Suntech Field Master RC

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The Suntech Field Master II has been replaced the with a newer model, called the Field Master Suikei RC Aggresssive Hard Tone. The "Hard Tone" is what I have always called "stiff" because that seems to describe a rod well, without having to get into the nuance of what "tone" means. Actually, the Field Master II was also Hard Tone. I'll just call the rod the Field Master RC since no one who doesn't read Japanese would be able to read the Suikei or the Aggressive.

From the description on Suntech's website, I thought the new rod would be both lighter and stiffer than the Field Master II, and in fact, it is a few tenths of an ounce lighter and about three pennies firmer at each length.

That said, though, the most noticeab difference between the Field Master RC and the Field Master II is that the Field Master RC does not have a lillian. Instead, it has the type of line attachment system shown in the image below. The line is tied around that narrow "waist" at the end of the rod tip. 

That attachment system works wonderfully if you are using a light keiryu line. The Field Master RC is a keiryu rod, after all, so from the rod designer's viewpoint, the switch is an improvement. When you are using a tenkara line, though, the attachment is not nearly as secure as tying the line to a lillian.

I have not lost a line when using a rod with this type of line attachment, but some customers have. Tenkara line is much thicker and much stiffer than keiryu line, which effectively is just tippet material and might be the diameter of 4 lb test line, rather than 16 lb test size 4 tenkara line.

You could tie a bit of light braided fishing line to the end of your tenkara line and tie the braid to the rod tip, which would provide a secure connection. (If you remind me, I will include a bit of light braid along with the rod.)

However, if you would prefer a lillian, the tip section for the Field Master II fits the Field Master RC. Thus, if you want the rod but want a tip with a lillian, order a field Master II tip when you order the Field Master RC. Swap the tips and use the Field Master RC tip as a backup.

The Suntech Field Master RC has the same three position zoom function and the same three lengths as the TenkaraBum Traveler rods. However, it is considerably stiffer. The Field Master RC would make a good rod for fishing weighted nymphs, but would not be as well suited to casting unweighted wet flies. You certainly could do it though. Because the rod is stiffer overall, if you want to cast a tenkara line I would recommend a size 4.

If you don't mind a jerky cast, you can fish bead head nymphs quite effectively with just tippet material from rod tip to fly. However, I would strongly advise that you use a lighter tippet attached to the fly and a heavier tippet for the "main line." Otherwise, if you get a snag and have to break off, the line might break at the rod tip rather than at the fly (been there, done that). 

The Suntech Field Master 39 was the first 3-position zoom rod sold in the US. When I first ordered the Field Master 39 (back in 2012) I had been looking for a rod that had all the sensitivity and feel you get from a rod that doesn't have a cork grip, but also had bend characteristics that placed it squarely in the middle of the "tenkara rod" range. The Field Master 39 did that, and did that at three different lengths! I couldn't have asked for more.

There is a big difference between what I knew then and what I know now. Other than the few Daiwa tenkara rods I also imported that year, all of the tenkara rods available in the US in 2012 were made in China. The Chinese had no history of tenkara fishing. They made rods for bait fishing. The earliest tenkara rods in the US had actions that put them squarely in the middle of the keiryu rod  (bait fishing) range, so in retrospect, it was no surprise that the Suntech Field Master, which is a keiryu rod, had an action squarely in the middle of the "tenkara" rods available here at the time.

I would bet that all of the people who purchased Field Masters in the early years used them exclusively for tenkara fishing rather than bait fishing, though. Of course, many if not most also fished bead head flies, which is something the Field Master does quite well.

It fishes bead heads well because fishing bead heads, particularly heavy bead heads, is essentially keiryu fishing, which is done with split shot and dead drifts. And although the Field Masters do quite well with a size 4 tenkara line, they really are better at keiryu fishing than they are at tenkara fishing. However, they are still better at fishing bead head nymphs than the average tenkara rod.

Being keiryu rods, the Field Master RC rods are available in longer lengths - 53 and 62 in addition to the lengths that are more common among tenkara rods (39 and 44).

There seems to be a general consensus that zoom rods are more pleasant to fish at their shorter lengths rather than fully extended. That is definitely true with respect to the Field Master RC 39. At its shortest length it is a delightful small stream nymphing rod. At the longer lengths, the rod's inertia is more noticeable when casting.

If you are fishing weighted nymphs (or bait with a split shot) you are not likely to be false casting much, so the inertia, while noticeable, should not be enough to a deal breaker.

Suntech Field Master RC Details

Like all Suntech rods, the Field Master is made in Japan - and it shows. The "fit and finish" are excellent. The finish is a metallic gray on the grip and zooming sections, and on the accents at the tip end of the black-painted smaller sections. The Field Master RC grip is smooth to the touch, yet it is still an effective non-skid grip. Because your fingertips are right on the blank itself, it provides unmatched sensitivity so you can feel what's going on with your line and your fly. When keiryu fishing, I would urge you to use yarn markers, which are even more sensitive than your fingertips in detecting strikes.

After you have fished with corkless grips for a while, you will realize that cork grips on tenkara rods must have been copied from Western fly rods where you have yards of fly line laying on the water and lots of slack in your line -  and thus no need for sensitivity.  After fishing a light, tight line for a while, staying in contact with your fly, you will not feel any need for cork grips.

The Field Master grip screw is made of a plastic material, is beveled for comfort is knurled to provide a positive grip. The grip screw also holds the rear ends of the zooming sections when the rod is not fully zoomed. The plugs and O rings hold the sections securely, with no hint of rattling.

The fit is pretty snug, and I find it helpful to twist the sections as you are seating them. They almost snap into place. Be sure to twist them to the right (clockwise if you were looking directly at the grip screw cap). If you twist them to the left, it may loosen the grip screw cap, increasing the chance for it to get lost. Be sure to check the grip screw cap to see that it is tightly screwed in each time you extend the rod.

The Field Master RC 39 comes with a Fuji KTC-12 instead of the more common tip plug. The band is tight enough that it definitely is not going to come off unexpectedly.

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