The Japanese article was first published on 23 August 2022 and last updated on 11 May 2026. The later note about the fishing spot is followed by the original rod impressions.
A later note about the spot
Well, long-range fishing at Nogama no longer produces fish for us.
After a fisherman set a net there, we stopped catching anything at all.
The earlier account: long casts with the EX
Our spot called for fairly long casts. We had been using solid-tip rods designed for black bream and squid, but then I acquired a Yoihime EX 74L and tried it. I could not help letting out a sigh. Good!
The guides nearest the reel on the Yoihime EX have an enormous diameter. Too enormous, really. To my eye, they do not look particularly good. You do not see much of that approach these days.
Still, whatever I think of its appearance, the EX is excellent for distance. It casts an extraordinary way—almost too far. I have to pay attention to controlling how far the rig goes.
Finding a second rod
I liked the 7 ft 4 in length, so I searched for another. Nothing.
Eventually, I found a used Yoihime Hana 74L, the older model. It had apparently seen quite a lot of use, but that was fine. It looked as though it would arrive within a couple of days.
I did not expect it to match the EX, but thought it should be usable.
The Hana arrives
The Yoihime Hana 74L arrived. Despite the description saying it had been used a great deal, it was remarkably clean. A strange way of putting it, perhaps…
I tried casting it at Nogama Island.
Oh, this is good!
Unlike the EX 74L, it feels crisp throughout. This Hana 74L is extremely good in a different way.
Even within the Hana range, though, I am not interested in the Hana II. I had ordered a 48AL, and found EVA marks on the grip.
Well, pretend you did not hear that. I like Gamakatsu, so it was a disappointment.
The original uses “7.4” for the rod length. Here it is written as 7 ft 4 in, following the manufacturer’s notation for the Hana S74L.
Read this article on Passionable Fishing (日本語) ↗