Abstract: A fishing rod (10) that includes a handle (14) to which a shaft (12) and reel (16) are attached. The shaft is formed with a bore (28). An open-mouthed flute (20) is attached to the end of the shaft distal from the handle. A fishing line (18) wound onto the reel extends through the shaft and the flute. A number of hooks (24) are attached to the fishing line (18) by a number of individual, relatively short, gangion lines (26). A weight (22) is attached to the free end of the fishing line (18). the flute and the shaft are dimensioned so that the fishing line and hooks can readily pass into the bore of the shaft. The flute is further dimensioned so that, as fishing line is wound onto the reel, the weight will abut the inside surface of the flute that defines the mouth. Thus, when the rod assembly (10) is not used, the hooks remain housed inside the shaft. This prevents the hooks from becoming caught on adjacent articles in the environment or becoming tangled among themselves.