From Passionable Fishing, our Japanese-language journal.

The Japanese article was first published on 23 August 2022 and last updated on 11 May 2026. The later conclusion appears first, followed by the earlier account.

After further use

I have now used this rod with soft lures in all sorts of ways.

In the end, it really is a rod for plugs.

My earlier comments

I have not tried it with plugs yet. I do not particularly plan to use it that way, either…

Weight: 76 g. Compared with the 84 g Crystar 57, it is a little lighter despite being longer.

With a 1.2 g jighead on its own, the sensitivity feels crystalline, making bites easy to detect. The tone is sharply defined and extremely clear: more crystal-like than metallic.

Trying a split-shot rig

On another day, I used it with a split-shot rig carrying 3.6–5.6 g of tungsten weight.

Compared with the VARIVAS 610, with its very immediate, exacting hooksetting response, this rod bends into the belly. It feels as though the hookset takes about an extra 10 cm of movement.

But it sets the hook well, and I found a real advantage: very few fish came off.

It feels crisp in the hand, yet supple when playing a fish. I lifted a 33 cm flounder out of the water with it without any trouble.

The feel is different from the 34 UBR-510, which also bends into the belly but has a more lingering, yielding bend.

At this stage, my impression is that the 64 EXCITER can do quite a lot. I liked it enough to buy another, so we would each have one.

My wife’s reel was a Tatula 2000, with Red Eye No. 0.4 ester line. Mine was a 2020 Luvias, with the same Red Eye No. 0.4 ester line.

Originally published on our Japanese-language site, Passionable Fishing, on 23 Aug 2022. Translated for Avantgarde Fishing. These are the author’s personal observations at the time of writing. Product availability and fishing conditions may have changed.
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