They fished though. They didn't need a rod with a fancy reel.
And they lived off it and the land.....I know I would starve to death even with the best equipment .

I have heard recently, though un-confirmed, that the Native Americans used a pole and line setup similar to modern (if it is) Tenkara, and similar to the pole and horsehair setups of ancient times.

Kirk

Seems logical to me.

I was a purist then when I was a young boy because I used a switch and line also, and added a earthworm to the hook, what feathers did the natives use I wonder?

It is true that the Seminoles were observed by early European explorers using canoes and fishing with a pole, line, and fly in the bayous and streams of Florida. Two men to a canoe, one in the bow "fishing," the other paddling. The pole was not very flexible, but was long. The line was very short. The fly was a bone gorge wrapped in feathers so as to imitate a big insect. They would dap it on the surface several feet in front of the canoe along the banks and around emergent vegetation to entice strikes. It was truly cane pole fishing with a fly. No casting. Just extend the pole over the water and dap the fly on the surface with a slight jigging motion of the rod tip.

Whatever bird they killed and ate the night before.