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[Animal Chin]

Hi, just wanted some expert advice on types of fly rods.

I'm new to fishing in general and have taken to it like.. well.. fish to water. I'd say I'm pretty much a gear/float fishing guy, but I do backpack in the mountains a lot. The site I frequent for backpacking is an ultralight backpacking site. The big rage there is Tenkara fly rods (11-12' telescopic rods with no reels). The thing is they are a little fanatical with their gear choices, and objectivity, practicality---insofar as catching fish-- is not their strong suit.

For small streams, and basically bodies of water I'd encounter in the alpine (Sierra's, Pacific Northwest etc), would I be better off with a traditional fly set-up or is there some merit to the simpler (no reel) Tenkara rod? Is this a fad? How long of a rod should be a good all rounder to take into account brush etc.
 
I know this may be blasphemy, but since I already have a good ultralight spinning reel, could I get away with using an ultralight spinning set-up, a bubble float (one's you fill with water) and using flies in a small stream/water I'd find in the alpine.

Thanks in advance.

[Bassonator]

go with the tenkera easier to lug around.

[cutthroat22]

Haven't tried Tenkara so I can't really compare.

Used a spinning rod and bubble float a lot last year.  Bonus is you can chuck a fly VERY far into a lake even with woods all around you.

I had major success last summer on some of the local hike in lakes using a small jighead and rubber tail.  I have fished these lakes since I was a kid and had the most successful summer fishing them last year with the mini jigs.