I have mentioned that I have been digging around, reading as much good info as I could find on Tenkara. Well, I found another forum where one post in particular answered an lot of questions and, regrettably, made a lot of sense.

A person there, like here, was talking about using a telescopic crappie pole to try since they had not found a fly blank that was suitable as yet for a Tenkara rod. The same answer was given there that has been given here that a crappie pole would be too stiff. However the poster went on to say that a fly rod would not be a wise choice, either. "Oh, brother!" I think. "Another guy with his nose in the air over this." I read on and he explains that due to the way the joints fit together, the fly rod would very likely come apart when you hooked up with a larger fish instead of just snapping the tippet. He goes on to explain that the telescopic rods, with the way the joints fit together keep this from happening.

I was stunned that I didn't see this to begin with. He was absolutely right. I had just been handed a heaping plate of crow to wrap myself around. It made sense and I could not argue with it. I don't like having to eat crow.

That isn't all. It gets worse. The same poster went on to recommend using Cabela's Telescopic Panfish Pole. He mentioned he had used the 10' model (there are 10', 12', and 14' models) and it had worked well for him. I look them up and they are CHEAP with a capital inexpensive! Between $15 and $25! They collapse to smaller than the rods from Tenkara USA, too. If this person who has done quite a bit Tenkara fishing says they worked for him, it should make a very nice and inexpensive way to try it. The lines from Tenkara USA are only $20, so you can try it out with very little effort for less than $40.

Now, mind you, I still think a section is going to stick, but at $15, I am going to feel a whole lot less ticked off when it does than I would at a c-note plus.

All of this is tormenting my ego to no end, but it gets even worse and if all of the above was not enough reason to make this post, this clinched it. The poster with all of the good information was none other than one of the guys I kept arguing with here, CM_Stewart. I do hope that Mr Stewart
will accept my apologies.