old Izaak Newton fished for pike on a rod with no reel.
Donald is correct that back in Izaak Newton's time, most fishing rods had no reel for holding fishing line...
Back then fishing rods were 18 feet in length, made from a composite of various woods and other material.
For those who are really hook on Tenkara, below is a wonderful site on Tenkara, that I have been reading over and over again since 1998... by Yoshikazu Fujioka. a Japanese Tenkara Fisherman that is devoted to this form of fly fishing. ~Parnelli
http://www.hi-ho.ne.jp/amago/index2.html
PS: There are wonderful Trout pictures that Yoshikazu Fujioka painted on various trout that many of which are only available outside the U.S.A.
"Everyone you meet in life, give you happiness! Some by their arrival, others by their departure!" ~Parnelli