Best Packable Rod & Reel Combo?

Guyon

Guyon

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The review of the pen-sized rod & reel got me wondering.

What is the best packable rod & reel combo on the market?

I'm thinking here of a set-up that is large enough to have a functioning reel (castable), but small enough to pack both rod & reel in an average sized day pack.
 
I suggest a St. Croix Premier Traveller rod with a nice lightweight reel such as this Quantum Kinetic PTi.

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Good review on the St. Croix...
 
what kind of fishing?


I only ask because it's probably going to come down to reels....since any 4 or 5 piece rod is very backpack-able.

Dan
 
I've got a St. Croix 4 piece pack rod too and a similar sized reel as Hassilov.

I couldn't find any 5 piece rods, and I hear the telescopic rods dont compare.
 
I get to heli-fish as off the books trips as part of my job and a $20 Wally world collapsible works fine to land 15lb pike and large walleye for me.

whatever works.

Skam
 
I've been thinking about this a lot recently and even called a local shop for some info. The only thing they said specifically was that the telescoping rods aren't any good, Though he couldn't seem to give me a reason i.e. (strength, durability, ease) why they don't compair.

I've been looking at peoples set ups where they just wrap line around a can, but a really a compact rod is going to be better.

Guyon, I'd be curious to know what you end up going with.
 
Packable? How Packable? We pack a regular 2 piece rod in a flouresent lightbulb protector strapped to the outside of my pack:

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Admittedly, it's not as "packable" as a nice 4 piece, but it lets me take my favorite rod without having to spend the money on a dedicated pack rod.
 
I think the issue with telecopic rods is durability for sure, and I bet the short segments dont give the rod the same flex. Never owned one, but at the firebase I was working at last summer, there were a bunch of broken telescopic rods kicking around, that said enough for me to steer clear.

You can make a crush proof container for your rod out of some ABS plumbing piping, they got thread on covers too. Sometimes I dont bother though, depends on the bag I take. Drybag definitely needs a case. In my pack the rod is okay without it, fits nicely in the corner of my bag that the round sleeping bag sack doesnt fill and braced by the internal frame.

For a reel, I'd want something that fits in my canteen cup or small pot, thats what I use to protect my reel in the pack.
 
Best packable rod that doesn't need a reel:

If you're looking for really lightweight flyfishing setups, check out tenkara, a traditional Japanese style of fly fishing: TenkaraUSA

Best for small streams, it's actually virtually identical to the original English flyfishing per Isaac Walton, etc.

It's also a lot of fun! :thumbup::D
 
I have an Abu garcia 275 spincast reel on a Abu Collapsible rods that measures 5'3" fully extended ,packs down to about 18". great rig for pan fishing or fish under 3-4 #'s & I have maybe $40 tops invested and it gets used alot.
 
I have an Emmrod, there is a bit of a learning curve for casting but it comes fairly fast. I got it to take on the motorcycle. The thing I like is I can use reels that I already own.
 
hushnel said:
I have an Emmrod, there is a bit of a learning curve for casting but it comes fairly fast. I got it to take on the motorcycle. The thing I like is I can use reels that I already own.
Click to expand...

I looked at the Emmrod website. Is it as durable as they say? It looks like it would be heavier then a normal rod?
 
It's solid, I haven't noticed it being heavy, though it can be, with the stiffer rod sections and added weight that screws onto the base of the handle.
 
Well, now you've done it, Guyon. With this thread and the results of John G's home-spun cattail fishing line, I have added yet another hobby to the list. Maybe in ten years(minutes?) or so I will combine them into a bow-fishing setup complete with hand-ground points.

Can't you guys just let me enjoy the hobbies I already have? :D
 
I think there is a cheaper 4 piece breakdown called black beauty or something like that. It allows both spin and fly reels. My friend has one and it's pretty decent for the price point. I have a 4 piece low end fly rod that has been working good for me, I just upgraded the real to a slightly better one. I think mine was around $150, and seems to be holding up well.
 
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