying Teton SUL I don't have even thought this. But smaller reel I need in any case...
Grip I have used in BFS so far 1.JPG
Grip I have used in BFS so far 1.JPG (71.79 KiB) Viewed 3944 times
Grip I have used in BFS so far 2.JPG
Grip I have used in BFS so far 2.JPG (64 KiB) Viewed 3944 times
Grip which is comfy but how casting with this 1.JPG
Grip which is comfy but how casting with this 1.JPG (72.03 KiB) Viewed 3944 times
Traditional baitcasting style gip - very un-comfy with this rod.JPG
Traditional baitcasting style gip - very un-comfy with this rod.JPG (66.45 KiB) Viewed 3944 times
Rod tubes / cases. I like Ares tube more. I swapped Trout Master to Ares tube and Ares to Trout Master tube (because currently I like Trout Master more and I will use that). External pocket (in Ares tube) for rod butt is handy in my opinion. Because then I can keep reel in reel seat.
Transport style I have liked.JPG
Transport style I have liked.JPG (49.24 KiB) Viewed 3944 times
Overall differences from Ares to Trout Master are slim. But yes, in my opinion, Trout Master is slightly better basically in almost everything. If casting sub 3 grams, then Ares might be better. I haven't tried yet. Cost of rods: Ares prices has risen a lot and Trout Master is very expensive Aliexpress rod as it is 4'7". But I'm perfectly happy that I have bought both. I would buy again both if I wouldn't have both.

EDIT: Next day I tried casting 2 g and 1.2 g crankbaits. 2 g was castable and fishable, rod starts to work with that load and cast can be targeted. 1.2 g was not practically castable in my opinion. How to compare to Ares...I don't know because I have cast so few times these 1...2 g lures.

tincanary
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 300
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:34 pm
Location: SE Michigan

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by tincanary » Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:30 am

jvelth74 wrote:
Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:14 pm
EDIT: Next day I tried casting 2 g and 1.2 g crankbaits. 2 g was castable and fishable, rod starts to work with that load and cast can be targeted. 1.2 g was not practically castable in my opinion. How to compare to Ares...I don't know because I have cast so few times these 1...2 g lures.
I'm surprised 1.2g is giving you fits with the KTF spool. I can do 1.5g (Eurotackle Z-Viber) reliably with my SV700S and Roro bearings in my Alphas CT. This is with a Major Craft Troutino 4'10". FWIW, that SV700S weighs 8.1g with no pin or bearing installed.

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:48 pm

Actually that time, for those light lures, I was using a light aliexpress spool with 0.18 mm / ~ 5 kg / ~ 10 lbs mono...

Because there was heavy rain, and I used rainclothes, which limited my sight, and despite of that I continued fishing and I didn't see a branch, which led to backlash with K.T.F spool which still waits for clear it out...But after rain I changed to lighter spool with mono line. It's not too thin, but still in my opinion it's not that strong I want. It just can cast Trout Magnet + float, but it has issues to cast 1 g.

But in my opinion that rod (Trout Master) is hard to get loaded by 1 g. 2 g loads it OK.

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Sun Sep 12, 2021 5:37 am

Used Trout Master in some more fishing trip and some fishes got…

Rod sweet spot is in my opinion casting 6 g. Because it's easiest to cast and it flies far and accurate. (Power casting with 6 g is too much for this rod, but it flies far without using power.)

My favorite stream lures weights 4 g, which is also perfect casting weight for Trout Master. But 4 g is not as easy to cast than with Ares, especially in short 5 m casts (with Ares those casts are really easy). I clearly recognized that when I have had a break of some days from fishing and lost some casting routine. Before I found that Trout Master is better in Underhand Pitching than Ares, but without routine my Underhand Pitchings were horrible.

Casting 4 g Trout Master allows me to power cast to gain just a little more distance than I can do with with Ares. (In my use Power Casting doesn’t actually work at all with Ares. 3 g might be correct weight for rod for that but for power casting that is too less for my reel and spool and line.) But in case of casting 4 g with Trout Master, this combination feels like born to be power casted... Underhand Pitchings are also nice when managed to use rod power decently. There may be some idea of naming this as “Trout Master”…

I have tested also Trout Master low end. 1.8 g was castable, or near to castable. 1.3 g wasn’t castable in practical. Top end I have tested was 7.8 g - no issues with it, but 6 g flies longer / better. This rod lure rating is 100% correct. =D>

Handle of Trout Master still feels a little odd but I have used to it quite well.

Both, Ares and Trout Master, are great rod’s. But in my opinion Trout Master is still a little better in almost everything...Trout Master is more expensive than Ares, so Ares might be better in price to quality ratio. But in My opinion actual difference in $ is not big, and who actually cares some of tens $ in BFS budget neither... Trout Master is my current favorite BFS rod.

There is a series of pictures when I'm underhand pitching 4 g lure and get fish on by less than 5 yard cast and I was 1...2 yard from shore...Lost that fish, but later got some of similar Rainbows:
Underhand pitching 1.JPG
Underhand pitching 1.JPG (72.03 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
Underhand pitching 2.JPG
Underhand pitching 2.JPG (58.31 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
Underhand pitching 3.JPG
Underhand pitching 3.JPG (63.37 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
FishOn1.JPG
FishOn1.JPG (62.61 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
FishOn2.JPG
FishOn2.JPG (67.43 KiB) Viewed 3731 times
Main Reason for losing this fish was that I was practically locking brake for prevent fish not to run down by rapids (I have strong 11 kg braided line). 'Fight' was less than second and fish was landed and immediately I lost it.. :D Lucky fish. In other day in same place I got fish and then I didn't use that much brake. Fish went down by rapids and I ran behind it :D I don't use waders but luckily water is still warm. I got that fish and released it because there are not too much of them.

... A video review is proceeding. But still there is a lot of work to finish it. As usual, in case of video review...

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 2:49 am

Freddie wrote:
Sun Aug 15, 2021 9:59 pm
Did the Trout Master arrive yet? I’m curious about it…
Fishing with Tsurinoya Trout Master at Karkkila Rapids:

Karkkila Rapids was actually very nice place to fish...This is a not rod review, but it demonstrates how this rod works in casting and with fish.

I used this lure for all the day:
Viehe.JPG
Viehe.JPG (38.37 KiB) Viewed 3593 times
https://www.google.com/maps/search/Kark ... ,13z?hl=fi
Last edited by jvelth74 on Thu Oct 07, 2021 6:11 am, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Wed Sep 22, 2021 3:44 am

Editing rod test video still takes time. So here is bending test picture of of bending test Tsurinoya Trout Master vs. Tsurinoya Ares, same load on both:
Bending Ares vs. Master.JPG
Bending Ares vs. Master.JPG (32.58 KiB) Viewed 3536 times
It is same power between these rods. Trout Master heavier lure rating and casting power comes from elsewhere than power needed in this kind of bending. Faster blank, lighter tip, or something...

User avatar
jvelth74
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 944
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:03 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Short BFS rod

Post by jvelth74 » Thu Sep 30, 2021 3:33 pm

Truly 'Master' it is. It tells to it's user that it can be power cast. But it's clear that it doesn't allow any mistake when power casting. But in standard cast it's just a regular rod.

Post Reply