In 2023, I experimented a lot with my gear. 2024 saw a little less of this, but there were still some changes.
To start it off, I had made myself a new pack with the help of my Grandma. The design of the pack had been something I spend quite a bit of time thinking about. When I reached a point where I felt confident in what I wanted out of the pack, I asked my Grandma if she would help guide me in measuring, cutting, and sewing the pack together.
Much of the features and setup are pretty similar to that of my Yonah Fanny Pack, but with a few adjustments. A little larger in size, with an elastic mesh front pocket made for storage and access of items a little bit better. That's no slight to Yonah and their designs, but this one was thought out and designed in a way that I found I used my previous fanny pack.
When it comes to rods, and which ones got the most use this year, I really spent a lot of time fishing my Tenkara Tanuki rods.
The Tanuki 375 has really become one of my favorite rods. I have so much confidence in my casting accuracy, and the ability to handle fish with this rod. It's light and responsive, but I won't go too far into the reasons why I like it. You can find a post on it here - "Tenkara Tanuki 375 Review"
It's also worth mentioning that this is the rod that I caught the most fish on this year.
This is where things get a little funny. The rod that I caught the second most fish on this year was the Tenkara Tanuki Ninja. But... It's not the second most used rod. That doesn't mean I don't like it - on the contrary, it's become another favorite and one that I feel the same confidence in as I do with the 375. It is my go-to for smaller waters where I don't need the reach that a longer rod offers.
Flipping things around, the Barebones Kebari was my second most used rod this past year - third most fish caught on this one. I like the action of this rod, and the way it's balanced. But, funny enough, this has become the rod I use mostly when nymphing.
Even with it's relatively soft feel, I like the way it handles bead-head nymphs, and the sensitivity it offers. Take that information with a grain of salt though, as I am by no means someone who is "good" at nymphing.
When it comes to the lines I used the most, I don't have recorded information on that, but I would say my tapered nylon line from Fujino. It seemed to offer the most versatility in the way I fish, and the conditions I found myself in most often this year. I did find that a 2.0 Level Line is also very helpful in small stream situations, and I also made up a "nymphing" line that I used when the conditions called for it.