HYDRA zx390 Tenkara Rod
Discontinued
HYDRA zx390 Rod Specs:
- Rod length: zooms between 390cm/350cm (about 13ft/11.5ft)
- Soft 6:4 action
- Rod weight: about 3.2 oz
- High quality carbon fiber
- Collapsed rod length: 21 inches
- Handle length: 10.3 inches
- 9 segments
- Stealthy Matte Black Finish
- Hard Storage Tube: 22.5 inches
- Stylish Rod Sock
This rod is a 6:4 soft action rod can be fished at either 13′ or 11.5′, it easily zooms between the 2 lengths. The HYDRA zx390 zoom Tenkara rod is a great choice for fishing small streams and rivers as well. Great for targeting trout in the 4″ to 20″ range.
Whether you are a beginner in Tenkara or been in the game for quite some time, this is a good rod choice to consider. It provides an enjoyable action and performance UN-matched by other rods in this price range.
Zoom Function & Lengths
390cm/350cm (about 13ft/11.5ft). The HYDRA rod can be fully extended for the full 13ft length or you can collapse and lock the first section to make the rod an 11.5ft length rod. This give you more a rod that can fit a broader range of fishing situations.
The 13ft length is excellent for when you have open area to cast, or larger water with needed reach, or when you need longer leverage length to fight bigger fish. In the longer length the HYDRA rod can handle trout around 20in quite well with proper technique, and we did just that with it quite a bit this past summer and fall.
The 11.5ft length is a good general purpose length for Tenkara allowing you to cast nicely in small streams. If you are targeting small fish (such as 4-8″ trout) the shorter length will be the most responsive and fun length. The short length will be softer action than the longer length, which fits better for very small fish and smaller streams.
Rod Action
The 6:4 Action of the HYDRA rod is much softer than our other rods (such as the Shadowfire & KOMODO rod). It also has a deeper flex profile that gives it an upgraded casting feel and distributes the bend of the rod better. If you have fished our Shadowfire or KOMODO rods you will find this rod to be quite an upgrade.
The soft action of the HYDRA rod also makes it an excellent choice for fishing light level line. It will also perform great with our furled lines as well (such as the Bushi, Shogun, or Katana furled lines).
For The Seasoned Tenkara Angler
The HYDRA rod is a great rod that even seasoned Tenkara anglers will enjoy quite a bit. You will love the soft cast and delicate action that surpasses rods in the same price range as the HYDRA zx390. It is one of my favorite rods to fish and my go to when fishing light level line.
For The Beginner
The HYDRA Tenkara rod is a great choice for beginners giving them a one quality rod to fit many situations with out the need of investing in 2 rods. It also gives them a rod they will love after they have been in the Tenkara game for quite some time.
Handle Shape
Our HYDRA rod handle fits the hand more comfortably to reduce hand fatigue and to give you more casting control that you will be pleased with. It is also shaped so you have multiple options of holding the handle in both the lower and upper areas of the handle to fit your preference or situational needs.
Matte Black Stealthy Finish
The matte black color keeps the rod from reflecting the sun off a 13ft rod and possibly alerting the fish of your presence. Despite being matte black, this rod is very appealing to the eyes and has a quality finish.
This tenkara rod has served me well for backpacking trips. It collapses down to 21” and gives me about 13’ of reach for those high alpine lakes and also can zoom in to 11.5’ when I need a shorter rod for tight spaces. It has made fishing in the backcountry so much more enjoyable.
The shorter zoom of this Hyrda is amazing. Very soft and casts that beloved 3.5 level line with ease and accuracy. It does fairly well in the 13' longer zoom but it does have a notable swing weight in the longer zoom too. If you want a Tenkara rod that can fish traditional dry flies (adams, purple haze), Kebaris, while also be a great nymphing rod, this can be a fun Tenkara rod.
11.5' for traditional flies, 13' for nymphs.
I started "traditional" flyfishing several years ago, sticking with stiff-action rods in the 4-6 weight range. The majority of the local streams are small-medium size and comprising of 6-12 inch brookies, browns, and rainbows. After seeing Tenkara type rods in our local sporting goods store, I started looking into them as an option for hiking and having a shorter, quick setup rod with me. Tenkara seemed to be the answer.
I found Dragontail Tenkara rods while researching and decided to give the Hydra a try on our local streams. I started with a 12 foot length of the floating PVC line and found it to be cumbersome in the smaller streams with brush covered banks. I then switched to an 8ft length and that was more manageable. The softer flex of the Tenkara rods offer a nice feel and I do not feel like I lose any control. Like all new things, just get out and experiment! I love the Hydra and am looking forward to matching it up with the Mizuchi when available.
I would highly recommend the Dragontail rods if you are looking to get into Tenkara. Great quality and just an overall fun rod to add to your collection!
I've had my Hydra for a couple of months now and am currently using it for warm water species. My "fly" of choice is the squirmy wormie in various colors. So far I have caught Bluegill, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and this morning and enormous Grass Carp. The Carp was actually too big for this rod (should have been using my HellBender) but it's what I had in my hand. It was a tough fight, but the Carp eventually tired and I got it to the bank. It was too big for my net, and too big to pull up the bank so I released it in the water. The Hydra survived, and while it was a battle, it did the job. Overall, I really like the Hydra, and it fits in nicely between my Shadowfire 365 and HellBender. If you were on the fence I'd say just get it, you won't be disappointed! (I'd add photos but don't see a way to do it).
Got this rod as a companion to the Mizuchi for when I fish bigger waters with larger fish. While soft, this rod has no problem throwing large, heavy flies (I use a lot of large stone fly nymph imitators) though I've yet to try a streamer so not sure HOW heavy while also doing a great job with weightless flies. This rod also has a lot of muscle and I've landed multiple 18"+ browns and Cutbows quickly with this rod. It is great with level line but also casts Furled line very well too.