I'm thinking of this combo....

It comes with this rod.....

The price is right! But I'd willing to spend a bit more if there's a better choice out there.

I'm a former backpacker who bought Daiwa spinning paks -closed face reel & rod worked great.Here's 2 selections:EXEC Soft Pack ESPSP-STZ/JA list $72 or Minispin MS-S500T @ $37 list.My family hiked in for 2 weeks & we flyfished with our backpacking rods using a clear plastic bubble, gold swivel and a dry fly on 3 foot leader at the alpine lake.The trout would hit the float,swivel & fly simultaneously we had a then 10 fish limit in about 15 minutes we cooked and ate the trout for lunch, btw the cirque lake was 13+ miles in by trail with trout to 24 inches in a mountainous area of California.

When I'm in the backcountry, I'll carry an ultralight rated ice fishing rod(28") with spinning reel loaded w/4lb test line.....a small Super Duper spoon is my "secret" lure:~) but the grayling that inhabit every trickle of water in the north country aren't picky....works in the small lakes with the bubble and flies(#14 black gnat) also.

Depending on the pack I'm using, the rig neatly ties to the outside of the smaller packs, or inside the main compartment on the big pack.
Very inexpensive setup that stands up to all kinds of abuse.

Joe

I've got the Daiwa mini spin combo MSG 59S. It is 5'2" and with the open faced reel weighs less than 1 lb. For 2-4 lb line but the new spider wire stuff can move that to 8 lbs or better.

Max length is 14" in a 5 piece pole.

Used it for years and it is a permanent part of my Horse tack.

I also have a couple of telescoping rods but would not recommend them for serious fishing.

I'd personally not go beyond a four piece rod... there are dozens available. Any small spinning reel will work. 6lb test is about ideal.

Here's a 16" Cutt I caught on a BP trip in September on such a rig:

Mickey brought up the spider wire and it's interesting stuff......with the exception of my pack setup described above, all of my fishing setups are now spooled w/PowerPro line(braided super line much like what Mickey described)....8lb test PowerPro has the diameter of 1 pound test monofilament.....my saltwater jigging rod is spooled w/50lb test PP and the 50# is the same diameter of 12lb test monofilament....recently fished for smallmouth and walleye in Canada using PP high visability line, no mono leader, and it didn't bother the fish at all.

I didn't think about the weight of my pack rig until Mickey posted.....8.2oz all up including the Super Duper.

Joe

I use a telescoping rod that I bought in NZ - works great. Used it to catch a zillion trout in the Selway two weeks ago.

If you're going to go spinning rod,I'd go with a travel version of the Ugly Stick. I can break an anvil in a sand box and have yet to destroy an ugly stick. The action on them is good also.

I'm not real big on fly fishing, but fly fishing really has its place when fishing back country streams and lakes for trout. Its not what you asked,but I'd seriously consider a fly rod also. Possibly a convertible fly/spin combo.

Do the Ugly Sticks come in short sectioned versions?

I'm NOW leaning toward the Daiwa UL pack rods.

Or other sectioned (rather than a collapsable) rig.



Thinking about the SM-X564ULFS 5'6" four section UL.

But the Daiwa systems look pretty good too!



Hard case.... reel included!

Mickey1 is this what you've got?

quote:

Originally posted by DaMan:
Do the Ugly Sticks come in short sectioned versions?

I'm NOW leaning toward the Daiwa UL pack rods.

Or other sectioned (rather than a collapsable) rig.



Thinking about the SM-X564ULFS 5'6" four section UL.

But the Daiwa systems look pretty good too!



Hard case.... reel included!

Mickey1 is this what you've got?

I don't have the hard case anymore as it took up too much space.. I put it in a 1.5" piece of pvc.

quote:

Originally posted by DaMan:
I'm thinking of this combo....

I have been using a Crystal River combination the last few years that includes both spinning and fly reels.
As you'd expect there are some compromises but it's been more than adequate.

My wife had a Dawa that fits in a plastic tube, I have a Eagle Claw that fits in an aluminium tube that I bought 26 years of so ago. Both of them can either be jused as a fly rod or a spin rod. They work very well.