Packable Fly Rod Setup

[Trapline]

My backcountry camp site this year is next to a creek that offers some trout fishing. I have never fly fished before and want to give it a shot while we are down there. Since it is a 2000’ elevation drop and we will have camp on our backs looking for some suggestions on packable options for a fly rod and reel. Anyone pack a fly rod?

 

[gerry35]

Echo makes some nice 4 piece rods and even an 8 piece pack rod. Haven't tried the 8 piece but have thought about picking one up.

 

[BBob]

Yes. Depending on creek size I’ll pack one of two, both 3wt. If everything is really small I’ll take a short little creek rod and a normal length for larger.

 

[Stalker69]

Most fly rods are 4 piece, and come with, or you can buy a tube for the rod. Hunting back packs normally have pockets for a spotting scope that the rod case fits niecly in. Reel is easy to pack. TFO make some decent rods, for the price. I like my moon shine rods as well.

 

[Hnthrdr]

If it’s not a big stream I’d recommend a smaller rod, especially if there are willows like 6’ or 6’6”. Even better get a tenkara rod, they telescope and are about the most simple type of fishing, a little line and some flies and you are set

 

[justinspicher]

I use a tenkara rod, which is much more simpler than a normal fly rod.

 

[SHTF]

I picked one of these up about a year ago for this very reason. http://www.penfishingrods.com/shop/ you can laugh but there are videos out there of guys catching 24 lb fish on this little mini rod and 6lbs test line. This thing packs down to fit in your pocket.

 

[whoami-72]

Just gonna throw it out there. I have two rods, a really nice sage and a $40 cabelas rod both 9' 5wt and one is 3 piece the other is 4. Frankly, they are both so light that I wouldn't mind packing either one of them. Same rhing with reels. The bigger concern is waders and the ridiculous amount of tackle involved with fly fishing. If you've never fly fished before definitely learn on a stream where you can try everything and learn before you cut down to the minimum in your pack

 

[Team4LongGun]

I love fly fishing, but considering my miserable 18 hours on the water before I landed a trout, I’d say learn outside of a hunt.

Once you work out all the bugs of casting, mending, drag free presentations, then pack it in for a hunt. Good luck

 

[87TT]

If I have time to fish, I have time to hunt. That said I might take a rod but it would only get used if I was tagged out.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Almost any 4 piece rod and reel is great to take along hunting. I have a moonshine 9ft 5wt that I pack along sometimes but havn’t taken it out yet. I also have a 4 piece ugly stick spinning rod and a 7 piece eagle claw rod.

 

[4rcgoat]

Douglas rods have a sweet little 3wt in a 6 piece design.

 

[Dryfly1]

Most rods these days are packable. As nice as it sounds hunting and fishing in the same trip never seems to work.

2Gbl

 

[5MilesBack]

A 6 piece 7' rod in a 3wt is hard to beat for packing. You don't need anything special for a reel, just something small and light to keep the line.

 

[Q child]

I have been obsessed with this question in years past, and have tried a few different things.
I like those nylon and plastic rod tubes that have a pouch for the reel. A lot of budget friendly options out there come with this type of tube or you can pick one up for relatively cheap if your rod came with the other type of tube. I just put one of these in the water bottle/ side pouch deal on my pack. Also convenient that your reel isn't taking up space in your pack.

Sage Ballistic Rod/Fly Reel Cases

Check out the deal on Sage Ballistic Rod/Fly Reel Cases at REELFLYROD

www.reelflyrod.com

If that isn't packable enough for you, then you can get a rod with more than four pieces. I own a 5-wt, 9'0", 6-piece Hardy Demon Smuggler (best rod name ever), which is the best more-than-four-piece rod that I have ever used. They don't make them anymore, but you can still buy them brand new on ebay from a shop out of Australia. Hardy also made this rod up to 8-wt, so they have options if you are packing in to a salmon stream.
Additionally, I have a 3-wt, 8'0", 6-piece Douglas Upstream, which comes with a tiny tube. A great rod for little streams and dry flies. A lot of feel and finesse. It casts beautifully, but not very far. A great roll caster.

