If you’ve followed my personal tenkara fishing blog, Teton Tenkara, for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Suntech rods and particularly their Tenkara Bum line of rods. I was introduced to these rods, the TB36, TB40, TB33 and the Traveler Series, by Chris Stewart, and found them to answer everything I wanted in a rod. I’ve even made the bold statement that if I could keep only one group of rods it would definitely be the Tenkara Bum line of Suntech rods. To me, they are that good.
Well, Suntech has released a new addition to their tenkara rod line up, the Suntech Tenkarakyo 40F Tenkara Bum. Although not included in the Chris Stewart designed Tenkara Bum series, the new 40F does carry the name “Tenkara Bum” in its rod designation, so for the sake of simplicity I’ll refer to it as the TB40F during the remainder of this review.
Description
The overall coloration of the TB40F is charcoal, excepting the handle section (T8 section) which is dark brown with subtle metal flake sparkles that show up in the sunshine. The finish is glossy and compared to many tenkara rods, the adornment is simple. There are just a few paint bands on the tipward position of most sections, while the rest of the blank is unsanded and without paint. Also, there is a stylistic red circle on the handle section. This little splash of color adds some aesthetics to an otherwise pretty plain looking rod.
The handle is high density EVA foam and is beautifully done. The grip has a classic hyotan gourd or double hump shape, which is similar to the other TB rods but maybe a little less aggressive in its curves.
Compared to the TB40, the TB40F looks similar, with slight differences. The TB40 is a little more compact and the T8 section is a smidge more thick in diameter. Also, the tip section (T1 section) of the TB40F is thicker in diameter and more robust than that of the TB40. Other than that, the paint work is the main difference when looking at the two side by side.
The tip plug is nylon plastic and fits snugly in the T8 section’s tip. The butt cap is chromed metal, has both knurling and a decompression hole, and is slightly thicker than the one on my TB40. The lilian is red and joined to the T1 section with a perfectly executed micro-swivel union.
Measurements
| Characteristic | Tenkarakyo 40F | TenkaraBum 40 |
|---|---|---|
| Nested (w/ tip plug) | 61.5 cm (24 in.) | 60 cm (23.6 in.) |
| Extended | 400 cm (13 ft., 1.5 in.) | 399.5 cm (13 ft., 1.3 in.) |
| Weight (w/o tip plug) | 76.4 g (2.7 oz.) | 72.2 g (2.5 oz.) |
| Sections | 8 | 8 |
| Grip Length | 24 cm (9.4 in.) | 24 cm (9.4 in.) |
| CCS | 16.5 pennies | 19 pennies |
| RFI | 4.1 (Mid-Flex/5:5, Moderate) | 4.75 (Upper Mid-Flex/6:4, Moderately Fast) |
| Rotational Moment | 5.7 | 5.5 |
The 10 Penny Bend Profile immediately shows what’s different between the TB40F and the original TB40. The TB40F has softer mid sections and a stiffer T1 section than does the TB40. This, along with its Rod Flex Index shows that the TB40F is a mid-flex, moderate action rod, while the TB40 is a Upper Mid-Flex, moderately fast rod. They cast and feel quite differently.
Performance
The TB40F casts very smoothly with a rich, slower casting arc than the TB40. It also has a little more inertia than the TB40. Meaning, it takes a little more energy to get the TB40F moving through the air than it does the TB40. It’s not terribly a lot, but it’s quite noticeable. The importance of this characteristic is that if you’re not careful, you could accidently overpower the cast. In fact, if you put too much force into the cast, or if your cadence is too quick, the TB40F will gripe at you. In my opinion, the TB40 is more forgiving in its casting and produces a tighter, more accurate loop. The TB40F has a more open loop and lays down the fly gently. This action type is quite similar to the Oni Type-II, some Daiwa LL rods, and most Shimano rods. It is completely different than more tip flex bend profile rods such as the Oni Type-I, Daiwa LT rods, most Nissin rods, or the DRAGONtail Ragnarok.
Balance is excellent, but because of the mid-flex action, the rod will wobble in your hand if you overpower it during the cast. It’s a really good rod to teach the concept of “let the rod do the work”. I used a fourteen foot #2.5 fluorocarbon level line to test the rod, and everything was good until some wind gusts hit the rod. I’m not very good casting in the wind as it is, but because the TB40F is a “softer” or “slower action” rod, I found it more difficult to control the cast and line in the wind than a “faster” action rod like the TB40.
As far as overshoot, tip oscillation or other accuracy robbing motion defects, I detect none in this rod. After all, it’s a Suntech rod. And finally, its rotational moment (tip heaviness) is wonderful, coming in at 5.7. That’s not quite as good as the TB40 at 5.5, but hey, anything under 6 for a four meter rod is outstanding! Naturally, being a Suntech rod, its engineering is perfect!
