Quote Originally Posted by 1hook View Post
cm Stewart, is it just the benefit of the longer rod? I wonder why they don't make regular fly rods long too, it seems like most don't go beyond 9ft

What do you do with your line when hiking in back country mountain streams?
Collapse the rod and wind the line around a spool that slips over the rod. It's actually much easier to carry a tenkara rod along mountain streams and in thick brush then it is to is a rod with a reel and guides. Another advantage.

I will add that 10 foot (non-tenkara) rods are fairly common, and 11 footers are available. They're popular with Euro-nymphers, and I like them for upstream wet fly fishing. I seldom fish tenkara, but I can see the advantages for some streams.