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Post 31 May 2023, 18:51 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
Ordered this beautiful rod after some serious internet sleuthing. I have acquired a taste for Japanese fiberglass over the past year but had resigned myself to thinking that North Country Angler was not making rods any more based off of a dead link. Looking around the Campanella instagram account I saw a linked post of a rod that was the spitting image of a Hunt Series H.L. Leonard rod. I sent the poster a private message asking him what rod he used to land an Iwame trout and he told me it was a glass rod from North Country Angler and sent me the URL to Mako's NCA blog. I quickly figured out Mako was indeed still in the rod building business and asked him if he still make fiberglass rods, specifically "The Sons" Ozune model. He still had blanks for the 7'0 and 7'6 models and recommended for my style of fishing I get the softer 7'0. Only issue was that he was having problems with his PayPal account so could not take payment. No big deal I said and I told him I'd probably be ready to pull the trigger in June anyways. Much to my surprise I got an email from him a few days later saying my rod was complete and he'd let me know when his account was sorted and I could pay whenever. He told me the blanks for the Sons' rods were discontinued when an old Japanese family run business closed down but he still has a few left. The craftmanship on this rod is exquisite and the attention to detail and components are top shelf. From the rod tube to the sock everything is just screams quality. I got it out on a little pond behind my house because the young bass are very agressive and are usually 12 inches long and about a pound. Very similar to the Brookies I hope to target on Stony Brook MN at the end of July. This 3wt rod is not sticky at all like you might expect from a Japanese rod. It has a very powerful butt section and was launching size 14 bead head squirmy wormies very well into a stiff wind. I then tried on a dry dropper and it threw that rig with authority also. The bass were a lot of fun on this rod and it really bossed them quickly into the net while still letting you feel every head shake. As beautiful as this rod is it is made to be fished and I'll live with the consequences. Mako will wrap these any color/style you want but i kept the "Hunt" motiff. This is my dry dropper small creek first choice now. Mako (as mentioned by many posters earlier) is such a nice guy and so receptive to all of my dumb questions. He knows where all the bodies are buried in the Japanese fly rod builder world and is a great resource to get information on lines, tippet and leaders made in Japan. He also has a fly shop that sells reels, leaders, tippet and fly line etc. He recommends the AQ leaders and tippett by Fujino for The Sons BTW.







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Post 31 May 2023, 21:12 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/27/11
Posts: 387
Location: US-OH
That's a beautiful rod. I own a couple from Mako myself. I can attest to his attention to detail and wealth of knowledge too!


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Post 01 Jun 2023, 10:45 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/16/08
Posts: 3540
Location: Upstate-NY
stunning rod, and such a nice story.
You really did your homework, and some serious "sleuthing"!


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Post 04 Sep 2023, 11:39 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/20/11
Posts: 1880
Location: US-MD
Absolutely lovely.


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Post 04 Sep 2023, 13:37 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
Beautiful rod!!!

It's somewhat of a coincidence that a few hours ago on Spring_Creeks' post about his Kabuto 8053 and Kabuto 79345, I commented that Kab's builds remind me of Leonard Rods.

The North Country build takes it a step further with a rod reminiscent of a Hunt & a tube label that reminds me the blue labels used on the Leonard "Graftek" rods.

FWIW - I'll never forget back in the 1980's when first I laid eyes on a bunch of Hunt Rods at the H.L. Leonard booth at the old Suffern, NY fishing show...WOW!!!

It's a lovely rod, enjoy!!


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Post 10 Sep 2023, 21:29 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
Thanks Bamboozle will do, interesting history!


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