Packing A Fishing Pole

[Arsenul]

I plan on taking a day from each week just relaxing. I'm not a big hiker and although I can walk till I die, I will need breaks. I'd be just sitting in my hammock, reading a book, or fishing if possible. I'm curious if there are any good fishing poles that I can use which will fit easily inside of my pack. Got any ideas?

[Siestita]

Taking one rest day per week, either in town on along the trail, is not unusual. But "serious fishing" and "making trail miles" are different activities. Both are time intensive. Also, because much of it has deliberately been routed "up high", the AT is frequently a bit removed from streams and lakes. Fortunately though for us fishing enthusiasts, thru hiking, and AT section hiking are not the only means of enjoyably backpacking.

Over the years I've made many "short miles" multi-night back country fishing trips here in Kentucky. Initially I used, and quickly broke, several light weight but fllimsy packable rods. So, these days I take with me, depending upon my plans for a particular trip, either:

(1) a relatively rugged (think Ugly Stik), short (perhaps four or five foot) fiberglass spinning rod, carried in one of my hands. This means hiking without trekking poles, and also being careful not to leave the rod behind at rest breaks. OR

(2) A small plastic bottle or detergent cap with six pound test tied to it and wound around it. Fish don't care whether they are caught using such hand lines or brought in with a rod. Many people fish effectively with hand lines in Mexico and Central America. It helps if, along with some small bobbers and hooks, you also carry some live bait with you. For me at least, meal worms serve that purpose well, remaining alive on the trail for more days that other forms of live bait would. OR

(3) No fishing gear at all, but just that book that you mentioned...and maybe some matches so that I can play with fire.

[rocketsocks]

These are two of the pack rods I've used over the years


Attachment 23500 This one is a ice fishing pole, it has for eyes, works pretty good..."Uglystick" by Shakespeare, and a no-name reel.

Attachment 23499This is a Shakespeare "Uglystick" pretty sturdy, I don't use the case when packing it...and it goes in the outside side pocket...just gotta be mindful it's there..so not to let it get hung up on stuff...protect the tip, even though this thing is bomb proof.

[Dogwood]

Unless I'm doing some serious fly fishing out west on a hike/fishing trek I go with a small telescopic rod that weighs about 4- 5 oz and compacts down to something the size of a cigar with the lightest wt spinning reel loaded with 4 lb test. I take a few SMALL spinners, perhaps a couple of SMALL jigs for deeper water, a fly bobber and some flies, some split shot, and a few hooks in two or three sizes. If the rod breaks in that situation, since I'm mostly out to hike, I haven't lost or broken anything expensive. Out west I take fly and UL spinning rods and reels when it's my goal to do more fishing rather than thru-hiking.

[Tuckahoe]

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/t...ing-store.html

Check out Arrowheard Equipment. They carry some fly fishing equipment with the backpacker in mind.

[Xristos]

You are not going to get a more packable, lighter and simpler setup than a Tenkara fly fishing setup.

[DeerPath]

I plan on taking a day from each week just relaxing. I'm not a big hiker and although I can walk till I die, I will need breaks. I'd be just sitting in my hammock, reading a book, or fishing if possible. I'm curious if there are any good fishing poles that I can use which will fit easily inside of my pack. Got any ideas?

Check this out. http://penfishingrods.com/shop/index.php I purchased one with spin reel. I've caught seatrout with it. You can flyfish with it also. Get their flyfish reel, or tie a tippit on with a 1/16 oz shot where the tippet attaches to the line. Little prectice but it works.
Happy Trails

[Slo-go'en]

Total waste of effort for a AT thru-hike. Very few oppertunities to use it and you need a license for each state you fish in. You soon realise if a piece of gear isn't used pretty much every day, your not going to want to carry it.

[Arsenul]

Total waste of effort for a AT thru-hike. Very few oppertunities to use it and you need a license for each state you fish in. You soon realise if a piece of gear isn't used pretty much every day, your not going to want to carry it.

Maybe for you. This hike is going to be something I will talk to my kids about when I have them. I already plan on buying fishing license and small game license for each state. And I realize after a few days the pack starts to feel heavy and you are unable to go on, but that's part of the experience. It'll fill like that even if I don't have a fishing pole. I don't plan on hiking the AT at a speed that rivals everyone. I'm taking my time on it.

[Tuckahoe]

Maybe for you. This hike is going to be something I will talk to my kids about when I have them. I already plan on buying fishing license and small game license for each state. And I realize after a few days the pack starts to feel heavy and you are unable to go on, but that's part of the experience. It'll fill like that even if I don't have a fishing pole. I don't plan on hiking the AT at a speed that rivals everyone. I'm taking my time on it.

+1. It's your hike, enjoy it the way you wish to.

[JustaTouron]

Maybe for you. This hike is going to be something I will talk to my kids about when I have them. I already plan on buying fishing license and small game license for each state. And I realize after a few days the pack starts to feel heavy and you are unable to go on, but that's part of the experience. It'll fill like that even if I don't have a fishing pole. I don't plan on hiking the AT at a speed that rivals everyone. I'm taking my time on it.

HYOH, and have fun. But you do realize this going to be very expensive? Fourteen different out of state licenses.

