Post by: syoungs on March 08, 2025, 09:37:40 PM
Just want them for random pack trips, and to leave under the seat of the truck for some opportunistic fishing.
Anyone have any recommendations for something that works well? In my head a 5 piece rod is better then a telescoping rod, but that's just a lightly educated guess
Post by: fowl smacker on March 09, 2025, 09:22:06 AM
Looking to pick up a couple packable trout rods, without spending a bunch of money. Maybe 30-70$ per rod.I've got an ugly stick gx2 that I always keep in my truck, just in case. Good rod.
Just want them for random pack trips, and to leave under the seat of the truck for some opportunistic fishing.
Anyone have any recommendations for something that works well? In my head a 5 piece rod is better then a telescoping rod, but that's just a lightly educated guess
Post by: syoungs on March 09, 2025, 10:22:01 AM
Looking to pick up a couple packable trout rods, without spending a bunch of money. Maybe 30-70$ per rod.I've got an ugly stick gx2 that I always keep in my truck, just in case. Good rod.
Just want them for random pack trips, and to leave under the seat of the truck for some opportunistic fishing.
Anyone have any recommendations for something that works well? In my head a 5 piece rod is better then a telescoping rod, but that's just a lightly educated guess
Do you have the 5' or one of the 2 6' versions?
I was looking into that one, thinking I'd go with the 5' as it's a little lighter action.
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on March 09, 2025, 11:16:45 AM
Post by: fowl smacker on March 09, 2025, 02:34:53 PM
I believe mine is actually 6'.Looking to pick up a couple packable trout rods, without spending a bunch of money. Maybe 30-70$ per rod.I've got an ugly stick gx2 that I always keep in my truck, just in case. Good rod.
Just want them for random pack trips, and to leave under the seat of the truck for some opportunistic fishing.
Anyone have any recommendations for something that works well? In my head a 5 piece rod is better then a telescoping rod, but that's just a lightly educated guess
Do you have the 5' or one of the 2 6' versions?
I was looking into that one, thinking I'd go with the 5' as it's a little lighter action.
Post by: Stein on March 09, 2025, 06:45:06 PM
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087CWWW36?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1
Post by: jamesfromseattle on March 09, 2025, 10:34:57 PM
I have a couple cheap 6 foot 4 piece spinning rods that have been around long enough that the brand appears to be long gone so I don’t have a brand recommendation—but there’s a ton in your price range. My beater rod goes just about everywhere with a little box of buzz bombs and jigs. Always in my car, boat, or travel bag.
I’m going to make the controversial claim that you use a cheap fiberglass 6 foot rod and whatever the cheapest spinning reel you can find spooled with 20 pound braid, and catch any sport fish in Washington relatively effectively. I’ve caught everything from perch on up to oversized lingcod and a few really nice kings. Once when I dropped a downrigger rod over the side and didn’t have a spare, I fished the travel rod for the rest of the day off the rigger. Ideal? No. Effective? At least moderately so. It’s always around, so it gets used a lot. And rods that get used a lot tend to catch a lot of fish for that reason alone.
The cheap telescoping rods are more convenient (since they pack down smaller) and work fine for trout and other small stuff. Mine have always broken after a few uses and I’m sure they’d explode if you hooked into something big. Usually an eye falls off or they get jammed. They’re fine for what they are.
If you can tolerate something slightly bigger than the telescoping rods, I would recommend a 4 or 5 piece rod rather than the telescoping rods.
Post by: jamesfromseattle on March 09, 2025, 10:39:24 PM
A 4 or 5 piece rod is only marginally worse than a regular rod (many high end fly rods are 4 piece.)
I have a couple cheap 6 foot 4 piece spinning rods that have been around long enough that the brand appears to be long gone so I don’t have a brand recommendation—but there’s a ton in your price range. My beater rod goes just about everywhere with a little box of buzz bombs and jigs. Always in my car, boat, or travel bag.
I’m going to make the controversial claim that you use a cheap fiberglass 6 foot rod and whatever the cheapest spinning reel you can find spooled with 20 pound braid, and catch any sport fish in Washington relatively effectively. I’ve caught everything from perch on up to oversized lingcod and a few really nice kings. Once when I dropped a downrigger rod over the side and didn’t have a spare, I fished the travel rod for the rest of the day off the rigger. Ideal? No. Effective? At least moderately so. It’s always around, so it gets used a lot. And rods that get used a lot tend to catch a lot of fish for that reason alone.
