Isle Royale Forums

Help..I need some gear advice, are there fishing poles made for backpackers, small, light, etc? Any suggestions for a reasonable price…under $50? I would just be using for fun and fishing from the shore.

I know nothing about fishing, but it seems like it would be a lot of fun to have a fishing pole along for the ride when I’m backpacking. Plus, I have some buddies that I could probably get to the island if we did some fishing.

Thanks

I don't know anything about fishing. But, a google search brought up the following that seems to meet your criteria:

http://www.basspro.com/Shakespeare-Trav ... 4959/57722

Thanks Vandy! I didn't see that one when I was searching around. It looks good.

I found this one online this morning when I was looking around.

http://www.gofastandlight.com/Ultraligh ... I-PCOMSTF/

I'll have to check with my buddies that fish to see what they think before I make any purchase. I'll learn how to fish when they strap on a pack and hit the trail

The rod systems previously mentioned in this post are (in my opinion) too light to handle the Northern Pike you will encounter in the inland lakes. Not that you couldn't land a 18-24" Northern Pike on an ultralight rig, but it would be tough because the rod is not stiff enough. I recommend at least a medium-light to medium rod.

I hope you had a chance to peruse the "Canoeing, Kayaking, and Fishing" sub-forum? Lots of good fishing tips in there, but not all recommendations are within your price point.

Here are some tips on selecting a fishing rod... http://isleroyaleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1452

Check Bass Pro, Cabelas or Gander Mtn for combo kits. I have carried a 2 pc Medium light spinning rod and tackle on backpacking trips and have caught fish from shore (I like wading). The above stores usually have some kind of 4th of July sale.
Make sure you read the fishing regs in the Greenstone.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Time for some gear shopping!

I've had good luck trolling http://www.ffo-tackle.com for deals

It's a manufacturer close out site. If you're not in a hurry, you can usually come across deals on rods that would suit your purpose.

Here's an example http://ffo-tackle.com/detail.cfm?PassProdId=5706

This one might be a little short, but you get the idea of what's on the site http://ffo-tackle.com/detail.cfm?PassProdId=5541

The rod systems previously mentioned in this post are (in my opinion) too light to handle the Northern Pike you will encounter in the inland lakes.

I second this comment. Several years ago a buddy and I were on IR and he broke his pole on the very first fish - a 24"ish pike. I would also recommend a medium-medium light rod and a reel spooled with 8-10lb braided line. This saves you from carrying leaders for those toothy pike and it will also allow you to extract your lures from the shoreline reeds.

You can get a telescoping rod, but I've not had much luck with those. I would recommend (and it's what I carry) a 2 piece rod and just use heavy duty rubber bands to keep the section together and attach it to the side of your backpack....