Travel rod suggestions?

[Panhandler80]

Looking for a quality 3 or even 4 piece rod that will pack and fish well. Will be on a lake (possibly a stream nearby) in western Alaska in early Sept for 11 days.

Really liked the idea of this rod with the two different weight mid sections and two different action tips, plus the rod tube. Basically three rods and a tube for $200.

Stowaway Travel Rods - Multi-action Interchangeable Spinning Rods In a Premium Aluminum Travel Tube

The Stowaway is a 3-piece multi-action rod designed for the traveling angler. The package includes 5 interchangeable pieces, 2 interchangeable mid-sections, 2 interchangeable tip-sections, and our ergonomic Toadfish handle that break down to store in a crush-proof aluminum travel tube. This...

toadfish.com

I then read where it says NO RETURNS ORV EXCHANGE ON RODS. ALL SALES FINAL. Knowing my luck it would show up with factory defect. My guess is they drop ship directly from a big name manufacturer and neither mfg nor the brand is going to deal with warranty with so little volume at hand. A shame. Folks really seem to like the rods.

St Croix appears to have some decent options. I kinda like TRS66MF4. 6’6”, M power, lure 1/4-5/8. Or one step up to MH power which gets me lure weight 3/8-3/4.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

It’s sort of all about what kind of $$$ you want to spend. At croix and TFO make some good take down 4 piece rods.

Personally though, I like using a 4 piece ugly stick that cost like 40 dollars and an eagle claw that’s like 6 or 7 pieces that I got at a garage sale for 15 bucks. Normally on a hunting trip I take the ugly stick rod with a shimano reel.

I’ve thought about getting a nicer travel rod but the ugly stick does just fine, I’ve landed lots of nice rainbows, grayling, pike and dolly varden on hunting trips.

 

[Trial153]

If your talking grayling and char, pretty much any 4 to 6 piece light spinning Rod or 3-4 weight fly Rod will work… I bring an old 4 Wt 6 piece rod that tie up the. strap onto my bow quiver then tuck it all into my bow sling cover… just to save weight. Mine is an old LL bean travel rod that hasn’t been made in like 15 years.

 

[huck]

where did you find that ugly stick ? thats what ive been looking for.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

where did you find that ugly stick ? thats what ive been looking for.

I think I got it from cabelas or bass pro.

 

[Panhandler80]

If your talking grayling and char, pretty much any 4 to 6 piece light spinning Rod or 3-4 weight fly Rod will work… I bring an old 4 Wt 6 piece rod that tie up the. strap onto my bow quiver then tuck it all into my bow sling cover… just to save weight. Mine is an old LL bean travel rod that hasn’t been made in like 15 years.

LL bean still brands some travel rods btw. Haha. I’m sure mfg has changed 6-7 times

 

[Panhandler80]

Sounds like it doesn’t much matter.

I’m just trying to put final product on board for this Sept.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Sounds like it doesn’t much matter.

I’m just trying to put final product on board for this Sept.

It doesn’t matter for a rod to take along hunting. If I’m just going on a fishing trip, I have more expensive rods like g loomis, at croix, moonshine etc. For a float trip for moose, I’d just toss the ugly stick in with my shimano Sahara reel. A small tackle box with spinners and a bit of too water stuff, a few steel leaders in case I get into pike and call it a day.

 

[Panhandler80]

It doesn’t matter for a rod to take along hunting. If I’m just going on a fishing trip, I have more expensive rods like g loomis, at croix, moonshine etc. For a float trip for moose, I’d just toss the ugly stick in with my shimano Sahara reel. A small tackle box with spinners and a bit of too water stuff, a few steel leaders in case I get into pike and call it a day.

Yeah. I hear ya. I just hate fishing with bo bo gear and if I don’t break it on hunt, I can always incorporate a quality piece into my inshore arsenal for here.

 

[Panhandler80]

Well… went with the Toadfish. After taxes and with discount came to $180. That’s four possible configurations and a hard case. Ugly as sin, but whatever.

