Backcountry fishing

John pettimore

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
295
Location
Buffalo WY
I don’t fly fish and honestly don’t really care to start. But, I do have a desire to hike into some high country alpine lakes and catch some trout. Any recommendations for a fishing rod for this purpose? Any other gear or tips and tricks a new trout fisherman in this type of environment should know?
 

ODB

WKR
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
3,734
Location
N.F.D.
Never done it, but there’s not much a handful of Mepps spinners won’t catch. That’s what I’d pack with a 3-piece rod.
 

Mt Al

WKR
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
1,214
Location
Montana
What Bruce said: any packable rod/reel combo and smallish lures. Recommend bringing more lures than you think you need, sucks losing some and running out with no store nearby.
 

Jim1187

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 7, 2020
Messages
195
Location
New Brunswick, Canada
5' 6" to 7' light action spinning rod as you'd prefer, 0-3 size bluefox vibrax spinners in whatever colours you like, add a fly bobber a couple flys and you should be able to catch fish. Mepps or Panther Martin if those are your preference would work as well.
 
Joined
Jul 7, 2018
Messages
938
Location
Montana
As Jim1187 noted I would add that the Blue Fox Gold 0 has never failed me. Also, get a torpedo bobber and a couple flies (pistol pete and wooly bugger). I like to use a small Kastmaster spoon as well once in a while.
 

codycleve

FNG
Joined
Aug 31, 2020
Messages
42
If i'm fly fishing 4 piece 5wt. If i'm going with a spinning rod I use an Emmrod. they are really compact and almost indestructible which is good for backpacking.. I keep one on my raft and accidentally closed the tip in a drybox overnight and latched it.. The rod was fine.
 
Joined
May 17, 2018
Messages
325
Location
Southeast Ohio
Daiwa MiniSpin has served me well. I really like how compact it gets being a 5 piece rod.

I usually just tape all 5 pieces together and throw it in the pack. Nothing fancy but it's durable and catches fish.


Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2021
Messages
377
Location
Georgia
Order one of the trout magnet kits off of Amazon. You’ll get several different colors of hooks and jig bodies. They come in a small plastic case which is good for packing light. They look like a gimmick but they really do work. We catch trout of all sizes on them and usually catch trout while others are having very little luck with other bait or lures. I use a stop-start retrieve with them. My buddy caught a 20+ inch Rainbow from the Toccoa River on one last summer.
 
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Messages
2
Yes, it's fantastic to be in the mountains by the lake. Casting a bait and feeling the resistance of the fish on the other end of the line. I recently found information on the Carpiak Caravan website about Lake Johnson, British Columbia. I decided to go there with my family. I had been promising my boys to go fishing for a long time. I took three 5.5 foot spinning rods, lots of trollers and flies, all for camping. Now I think I'm done fishing alone. My kids have woken up as anglers. How can one remain indifferent to the beauty of nature, sunrise over the smooth surface of the lake and the clean mountain air?
 
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