Bass Pro Shops® Micro Lite™ Graphite Pack Rods

I like my Daiwa Mini Spin. Rod + reel + 100 yds of 4# Vanish line comes in at 8 oz (w/o case).

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=57944&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Add a #1 Mepps Agila and you are in business.

My daughter got the above rod from her grandfather for her birthday, and it is pretty decent. A little soft on the action if anything. A somewhat better rod in the same category is an older version of the Eagle Claw telescopic rod. The current one offered is only 4'6", but the one I have is 5 or 5'6". It seems to offer a little more stiffness and allows you to get your "fish on" at the drop of a pack. Combined with the same Diawa reel, it comes in at 8.5 oz.

I would agree that the action of the BPS rod is a little soft. I have never used a telescopic rod and have always looked down on them, but I may try the Eagle Claw rod now that I have talked to a satisfied user (the setup of the three piece rod takes some time and I also like to get my "fish on" when I drop my pack).

MEPPS AGLIA is the best lure out there! So we are in agreement there!:)

On another note: Do you guys catch and release, or do you add trout to your food list on hikes? I usually just cook them in the fire wrapped in aluminum foil. If anyone has some other methods/recipes, I would love to hear them.

Ryan, a thread on cooking fish can be found here:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/317/index.html

Thanks Steve, great info!!!

I have not cooked any trout in the backcountry for a long long time. I think I am too lazy to deal with it…and prefer to feel good about leaving them in the water.

My most productive lure in all parts of Northern Cal would be a Panther Martin Spotted Gold 1/16 oz.

Scott, what color is the body on the spotted gold? There are several PMs with a gold blade that I can think of: gold blade, yellow body, red spots; gold blade, black body, spots.

Steve,

I know you asked Scott the question, but I seem to have the best luck with the Panther Martin gold body and spoon with black spots. I recently tried a purple body, silver spoon Blue Fox Vibrax lure and had very good luck with it too. What else do you guys use?

Ryan, I like the #1 Mepps Agila best. The #0 Mepps Agila with the brass bead works well for small streams.

I've had good luck with the 1/8 oz all silver Blue Fox Super Vibrax (aka bell head spinner) although it seems to be prone to easy rusting.

1/8 oz gold Kastmaster has brought in my largest trout to date.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/7390/index.html

The next two days after that big rainbow I wasn't having any luck with silver or gold lures so I switched to an 1/8 oz Bass Pro Lazer Eye brown trout minnow (LEMS-13 in brown finish). That brought in a 21", 4.5 lb rainbow one day and an 18" rainbow the next. The Lazer Eye is nice because it is a floater and you can easily feed it down stream if you want. But the casting distance isn't nearly as good as with a Mepps or Kastmaster.

The panther martin was the gold spoon, black body and yellow spots.

I will look to try out some or all of the above listed lures. It would seem that the body of water is the most critical to success…but a good lure seals the deal.

Here are the Panther Martin's I picked up this year but haven't tried yet. Heard the first one is really good in clear streams and the last one early in the morning and at night fall.

Steve,

I picked up the lure on the right the last week. I am doing a 3 1/2 day trip this weekend, so I will get to try it out at some of the lakes we will be hiking to.

Ryan, let us know how the PM Zebra works for you.

I will do so! Hopefully it works well.

Cabela's also sells a telescoping rod in a few lengths and W/ SOME carbon fiber in the rod.

I like 'em B/C you can leave the line threaded thru the guides when packed. Saves set-up time.

Eric

to save time with my 3 piece rod i took a film canister and cut a small notch just bellow the cap. This allows me the leave the lure on (snapped inside the container) while i hike and just snap the rod together to start fishing.

-Tim

oh sorry, found this thread in an online search for the BPS pack rod, didn't realize it was 2yrs dead.

-Tim