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.