Fishing setup for drop hunt?

[McCree]

Looking for recommendations for a packable fishing setup for an upcoming AK drop camp hunt.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’d just get a take down spinning setup like an eagle claw or an ugly stick. If you have more expensive tastes, you could get a toadfish, at croix, or TFO travel rod. I think there’s even a company that makes a high end telescoping rod but I forgot the name. I’d put a mid-level shimano reel on it like a Sahara or Sedona, maybe even a Stradic.

Set it up with 10-15lb braid with a flauro carbon leader and take a section of vibrax, kodiak customs, pixies and maybe some basic top water stuff and some stew leaders.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Tenkara is the go to for lightweight and packable fishing gear.

Those things suck.

 

[AKDoc]

Similar to thinhorn_AK...if I'm grabbing a lite-weight spinning rod, mine is a St Croix, Flueger reel, braided line, etc. It has served me well for some good sized fish.

That said, you should ask about the lake fishing in the specific area where you will be dropped for your moose hunt. I'm assuming that you are doing a lake-drop moose hunt, and (if so) lake fishing does vary across this huge state of Alaska. For example, where I am lake-dropped for moose hunts, it is generally not good fishing because many of the lakes in that specific area are mostly pretty shallow, deep freezing over the winter, and don't generally hold fish well. By contrast, there are other Alaskan adventures where my fly-rod and spinning-rod are the first two things that I pack...those two rod cases are already taped together for an upcoming float-trip in August!

 

[Lurch12]

Tenkara is the go to for lightweight and packable fishing gear.

X2 for tenkara. For small streams. Dunno about for Alaska tho.

 

[Stefanko]

I used my St.Croix Fly rod and packed the reel in my pack along with a dozen or so flies, I tucked the Rod case into the side of my Beartooth 80 and it worked perfect

 

[diamond10x]

What thinhorn said. I've been using a cheapo (25$ combo) 4 piece shakespeare rod and real with 8lb mono. Tackle box has lures he mentioned and thin steel leaders. It has survived several trips and a bunch of eater size dollies and pike.

It's easy to overthink it, I did on my first trip.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Haha it depends on the location. Idk AK, but in small streams when you’re looking for lightweight they really can’t be beat! Now on a lake of course it would suck.

They don’t really suck, I mean if you like using them that’s cool. Seems like it would be better suited for hiking into small creeks or something rather than trying to land bigger fish. It would have worked well where I grew up, the fly fishing was pretty good in that you could catch fish all day long but in those creeks, the larger browns and brownies were like 7”. Tenkara would have been good for walking back and fishing those.

Just seems like sort of a hipster thing now though. I know a guy who is all about the tenkara and he dosent really catch anything. He says it’s all about the experience and that he’s a purist but if you aren’t catching anything…..that same guy is in his early 40s and is obsessed with Japanese animation and plays that card game magic.

 

[Rich M]

We have a lot of bream poles down here that are about 16-18 inches long and extend out to 6-8-10 ft and are like a cane pole - no eyes, you tie the line to the tip. If that interest you, then spend $20 on one and use it for dipping brookies out of small creeks and beaver ponds. Spending $200 bucks on a similar packable rod seems kinda nuts to me. Kudos to them for lightening people's wallets tho.

But there really is nothing you can't do with a small spinning set-up, some spoons, spinners, Rapalas. Pack rod kits are reasonably priced and usually have 3 or 4 segment rods and a small spinning reel. Pike, trout, salmon are all doable with a pack rod. You can also dip small trout out of small streams with it.

If you have to fly fish - you're on your own. All my fly fishing stuff is 2 piece and just don't use it much. Fun for bream and crappie tho.

have a fun trip.

 

[VernAK]

Alaskan Tenkara.......a willow stick with mono and a Mepps or dark fly.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I pack with a 7' 4pc rod that i keep inside a shipping tube, weighs nothing.

 

[Panhandler80]

Travel rod suggestions?

I have several St. Croix Triumph Series 4 piece rods, both spinning and casting. For the money, they can't be beat and St. Croix is a real American rod company. Note, the Triumph series are their base level rods which are manufactured to their specifications in Mexico. But, their price reflects...

www.rokslide.com

 

[mooster]

Similar to thinhorn_AK...if I'm grabbing a lite-weight spinning rod, mine is a St Croix, Flueger reel, braided line, etc. It has served me well for some good sized fish.

That said, you should ask about the lake fishing in the specific area where you will be dropped for your moose hunt. I'm assuming that you are doing a lake-drop moose hunt, and (if so) lake fishing does vary across this huge state of Alaska. For example, where I am lake-dropped for moose hunts, it is generally not good fishing because many of the lakes in that specific area are mostly pretty shallow, deep freezing over the winter, and don't generally hold fish well. By contrast, there are other Alaskan adventures where my fly-rod and spinning-rod are the first two things that I pack...those two rod cases are already taped together for an upcoming float-trip in August!

My experience also. Caught 8-10” pike and had to work to catch them. I too was told the shallow water freezing was the issue.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Being severely limited in gear weight and space, my rig is minimal. I'm only chasing grayling on a small stream anyway. I've got a 3 piece hi-mod graphite rod that fits inside my ultralight arrow case. Shimano reel tucked into my backpack for the flight to camp. Small Plano (pocket sized) box with snap swivels, shot, small spinners and lures specifically for grayling. I always have a pair of needle-nose pliers with me as well. I'm only fishing when the mood hits me and that's not very often when I have an unfilled moose tag. Even when I'm fishing I'm in hunting mode...watching my surroundings and listening for moose. I'm strictly a catch & release angler as I don't bring the needed stuff to cook fish.