View Full Version : Pack rod for fishing/hiking
I've seen some discussion on here regarding fishing while out on a hike. The number one concern would, of course, be portability of the fishing gear. Daiwa makes an ultralight combo (http://www.troutlet.com/scripts/prodview.asp?idproduct=371&idaff=1816)with a hard case for just such activity. It's light, breaks down into several pieces and stores in a back-pack.
Anyways, for most trout and panfish this is all the rod you're gonna need. I wouldn't try pulling in monster Bass with it though.
I've got a Shakespeare WonderPole that I take backpacking. It's a ten foot, telescoping fiberglass pole and it weighs a few ounces. Tie ten feet of line to the tip, and it gives you about a twenty foot reach. I carry some jig heads, plastic worms and plastic grubs, and spool of line with it. It's light enough to make panfishing fun, and I've caught up to eighteen inch bass on it. Who needs a reel?
I'm a fisherman. During my thru-hike I almost took a pack rod with me. Instead I just took 25' feet of mono line and some hooks. Only fished a couple of times. I got so involved in my thru that fishing just wasn't that important any more. Talked to a few hikers who started out with a rod but soon sent them home.
As always, be sure to have a fishing license for each state you expect to fish in. You don't want to get cought without a license and give a bad name to hikers.
Panzer
I guess all you really need is a few M-80s and a dip-net. (j/k)
Last summer, I spent the night at Davenport Gap Shelter with some guys from Texas. One of them had a fly fishing pole with him and it definately was not a collapsable pole. He was at least six feet tall and the case rose a good three feet above his head. I have no idea how this guy got through some of those rhodie tunnels.
The HotDog
12-12-2005, 18:27
Last summer, I spent the night at Davenport Gap Shelter with some guys from Texas. One of them had a fly fishing pole with him and it definately was not a collapsable pole. He was at least six feet tall and the case rose a good three feet above his head. I have no idea how this guy got through some of those rhodie tunnels. I am a Fly Fisherman and you can get Fly rods very compact. to the same extent as a spining if, not smaller. the only problem with these are they run very high compared to Spining reels but to me fly fishing is one of the most enjoyable aspect of fishing. The fly fishing tackle is also very light compared to other forms of fishing. Check it out if you want to find something light weight to carry along, Don't worry about learning how to cast too much it is almost as easy as using a spin cast.
sparky2000
12-12-2005, 18:38
One of the hiking books had a story where fisherman where chased by a bear because they smelled like fish - i'm a natural chicken, and fighting bear is not one of my specialties.
Last year I carried my fishing "stuff" to Shenandoah NP only to find that no natural bait-this includes hot dogs-is allowed. So my fishing license was for nothing, never wetted the line. For trout fishing I think a fly rod is best.
I've never fished for trout-do baits other than dry flies and wet flies work? Everyone I saw fishing had a fly rod, so I bought one at Acadamey. 9 ft and breaks down to 4 pieces. This is a lot harder to use than the spinning outfits. Did I screw up by getting this fly rod?
Stag
Last year I carried my fishing "stuff" to Shenandoah NP only to find that no natural bait-this includes hot dogs-is allowed. So my fishing license was for nothing, never wetted the line. For trout fishing I think a fly rod is best.
I've never fished for trout-do baits other than dry flies and wet flies work? Everyone I saw fishing had a fly rod, so I bought one at Acadamey. 9 ft and breaks down to 4 pieces. This is a lot harder to use than the spinning outfits. Did I screw up by getting this fly rod?
Stag
You didn't scew up by getting a fly rod. The thing is that Fly fishing is a completely different horse to ride on. It's not correct to say that fly fishing is better for trout than spin tackle, it's just a different method. Fly fishing requires a more extensive skill set than spin tackle. It also requires a greater knowledge of insect hatches and the natural foods available to the trout in any given area in any given season. Fly fishing is a passion and an art...you shouldn't take it up just because a bunch of people had fly rods, you should pursue it because you love the intricacies of it.
squirrel bait
12-13-2005, 09:58
Ya can always cheat like I do, put a small ultra light open face spinning reel on your fly rod. Good trout baits for artificial only areas are soft bodied jigs in black or yellow/green, small floating lures such as Rapallas and Shad Raps and once in awhile itty bitty poppers. Use the lightest line your reel can handle, around four pound test, the light line helps cast these light wieght lures and the length of the rod takes all the strain off the line. I've landed some really big fish on this set up with no problem. Just plan on fighting them longer as you have no stiffness in the butt of the rod to horse them in with. Quite challenging and loads of fun. Use for panfish, bass, trout, walleye and of course Smallies, one of the best fighting fish you'll ever catch.