The cheap telescoping rods are more convenient (since they pack down smaller) and work fine for trout and other small stuff. Mine have always broken after a few uses and I’m sure they’d explode if you hooked into something big. Usually an eye falls off or they get jammed. They’re fine for what they are.
If you can tolerate something slightly bigger than the telescoping rods, I would recommend a 4 or 5 piece rod rather than the telescoping rods.
I’m going to except halibut from the above claim. And I’ll say tuna don’t count because they’re in international waters anyways.
Post by: CamoDup on March 10, 2025, 07:11:46 AM
https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-TMML70SF6-Trailmaster-Spin-Fly/dp/B003L45X68/ref=asc_df_B003L45X68?mcid=e63b0f95bac13f7da119376a4c25d5e2&hvocijid=4065059224649073777-B003L45X68-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=730434177080&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4065059224649073777&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033663&hvtargid=pla-2281435177658&psc=1
Post by: birdshooter1189 on March 10, 2025, 07:21:10 AM
My advice is to find a decent 2 piece rod you like and just pack that. My current primary rod is a light action 9' graphite. I'll gladly strap that to my backpack. Even though it's a bit of a hassle sometimes on overgrown trails or crawling under fallen logs....Once I get to the location I'm fishing, it's so much nicer to fish with a quality rod that I'm willing to put a little extra effort into protecting my longer (4.5' sections) rod on the trip in.
Post by: jeffro on March 10, 2025, 10:33:03 AM
I bought an Eagle Claw Trail Master from Cabelas last summer before my Alaska caribou trip. I used the rod quite a bit to catch Grayling. Awesome little rod. I want to say I paid $60 at Cabelas but amazon has it for $79
https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-TMML70SF6-Trailmaster-Spin-Fly/dp/B003L45X68/ref=asc_df_B003L45X68?mcid=e63b0f95bac13f7da119376a4c25d5e2&hvocijid=4065059224649073777-B003L45X68-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=730434177080&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4065059224649073777&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033663&hvtargid=pla-2281435177658&psc=1
This is what I what I use!
Great rods
Post by: Linkshander on March 10, 2025, 10:34:34 AM
Graphite: Diawa spinmatic. Amazon
Glass: The OLD eagle claw trailmasters with the metal ferrules. EBAY/garage sales.
Post by: birdshooter1189 on March 10, 2025, 11:01:52 AM
https://www.amazon.com/PLUSINNO-Fishing-Telescopic-Saltwater-Freshwater/dp/B07FVL7NK2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3R1JTLVLZG4OW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.plVNHB9XTIWAgh_A19LUAwTR5Mhreu58oC2UzSSzywrcva2hmYEkB0-FfNPv3dNnnrJLXfD1Z65PRq2LEKGctsYujkyqBmj_OtMYoEpM_W6Spobvs79VjObpeB1aeXL2D2GS2O3cx6Wtd7CyHjMEuFySorg-EPrbV3K5bXsZkeflr48ia3bOIyP7gFMRG3Hj5162rSHT30tkpYrlObOCJgtklfjHOLTQCBWXE14R0e1_v-b1L2D_nhUilZaWBfprsfFIj6104IuBDa8qbEQaHdmSCjvLEC0F250czJDCALj3TWSdDDO3nuxOiDP6b90NQfCXhC4sDO9RjzfXzDt6QAtylOdlWapSP3mYrYIrwYk.Z_wUpkwGkiOIO2Okiq2GZn7bGZINpM5jqIgGRswkD4E&dib_tag=se&keywords=telescoping%2Bfishing%2Brod&qid=1741629577&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=telescoping%2Bfishing%2Bro%2Csporting%2C343&sr=1-4&th=1
Post by: Stein on March 10, 2025, 11:19:27 AM
Post by: blackpowderhunter on March 10, 2025, 11:25:45 AM
thats what i have to pack up to lakes
Post by: syoungs on March 10, 2025, 10:43:30 PM
The diawa setup is slick, im buying 1 for myself, and 1 for a friend's birthday. These might be the easy button.
Post by: Night goat on September 08, 2025, 12:01:44 AM
What im saying is run an ultralight rod with a medium weight reel and braided line that’s a fraction the diameter of mono so it will cast further, you got twice or thrice as much line and a drag system to handle bigger fish
Never buy a rod you aren’t willing to break or beat up, the reel is where you put your money