New to fishing, need some info (light weight/compact fishing gear)

[jsquared]

Im taking a trip to Cumberland Island in a month or so and want to pick up a fishing setup for backpacking that I can take with me. I am somewhere between an ultralight and distance backpacker, usually carrying around 20-25lbs in a 45 liter pack. What Im looking for is a fishing rig I can use basically anywhere I hike: rivers, lakes, surf casting, etc. The only problem is it has to be compact and light since Imma be carrying it a lot more than Im using it.

So before I make a bad choice Im looking for some info on good all-around fishing gear, not just rod and reel but tackle and lures also. Hoping to get a VERY minimalist setup together that would let me fish basically anywhere and not have to re-organize my tackle for each trip. Is this even possible? Most gear seems rated to a certain lb. line, what would be a good average weight to look for? Would something like 9-10 lb line do OK in surf casting? Thats going to be the area where I am fishing least but also have the chance to catch the biggest fish, so its not really a must-have, more concerned about getting a good river/lake setup together.

For a rod and reel, I have my eye on a few options. It seems travel rods come in two flavors, telescoping and segmented. I am leaning towards a segmented rod but the telescopic ones seem to be a lot more convenient and not as bulky. Not bulky is good. For a segmented rod I would need one that has at least 4 sections, since I want to keep the overall length of the packed rod to under 18 inches.

Also any advice on a light-weight spinning reel? I have heard good things about a few brands but again i am totally new to fishing so i dont really know what features to look for, let alone who makes good stuff.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[procraft185]

what kind of fishing are you going to be doing

 

[jsquared]

On this upcoming trip I want to try a bit of surf casting using a double drop rig and live bait, but mostly I will be fishing for bass and trout or whatever else wherever I might be hiking. Probably more rivers and streams than lakes.

 

[procraft185]

this maybe too small for ya but look here i keep these in my truck emmrod.com

 

[jsquared]

I looked into those but I dont think they are exactly what Im looking for. More interested in a traditional style rod and reel that I can pack up and take with me anywhere. How do you like yours anyway, does it feel similar to a full size rod?

 

[procraft185]

i love it takes some getting use to,but i bought it so my little girl can shoot docks with me. fits in my glove box and ive got one with a baitcast reel

 

[howl]

I would get a segmented pack rod rated for four to ten pound test. Pair that with a Daiwa spinning reel matched to the rod with six pound test line. You can get a small selection of ultralight lures, jigs, flies and casting bubbles to handle everything in freshwater. Trout Magnets and Charlie Brewer Sliders are very versatile ultralight lures, btw.

For fishing the surf with an ultralight rig, you're going to be limited on the live bait. If the surf gets going, you need a good bit of lead to hold. A light rod won't handle it. You might be better off just putting the bait on as heavy a jig head as you can handle and fishing it as slowly as you can. I'd try crappie jigs in the wash or cast a Yozuri Crystal minnow. You'll get cut off a lot with light line, so taking some 40# leader material would be a good idea.

BTW, if you look around you might notice that many backpackers prefer fly fishing. The gear is lighter and can cover more situations with less weight. Some folks fish the surf with fly gear, too.

 

[jsquared]

Great advice man, thanks for the info! I'll report back after the trip and give an update on how it went.

 

[jloneill17]

What about this? maybe too small?

http://www.travelgearblog.com/archive/ultralight-backpacking-fishing-pole.html

 

[gacracker]

I have the Eagle Claw trail rod that breaks down in 5 pcs. (I have seen them on ebay) It is paired with a small Pflueger spinning reel.
Ready for anything.