AH! Tenkara rod caps. A necessary evil; a love-and-hate relationship with some; a piece destined to be lost by others. Couldn’t there be a solution that is more versatile and less prone to being lost?
We just received shipment of the “Universal Tenkara Rod Caps”. I think some of your may really like it. They are available here.
This little piece of gear will offer the following benefits:
1) It fits any tenkara rod
2) The line can stay attached to the rod tip with it (just be careful when removing it so the tip doesn’t come out and snap)
3) It’s easier to keep track of and may be even wrapped around the rod itself while fishing.
4) It offers better protection for the end of the rod.
An interesting note, Jason Klass of Tenkara Talk discussed this product on this post. Unbeknownst to him I had placed an order for this item almost exactly 24 hours before his post went up! Now, his wish and those of others in his blog have been answered.
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7 Responses to New: Universal Tenkara Rod Caps
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Cool! This looks like a great alternative to those pesky little caps used previously.
This is good news for me.
I actually ordered some of these from overseas in late July for some of my interline rods (not tenkara, but telescopic).
Having a North American source for these will make it far easier in the future, should I need more replacements.
One question – are these the size 12 caps?
Cliff,
Not sure if they are size 12, it’s not the spec I used.
They are just a bit fatter than the Amago size, and fit even the Iwana 11ft without a problem.
Hi Daniel:
“Size 12″ is the smallest size available for these rod caps. I think it relates to the diameter width of the opening at the bottom of the rod. The smallest is 12mm, the next size up is 16mm.
I believe that the 12mm size would probably be appropriate for most tenkara rods, unless it is unusually stout by design.
Cliff, I’ll be measuring it tomorrow and get that info to you. I think 12 is the approximate size for them, though there are some smaller ones too.
YAY! I love it when I wish for something and it comes true. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket today!
Thanks Daniel.
Size aside (which is actually more of an aesthetic thing — even a slightly large cap is versatile enough to be “universal”), I believe that this is one of those handy items a tenkara angler (especially a tenkara angler who owns multiple rods) should always have on hand “just in case” because for many of us it’s only a matter of time before a rod cap gets misplaced, either temporarily or permanently.
It’s no fun transporting a rod without the cap (although it’s worse without an end cap — yes I’ve experienced that too), and the practical one-size-fits-all nature of this style means that it’s great as a backup. You can decide later whether you want to replace the original cap, but it’s also a good enough solution as a permanent fix if you’re not terribly obsessive.