Fishpacking

[ibenick]

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[PolarXJ]

Generally a spinning rod and a bubble for me, though I have taken my fly rod occasionally.

[Wasatch Rebel]

Why not take both? A fly rod isn't that heavy to throw in, and neither are the flies. On the other hand, I lost the tip of my fly rod a few years ago, when it came off when casting and sailed into the river. I've never replaced it, so the choice is easy for me. I'll say this though--last year I went with some guys up in the Uintas and one guy was using his fly rod. I was using my spin rod with worms. I out-caught him at least 6-1. Then again, if you're strictly an artificial user, then you're doing it out of principle, and I can relate to that. I've been thinking about no longer using bait myself, because the fish take the bait way down deep, and I'm a catch and release guy. Much better to hook them on the lip for that.

[denaliguide]

when i was a kid i had an old eagle claw spin/fly combo. it was the first rod i bought with my own money. was probably 1972 and i paid $15 for it. that rod caught alot of fish. i still have the thing, although i don't fish with it anymore. sentimental value.

now i have a couple rods for backpacking. both flyrods. 4 piece 4wt sage and a 4 piece 5wt orvis. both with SA system 2 4-5L reels. i would love to have a 5 or 7 piece but damn they are expensive.

a spin rod is probably the more versatile way to go. as you said it will allow you to make longer casts into the alpine lakes. and, dragging a bubble with a fly is deadly. if there are some streams that you want to fish on the way into the lakes though i would prefer the flyrod.

i was a fishing guide in alaska for 16 years and i have seen lots of rods. cheap ones and ones that cost almost as much as a downpayment on a house. the most fun i would have though was when i would break out my sons spongebob pole and out catch these guys who looked like they just stepped out of a catalogue.

and now for a public service announcement. only kill enough for a meal and release the rest. fish single hook, barbless, avoid using treble hooks. you can always cut of two of the hooks and it will not affect your catch rate. if the hook is swallowed deep just cut the line and release the fish. the hook will rust out rather quickly.

keep your tip up and line tight.

[Wasatch Rebel]

if the hook is swallowed deep just cut the line and release the fish. the hook will rust out rather quickly.

I've heard that, but I have my doubts as to how many fish survive because of it.

[denaliguide]

you would be surprised how many battle scared veterans i have released back into the water. i'm talking about some big fish. fish missing fins, eyes, broken jaws, etc. and i have caught many fish over the years with hooks still in their lips. now i realize that not every fish will survive with a hook buried deep when released, but it's chance of survival in the skillet is zero. if you can cut the line and the fish is not bleeding when it's released i think it has a very good chance of survival.

a couple other things about handling fish to be released. do not touch them with dry hands or gloves. it removes the protective slime on them and opens them up to infection. if you are fishing from a boat, do not bring fish into the boat for photos. invariably they will be dropped into the bottom of the boat. big fish photos are best done on the bank.

and lastly, keep your fingers out of the fishes gills. how would you like it if someone stuck their hand in your lungs.

all these fish were released.

[uintahiker]

I'd do the spin rod. The Uintas can get pretty windy, which sure interferes with the fly fishing if you're not proficient at it. Do you know what flies to use?

[ibenick]

Why not take both? A fly rod isn't that heavy to throw in, and neither are the flies.

That's the kind of thinking that makes my pack weigh 50+ pounds! Several not so heavy things really start to add up, especially on those high altitude trips when you're packing for such a wide variety of weather conditions. Add in a big camera and some lenses, a tripod perhaps and 30 miles feels like 60. I'm not against using live bait, it really is more to do with weight of packing it in and the need to catch and release the ones that aren't dinner-worthy.

Did you lose the tip to your broken fly rod? If not most companies repair/replace for free. I've snapped two tips off while walking to and from the river/lake. Reddington replaced the whole rod, no charge and Sage repaired it and just made me pay for shipping.

[ibenick]

I'd do the spin rod. The Uintas can get pretty windy, which sure interferes with the fly fishing if you're not proficient at it. Do you know what flies to use?