[Dharma Dog]

Always bring my fishing gear on backpacking trips. Nuthin better than fresh fish for dinner or breakfast. My setup is a St. Croix Premier 4 piece 6 foot travel rod combined with a Pflueger Supreme XT spinning reel. The quality of the St. Croix rod is amazing and only 2.8 oz. It performs better than many of my one piece rods. The weight of the Pflueger is around 6.4 oz.

[Hill Ape]

Thru hiking is not prepping. It is not WROL or TEOTWAWKI. Enjoy your experience

[Dogwood]

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/t...ing-store.html

Check out Arrowheard Equipment. They carry some fly fishing equipment with the backpacker in mind.

You are not going to get a more packable, lighter and simpler setup than a Tenkara fly fishing setup.

Tenkara packable multi-piece fly rods, especially for the price, wt, and action are HARD to beat when mainly hiking. Those tiny pen rods are SUPER LIGHT wt, compact, and not overly expensive but they lack action IMHO. But they will work on the AT if you looking for something with those qualities
and just want to fool around fishing a bit. Ugly Stick and Shakespeare make cheapy telescoping rods too that are under $30.

[garyp]

You are not going to get a more packable, lighter and simpler setup than a Tenkara fly fishing setup.

As a avid fishing person with both, Fly and spinning I have to agree the Tenkara would suit me better than my currenty 2wt. it is half the weight of my total 2wt fly rod with my reel and rod combined.

[Another Kevin]

I don't do long distance hiking, so I can't comment about taking a rod on a thru. And I won't recommend unlicensed fishing, because the moderators don't approve of such things. But I've had fishing licenses at home, and there's plenty of backpacking right here in my home state.

Once, a long time ago, I was at a beautiful and remote stream on a hike, and improvised a fly from a safety pin and a couple of feathers that had leaked from a down sleeping bag, tied with dental floss. I just dabbled it with a handline (thread unraveled from the webbing of a belt, if I recall), and damned if a big trout didn't take it! (When they're hungry, they'll go for anything!) Of course, on a handline, and with no net, I didn't really have any way to land him, and eventually he slipped the barbless hook. A pity, really, he looked tasty. (Rice or couscous, dried veggies, and pieces of fresh trout laid on top to steam while the glop underneath cooks - ambrosia on the trail!)

I know, that's not fishing, that's just messing around. But if an officer had spotted me, I'd have had a ticket for not displaying my license. (I didn't even have one on me, I wasn't expecting to fish.)

[Rolls Kanardly]

Good luck fishing Arnesul

I checked a few of the first states of a NOBO hike and I was told to forget about Georgia. Too much going on in the beginning of your hike. The license fees can be expensive for out of state anglers in all the states for the full hike. I plan on making a pole on the trail. I will buy a couple of eye line guides and modify them to attach to a small stick I will smooth down. I will carry four lb test and very small hooks, a few split shot and some trout bait. Maybe a worm of two I can dig up on the trail. Last time I did this I went north in AZ just for a ride. Got to a small trout stream and saw a guy with waders, a creel, fancy hat, good looking fly rod and he was really quite good at throwing the line out. I cut a small branch off a tree, tied the line on and cut 3 trout while he caught nothing. He did not know how to read the stream. I will buy a license in every state I fish in although probably only one or two due to the cost. I have been thinking about carring fishing gear as long as I have been thinking about my other gear. I would really love to finish a thru hike and say I fished in every state but do not think that is going to happen. Rolls

Attachment 23513$100 at a better fishing and hunting stores Good kit combos about $30 too.

[HooKooDooKu]

I found a 5'+ pole that telescopes down to about 1' at the Bass Pro Shop. I picked it up to take when I go hiking with my son in GSMNP. The pole takes any standard reel, but I also found a little crappy real that is pretty small as well.

[Dogwood]

http://www.sportchalet.com/product/3...+telescoping+s

It's not that durable and the action is so so but it's less than $20. Substitute with a more compact lighter wt reel and it's usable though from time to time if mostly hiking and not primarily on a fishing trip. You have to be gentle in using and mindful of how you store/carry it. I put a nicer eye tip on the two I have or coat the guides with nail polish to protect the line and increase durability of the guides. Personally, I would do some pre-hike fishing research of what specific waterways I might want to fish on an AT hike(such as a AT thru-hike) and bump(mail) it ahead to USPOs for pick up just before that planned fishing stop and then mail it back out to my next anticipated fishing stop. Personally, I would like to see a single multi state fishing/hunting/foraging permit for people like AT hikers similar to the PCT 500+ mile permit that covers camping permits for the entire PCT.

[Del Q]

On my last section hike my Chiropractor suggested that I take some line and a hook.

I played Tom Sawyer, used a 6-7 foot stick, tied the line on it, hook, some cheese.................sat by the bank, had dinner, used a small stick as a way to float the bait above the bottom.

Was not really concerned about local / state fish & game laws, the chances of me catching a fish would get more laughs than fines.

The setup was so solid that I found a way to secure it through the night..............in the morning, cheese was still there.

Packed everything up and moved on, maybe I will be more succesful in the future. As for carrying more gear, worked HARD to get my pack under 30 lbs with food and water, not thinking of ever adding fishing gear.