Dragontail Shadowfire 360 Tenkara Rod Review

The Dragontail Shadowfire 360 Tenkara Fly Fishing Rod is a great rod at an even greater price. For the budding Tenkara angler looking to get into the sport, this is a great first rod. The rod has a 6:4 action, so it falls right in the middle of the flex scale (2.5 – 12.5). The softer action is great for working fish on a finer tippet, which reduces the risk of the tippet breaking.

Pros

• The Shadowfire is an extraordinary value. For less than $100 you get a beautiful 12’ rod. The rod is perfectly suited for medium to large rivers as well as lakes and ponds.
• This is a very soft rod. It casts wonderfully, and I have landed fish up to 16” length with no worry of snapping the rod. However, the softness (and 13’6” length) does mean that it takes a bit longer to land a fish than say a shorter stiffer rod.
• It comes inside of a velvet cloth sleeve that slides effortlessly into an aluminum tube with a screw cap on one end. The aluminum tube is perfect for backpacking trips, as it will protect your Tenkara rod from trail hazards.
• Occasionally some grit or dirt can work its way in between the pole sections. With the rod fully collapsed I rinsed the rod out under water while moving the sections back and forth to clean out the grit. The handy drain hole in the butt cap allows the water/grit to escape without having to unscrew the cap and risk the rod sections slipping out.

Cons

• The 12’ length makes this rod more challenging to use in tight creeks. A nearby limestone, spring fed creek that offers year round brown and rainbow trout fishing has a lot of overhead foliage – even with a bow and arrow cast I was limited on where I could cast and which pools I could fish. That being said, I did land my first Brown Trout in this creek with the Shadowfire. If you will be fishing mostly small creeks or creeks that feature a lot of foliage you may want to consider a smaller rod.
• The finish on the rod sections have begun to get roughed up after only a few months of use. Not a huge deal, and it doesn’t affect the usability of the rod, just its aesthetic appeal.
• No matter how careful you are, eventually you will get a fly stuck in an inaccessible tree limb. Usually a quick tug on the line snapping the tippet (and losing your fly) is the quick fix. However, with the furled line, it isn’t so simple. If you pull hard on the furled line it causes it to become hopelessly kinked and knotted up when the tippet finally breaks. On one trip I didn’t have an extra furled line and had to cut the trip short. When I got home it took over an hour with my trusty bodkin, a fly tying needle, to unknot the line.

Final Thoughts

I’ve brought to hand several big Rainbow and Brown trout along with some massive Fallfish and good sized Sunfish with this rod. The rod fits well in my hand and is light enough for a full day on the river without causing soreness or premature muscle fatigue. If you’re looking for your first Tenkara rod, or just hoping to expand your quiver, the Dragontail Shadowfire 360 Tenkara Rod is certainly worth a closer look.

Dragontail Shadowfire 360 Tenkara Rod

$92.99-$85.99

9.3

Weight

9.0/10

Packability

9.0/10

Price

10.0/10

Pros

• Great value
• Soft casting
• Durable on trail
• Easy maintenance

Cons

• Longer length can be limiting
• Finish scuffs after use
• Furled line can present problems

View Product Site