I know what flies have worked with my fly rod, haven't tried the spin rod with bubble yet. Any suggestions? Usually I've had good luck with woolly bugger type wet flies and other larger dominantly black flies. Dry flies don't seem to be as consistent for me in the Uintas but when they do they kill.

[LOAH]

Behind a bubble, try a beadhead prince nymph. Maybe drop a little black chironomid behind it. Knocks'em dead.

Grayling seem to like that one too.

[ibenick]

Behind a bubble, try a beadhead prince nymph. Maybe drop a little black chironomid behind it. Knocks'em dead.

Grayling seem to like that one too.

How far off the bubble is ideal?

[denaliguide]

i always went 18 to 24 inches behind the bubble.

[LOAH]

I've always gone between 4 and 6 feet behind it and reeled very slowly, trying not to leave much of a wake. This is when a light breeze is a good thing. Every 10 seconds or so, I'll pause and let the nymph drop a bit before cranking again.

I've never tried as close as denaliguide, but it could be a winner. I've had fish attack the bubble itself. Nice ones, even.


(And if I decided to only bring one rod, it would be my most proficient fish-getter. For me, that's a spinning rod with marabou jigs, Blue Fox spinners, Jake's Lures and Kastmasters. Yeah, I guess a fly rod would be much lighter, overall. I'd still take the spinning rod though.)

[ibenick]

Thanks for the great info everyone. I'm going to go find a nice light spin rod this week and hopefully put all of this wisdom to use this weekend in the Uintas.

[ibenick]

(And if I decided to only bring one rod, it would be my most proficient fish-getter. For me, that's a spinning rod with marabou jigs, Blue Fox spinners, Jake's Lures and Kastmasters. Yeah, I guess a fly rod would be much lighter, overall. I'd still take the spinning rod though.)

What kind of colors and patterns do you like from blue fox and kastmasters? It's not always easy to see in your pics but it looks like you use the copper/brass ones a lot. I haven't fished much with anything other than flies but I think I'm going to give it a go. Trial run tomorrow night with the new backpacking pole.

[LOAH]

I like the Blue Foxes in Gold the best, size 2. Black and rainbow are defaults that can save the day. Lakes and streams, it doesn't matter. Just reel slowly. Only fast enough to feel it bite the water and spin. In the weedy shallows, you'll want to crank a little faster and get after it as soon as it hits the water.

Kastmasters: I normally like the largest size with a split ring, but for the Uintas, you'll probably want to go a bit smaller. Gold and Rainbow are my favs for Kastmasters. Maybe some frog patterns would be a good idea though.

What you'll really want for the Uintas are Tiny Tot Marabou Jigs. 1/8 and 1/16 oz sizes in black, olive, ginger/brown and maybe some other mixes, just in case. They're really cheap (less than a dollar at Sportsman's Warehouse) and are total brookie magnets. Best with 4lb line.

Toss out, point your rod toward the jig (low to the water), watch your line while it sinks, and as soon as it goes slack (hits bottom), jerk the rod tip up and watch the line again until it's slack, etc. Most of the time, the fish will already be there on the up-jerk, if they'll be there at all. They tend to bite while it's dropping and you won't notice until you jerk.

Slays the brookies. My fav is the brown head/ginger body/brown tail.

Good luck, knock'em dead.

[denaliguide]

i have good luck for trout with the size 1 & 2 blue fox / vibrax in the chartreuse or orange body with a silver blade. gold kastmaster or even the half silver and blue work wwell. mepps used to make some ultralight spinners, size 00 which were dressed. i loved the one with a wolly worm on it, or some bucktail. i haven't been able to find them in the last couple of years though.

pick a spot on the shore and work a clock pattern over and over to find the cruisers. don't forget to count it down to determine how deep your spinner is running. change the depth until you find out where they are hanging.

don't forget to crimp your barbs if you plan on releasing them. i also cut one or two of the hooks off of the trebles too.

[ibenick]

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[denaliguide]

man, that looks like a nice spot! what rod did you get?

[ibenick]

man, that looks like a nice spot! what rod did you get?

I got a super cheap one, I think it's a Shakespeare, it's a 5-piece so it breaks down to about 14" long, perfect for packing it. It was something like $15 at Sportsman's Warehouse.