Loop rod techniques gone Tenkara?

I was reading the Field and Stream Fly Talk Blog the other day when I came across a posting about Tenkara.

What the heck is Tenkara?

Well if you click on the link:

http://www.tenkarausa.com/index.php

You'll come to their webpage, describing an old Japanese fishing technique, which turns out is similar to what I've been doing with the loop rod, and the old timers have been doing with the old cane poles down south. (Only thing is that the boys down south use bait on a hook, not flies)

Tenkara uses a 11 to 13 foot telescopic rod and only 12 to 14 feet of line. Not anything long distance, unlike the Compleate Angler which "caste a lyne of 15 to 18 yards" makes long range work sort of a thing of the past. Of course my daughters were fishing the Kids Fishing Derby and casting only 10 to 15 feet from shore using spinning rods, bobbers and 3 to 4 feet of line under the bobber to a nightcrawler on a hook. They know that the trout run close to shore, so why cast out so far?

If you read The Fly Fisher's Craft, then you are familiar with the loop rod and long braided horse hair lines, furled leaders, and many different flies.

The nice part is they simplify the casting in pictures:

Photo Courtesy of Tenkara USA

And Simplify how to land the fish:

Photo Courtesy of Tenkara USA

Another technique, maybe it will catch on. I'll keep you posted and let you know how Tenkara works for me.