 

[Thinkingman]

I have been obsessed with this question in years past, and have tried a few different things.
I like those nylon and plastic rod tubes that have a pouch for the reel. A lot of budget friendly options out there come with this type of tube or you can pick one up for relatively cheap if your rod came with the other type of tube. I just put one of these in the water bottle/ side pouch deal on my pack. Also convenient that your reel isn't taking up space in your pack.

Sage Ballistic Rod/Fly Reel Cases

Check out the deal on Sage Ballistic Rod/Fly Reel Cases at REELFLYROD

www.reelflyrod.com

If that isn't packable enough for you, then you can get a rod with more than four pieces. I own a 5-wt, 9'0", 6-piece Hardy Demon Smuggler (best rod name ever), which is the best more-than-four-piece rod that I have ever used. They don't make them anymore, but you can still buy them brand new on ebay from a shop out of Australia. Hardy also made this rod up to 8-wt, so they have options if you are packing in to a salmon stream.
Additionally, I have a 3-wt, 8'0", 6-piece Douglas Upstream, which comes with a tiny tube. A great rod for little streams and dry flies. A lot of feel and finesse. It casts beautifully, but not very far. A great roll caster.

I always wanted a Douglas 3wt.
Redington Classic Trout is available in packable 2wt and 3wt configurations. If you do buy a trout setup, don't spend $$ on the reel...It's just a line spool at that level.
Focus on the rod and line.
You're getting good advice re attaching a rod tube to the side of your backpack.

 

[jgilber5]

I believe reddington makes a backpacking specific 6 piece as well. Just toss that and a handful of flies and you'll be set for any small stream.

 

[Yorkshire]

Tenkara would be a good option for a small creek


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[Trr15]

A tenkara rod is the way to go. I’ve packed mine in on a few sheep and archery elk hunts. Rod tube and a small fly box and you’re set.

 

[Q child]

I always wanted a Douglas 3wt.
Redington Classic Trout is available in packable 2wt and 3wt configurations. If you do buy a trout setup, don't spend $$ on the reel...It's just a line spool at that level.
Focus on the rod and line.
You're getting good advice re attaching a rod tube to the side of your backpack.

Agreed. A trout rod doesn't require much reel. Maybe if your fishing for big trout, but most of the time the reel doesn't do a whole lot. I did splurge and put a click & pawl Abel reel on my Douglas. It is a completely unnecessary luxury, but wow, I love that tiny reel. Just a beautiful setup.
I also obsessed about lines in years past. Totally agree with Thinkingman. Fly lines can make or break the setup. Most modern graphite fly rods are overweighted a little bit compared to the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) standard, so there aren't that many lines out there that are actually true-to-weight anymore. This is frustrating to me, but it is where we are at, so I deal. The AFFTA standard is also antiquated due to the development of sophisticated line tapers. But I think it is still a helpful reference for understanding what a particular rod weight is, and subsequently what you want to use that particular rod for.
I usually start with a general weight-forward taper weighted 1/2 size heavy. I like the Scientific anglers MPX taper for general use. This will be versatile and allow you to throw heavier gear while also allowing for some level of delicacy in presentation when fishing lighter gear.
If you are primarily fishing streamers you can go up a full line weight to help load the rod. I like the Rio Grand taper for this, and use it often on my Salmon rods where I fish pretty heavy flies.
If you are mostly fishing dries you can get a line that is true to weight to help presentation. The Rio Gold taper is nice, and is in the true-to-weight window, even if just barely. If you are looking for real delicacy, then you can always use a double taper. I have one of those on my 3wt.
I believe each of the tapers that I mentioned come in a variety of price-points with the more expensive lines having more bells and whistles - like texturing or chemical treatments that resist residue. Those bells and whistles are nice, but the taper is really the important part.
Buy the nicest line you can afford, and clean it often. And replace it every once in a while.