Adding to your reach

The Tenkara Guy

August 2025

Article and photos by Zane Jacobs.

One of my favorite rods I rarely use is my Suntech Kurenai HM39R advanced model. I don’t often fish the rod because it is just as long as its name. The 39 part of the name may have been a clue. It is in fact 3.9 meters long when extended. That is 12.8 feet to those of us who measure horses in hands and weight in pounds. Being in the neighborhood of 13 feet puts this rod well out of range of most creeks I fish.

The HM39R is an outstanding rod and incredibly light. At 3.2 ounces it is like fishing with a mouse’s whisker. It is easy to forget you have it with you during your hike to the water. You will, however, be quickly reminded if you find it necessary to duck under a horizontal tree. This 20-inch when fully collapsed behemoth may well stick out of a bag much further than expected. You will get extra practice on your 90-degree angle impression though.

This rod may be an annoyance getting to the fishing hole!

Once rigged up, you can cover impressive amounts of water from one position. Such great reach makes fishing the far side of the current a simple task. With a proper line, you can cover a 20-foot distance without any line laying on the water.

On casting you can tell how sensitive the HM39R is. I can feel the line moving through the air. If you have more sensitive hands, you can probably even feel which way the hook is pointing. The sensitivity continues once the fly takes a dip in the cool waters. The slightest bump of the fly is instantly transferred to your fingertips.

Set the hook and enjoy the ride. The HM39R is not a stiff rod. It’s not what I would call soft either. This is the rod Goldilocks would choose – just right. This rod is meant for fish around 7 inches. Don’t let that fool you. The rod can handle much larger fish, but it will be a longer controllable fight. Any fish 7 inches or less is easily and gently guided to the net in a short time.

Now for the technical specs. You will have to look elsewhere for those. The pennyweight and flex ratings are all over the Internet. I don’t believe that really tells you much about a rod. I believe in giving my impression from real-life, hands-on experience. All of my rod purchases have been from such reviews, guessing, and hoping. Not once have RFI ratings influenced my purchase. Maybe it should have though.

The HM39R is longer than most Tenkara rods when compressed.

I’ve bought some pretty terrible rods. The Suntech Kurenai HM39R advanced model is not one of them.