Backcountry fishing rod

Jd259

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Jan 22, 2017
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Hey guys I'm headin back into the flat tops again this year chasing elk and I want to do a little fishin while I'm in there in some of the lakes can anyone recommend a light weight fishing rod set up that I could throw in my pack?
Thanks
 
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
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I like flyfishing but for trips like that a 5 piece Ugly Stick and reel is sure nice. A couple lures along with a fly and bubble set up will 99.9% of the time yield high country trout.
Besides being light it is nice how small it gets so you don't have a 4 ft antennae sticking out of your pack.
 
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Jd259

Jd259

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Jan 22, 2017
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Awesome man I'll check it out, any suggestion on lures or flies to try or will they mostly eat anything up there??
 

AdamW

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Oct 27, 2015
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In some of my recent searching for some fishing in CO this summer I've heard Panther Martins recommended over and over again. Yellow with red or black accents seems to be a popular one.
 

SLDMTN

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Jul 30, 2015
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Palmer, AK
Cheap, dirty, easy button Ugly Stik Ice Fishing Combo. - $30 Guys on our packraft rondy trip landed a nice lakers with this style setup.

Ugly Stik makes a 4 piece rod like mentioned above - $30 for the pole alone, add your own reel.

Eagle Claw makes several packable options with a case. - $Price varies depending on model from $30 for the telescoping combo to about $60 for the pole alone.

Emmrod Pack-Rod - $50 or so, they review really well. No first hand experience with them though.
 
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Jd259

Jd259

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Jan 22, 2017
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Cheap, dirty, easy button Ugly Stik Ice Fishing Combo. - $30 Guys on our packraft rondy trip landed a nice lakers with this style setup.

Ugly Stik makes a 4 piece rod like mentioned above - $30 for the pole alone, add your own reel.

Eagle Claw makes several packable options with a case. - $Price varies depending on model from $30 for the telescoping combo to about $60 for the pole alone.

Emmrod Pack-Rod - $50 or so, they review really well. No first hand experience with them though.

Sweet thanks for the input man I'll check it out a lot of the stuff I've been finding has been $100+ just for a rod I just want something reasonable and light so I can catch some dinner a few nights!
 

xziang

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Oct 8, 2014
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Location
Nebraska
I'll be doing the same thing this year and my setup is just going to be a cheap ultralight 2 piece spinning rod and a pflueger spinning reel. The rod will obviously have to be secured on the side but I'll tape it up with some electrical tape.

Lures will be small rooster tails more than likely. I'll have to try and bobber and fly aspect.
 
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Jd259

Jd259

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Jan 22, 2017
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Beendare

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May 6, 2014
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Corripe cervisiam
FWIW, I've broken 3 of those cheap $29-ish pack rods from Bass Pro and Cabelas over the years...cheap Chinese crap.

I finally spent some $$ on a name brand rod and its going on 10 years now
 

vanish

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May 26, 2016
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Location
Colorado
Eagle Claw 4 Piece rod
Inexpensive small reel
1/6oz Gold Thomas Bouyant
1/4oz Silver Kastmaster
Black/Yellow Panther Martin Spinner
Size 1 Aglia Silver/Red Spinner
Fly and Bubble with Griffiths Gnat, Wooly Bugger/Pistol Pete and Hare's Ear

If you can't catch them with the above, go to the next lake.
 
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Jd259

Jd259

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Jan 22, 2017
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Eagle Claw 4 Piece rod
Inexpensive small reel
1/6oz Gold Thomas Bouyant
1/4oz Silver Kastmaster
Black/Yellow Panther Martin Spinner
Size 1 Aglia Silver/Red Spinner
Fly and Bubble with Griffiths Gnat, Wooly Bugger/Pistol Pete and Hare's Ear

If you can't catch them with the above, go to the next lake.

Thanks man I'll try that for sure I'm almost getting as excited about fishin as I am about the hunt!
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2013
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Any properly rated rod that breaks down for easy packing will do. I don't know if i could enjoy fishing while listening to bugles.
 

wooduckman

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 28, 2016
Messages
139
Location
Colorado
My backpacking fly rod is a 4pc 3wt TFO Finesse paired with a Redington Rise reel. Super light weight combo that is fun to fight 12-16" cutts on.
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
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Colorado
If you go with a fly rod, bead head zug bugs and prince nymphs work well in the streams, I like any tiny dry flies for lakes. If they are feeding at the surface, most of the time a mosquito pattern dry, presented gently, will be money in the bank.
 

Fitzwho

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Apr 18, 2017
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Midland, TX
90% of my rods are 3-4 piece pack rods anymore. My wife and I try to travel a lot and I can pack these in my checked baggage.

If you fly fish, I would look at a 7.5' to 9', 3 to 5wt rd, running a cheapo reel (don't need much of a drag system on most fish in the highcounty).

As for a light action spinning reel, I've been running a Fenwick Eagle GT2 4-piece, 7-ft, light action rod for about 6 years. I have caught everything from bluegill to bonita (little tunnies) to 6lbs on it and it's still running like a champ.

Fly selection can get a little tedious, but for lures, like a couple guys have already said, Panther Martins and other inline spinners probably can't be beat.
 
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