As for fishing with the TB40F, I fished a medium sized tailwater for rainbows. I purposely tried to overload the rod with two tungsten bead head competition nymphs. Amazingly enough, the rod did quite well. It wouldn’t be my first choice for a nymphing rod (I think the TB40 would be a better choice), but it did pretty good. Hook sets were solid and fighting the fish was excellent, with 4 meters of flexible rod to absorb the fish’s run! I caught rainbows from 12 inches to 18 inches in moderately fast moving water. The rod did great. I was very pleased!
Here’s a video of some of the fish I took with the TB40F:
Conclusion
I really like this rod! The Suntech Tenkarakyo 40F Tenkara Bum is an excellent addition to the Suntech line of tenkara rods. It further enhances my already favorite line of Tenkara Bum rods. It has a rich, full flex casting action, but it can be overpowered causing some griping of the rod if the cast is forced. Its rotational moment (tip heaviness) is excellent making it a fantastic rod for traditional kebari tenkara, but it doesn’t shy away if less traditional methods are employed. Hook sets are solid and decisive. Moderate size trout in moving water are easily subdued with no issues coming from the rod. This rod is a winner!
If you are interested in purchasing one, contact Chris Stewart at Tenkara Bum, or Keiichi at Tenkara-Ya. I’m sure either of them will be able to help you out.
Disclaimer: My opinion regarding this rod is just that, my opinion. Your opinion may differ. Also, your rod may not have the same length, issues, or functionality as my rod. There are variations between rods, even in the same production run. No description can fully tell you how a rod feels or fishes. For this, you must personally hold, cast, and fish the rod then make up your own mind. I purchased the Tenkarakyo 40F Tenkara Bum at retail price. I have no formal affiliation with Suntech, Tenkara Bum or Tenkara-Ya.
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I echo your thoughts on the Tenkara Bum line of rods to the point that if I too could only keep one line of rods it would be the Suntech TB line. In fairness to the Tanuki line of rods, I’ll acknowledge that I’ve only fished one of his – the 350 Ninja II – which I really like. I like my rods to lean just a tiny bit fast and be able to easily go from weighted nymphing to kebari to dry flies and do very well at all of them. I mainly fish the Midwest Driftless and although we don’t have too many fish over 20″, I do hook into a surprising amount of Browns in the 14 to 18″ range that can feel out of control or overpowering on a slower, softer rod. The TB line has just the right balance between delicacy, feel and backbone for my preferences. I think I’ve said this before, but thank you for all the time and effort you put into your reviews. They have been invaluable.
Thanks, Jeff!
Thanks to Tom Davis for the review and to Tenkara Angler for publishing it. Just one quick comment, though, the “kyo” of Tenkarakyo is pronounced just like the “kyo” of Tokyo – just the “yo” sound but starting with your tongue in a “k” position. One syllable, not kigh-yo or kee-yo, just k’yo. In Japanese, “tenkarakyo” could be interpreted as “tenkara bum.”
Chris, I appreciate the pronunciation advise. I can barely speak English, let a lone Japanese. :o)
Tom, great review, I enjoyed reading it.
If you still have TB40F rod, could you please weigh the butt plug for it and TB40?
I see it is oversized, I suspect they did a counter balancing trick, I’m curious is it the case… This trick reduces rod “kickback” (griping you mentioned), also TB40F should feel “lighter” than TB40 if you cast the rod holding the upper hump. I think they were not bold enough with it, adding an extra 1/2 once to the plug is about the right amount to properly suppress kickback for this blank. The best way to do it is using tungsten weights for pinewood derby. There should be a chamber in a plug behind the breathing hole, it is convenient to put weight there (do not worry about blocking breathing hole – it is more trouble then benefit here – many nissins do not have it at all). Pinewood derby weights come in a set, so you can try different weights to find which you like better…
Hi Igor, I always appreciate your well thought out and comprehensive comments. They are insightful. The TB40 butt cap is 6.0 g. The TB40F butt cap is 6.5 g. Just like you thought, they added some weight.
Tom, thank you.
Nissin Light Pole (Kawashi) 360 7:3 plug is 6.4g. Zerosum Oni Honrou 395 plug is 4.4g. I expected TB40 and TB40F plugs to be heavier, but they are about the same as Light Pole.
Anyway, let me share the results about the Light Pole 7:3 360. My original goal was not balancing. I wanted a bigger (and more grippy) handle. I was wrapping silicone tape around the handle. Doing that would make the handle heavier, so my concern was “losing balance”. I did an experiment to understand the consequences. I added tape, then did casting practice, then added more tape, then more casting practice, and so on… To my surprise the casting felt not suffered, rod was casting smoother and smoother… After some point it became “too smooth” and started losing sensitivity. Optimal weight for this rod was in the 86-91g range. I added 90.5-63.9=26.6g total to handle weight, which was an extra 40% rod weight (!!!).
I do not recommend wrapping silicone tape around foam handles, foam would collapse (slowly compress over time to almost nothing), I’ve learned that the hard way. But if you like the handle as it is, adding weight to the plug should have the same positive effect…