Ordered the Medium / Medium heavy at 7’2.

REALLY struggled between this one and the Medium / Medium Light at 6’8”

Hope I didn’t order too much rod. Worst case scenario this one sticks to salt water and I need to order another light one.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Well for anyone looking at this in the future, I love my Spinmatic 4-piece. Threw an okuma ceymar 20 or 30 on there. Total out the door $120 or so.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Yeah. I hear ya. I just hate fishing with bo bo gear and if I don’t break it on hunt, I can always incorporate a quality piece into my inshore arsenal for here.

I'm with you, As long as I have a nice smooth reel, I can deal with a spinning rod thats not high end, I'm the opposite for fly fishing though. I just go with cheaper rods when I get 4 piece because I don't really have a use for 4 piece rods outside of float trips. If I was going to spend the money, Id get the TFO 4 piece.

 

[Panhandler80]

I'm with you, As long as I have a nice smooth reel, I can deal with a spinning rod thats not high end, I'm the opposite for fly fishing though. I just go with cheaper rods when I get 4 piece because I don't really have a use for 4 piece rods outside of float trips. If I was going to spend the money, Id get the TFO 4 piece.

Dang. I forgot to look into this option. Looks like most their stuff (like Everything else these days) is out of stock. 99% of blanks from a handful of Chinese manufacturers, so no big surprise there. Probably stuck in a container somewhere.

I figure I’ll bring this new 3 piece to Alaska and then keep in truck full time for random fishing opportunities.

 

[Panhandler80]

Well, Called up Toadfish (I hate even typing that) and canceled the 7’2 order for the Med or Med Heavy. Ordered the 6’8” Med or Med Light. Going to make it an Alaska then dedicated truck rod. $180 all said and done ain’t cheap, but it creates 4 rod options with hard tube. I have enough quality 1 piece rods for boat

 

[LightManSA]

I was looking at that Toadfish rod too. They have been hammering me with email offers for months now…. When I saw your post, I thought I’d look into it. I’d like to hear what you think about that Med Light…

 

[Panhandler80]

W

I was looking at that Toadfish rod too. They have been hammering me with email offers for months now…. When I saw your post, I thought I’d look into it. I’d like to hear what you think about that Med Light…

Will report.

Hard tube and four different combos for $180 seems kinda hard to beat. Too bad they so damn ugly.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

W

Will report.

Hard tube and four different combos for $180 seems kinda hard to beat. Too bad they so damn ugly.

The toadfish rod is interesting. I signed up to get a 10% off code so when I get back from my snow machine ride and get drunk I’ll probably make a bad decision with the credit card.

I wish they didn’t use that baby blue color and there is no way in hell I’d use the matching reel.

 

[Panhandler80]

The toadfish rod is interesting. I signed up to get a 10% off code so when I get back from my snow machine ride and get drunk I’ll probably make a bad decision with the credit card.

I wish they didn’t use that baby blue color and there is no way in hell I’d use the matching reel.

Oh yes. Super ugly.

There’s a 15% discount now with THANKYOUMILITARY

And with you on reel. Not just matchy match silly, but there are WAY MORE reel manufacturers out there than there are blank builders. I’m sure their blank is from China and likely from same factory as well known brands. Reels not so much. You can look and feel a rod and get a pretty good idea of qualify. Yeah it could explode, but…, a reel you have NO CLUE. granted you can get away with no name reels on small fish, but I don’t allow knock off no names on my boat offshore.

 

[Docpk]

Look at St. Croix's offerings. Great rods.

 

[diamond10x]

Any light rod will work just fine for anything on a moose hunt. The cheaper the rod the better, you’ll be focused on hunting and don’t want to have to worry about a nice rod getting broken. I say that cause I was in that same predicament before and just decided to go with an el cheapo Shakespeare for 30$ or something like that. I fish with expensive rods and reels when I’m on a fishing trip and it was a bit of a shock at first but was glad I didn’t spend the coin and not have to worry about throwing a fishing pole around while I’m camping and hunting.