A group of us are heading up to the BW in mid May and we will be fishing Snowbank, Parent, and Disappointment. I'm trying to decide which fishing rods I should bring because right now I have a light rod-6lb. test med-light action, medium action 12lb. test, and a 7' heavy action rod 50lb. spiderwire. At first I thought about bringing the baitcaster to use around the campsite for northerns, but just wanted someone else's opinion.

TDALE,

Every year my canoe partner gives me grief for this, but I bring three. I like my ultra-light with 4lb test for crappies and a really light walleye bite. I also bring in a 6' 6" medium action rod with Spider Wire for bass and northern. And just for kicks I bring in a 7' heavy action rod with baitcaster for northern. We fish dead ciscos from camp on bobbers and this is a great pole for that. Some day when I snag my 40"+ trophy, I'll be glad I brought it in. Not the easiest to fish from the canoe, but I'll bring it with me on day trips if I want to fish from shore. If I was forced to leave one behind, it would be the baitcaster, but since I'm not, I bring it.

thlipsis29

Sounds like ya got it all covered.

I go with a $15 medium action rod with 12 lb firewire and bring a spool of 6 lb mono for a leader. I can bang up the cheap rod without worrying about it, I can troll for big 'uns with the firewire and jig for walleye with the mono leader.

If you bring only one rod, a 6'6" medium action will cover all your fishing needs for the BWCA. 6-8lb. test line is what I usually bring for a medium action. The 12lb test seems a little high to me.

Ditto Kiporby...

I just bring my one pole, a 2piece 7' medium action rod with 10lb fluorocarbon line. Works just fine for the most part, although I did lose a big northern next to my canoe last summer, but that was more my fault than the line's.

I usually carry two primary two piece rods with a 5 piece rod as a back up, it is too easy to break a rod tip.

The Florocarbon line interest me...how does it do for flexibility and knot strength?

The Spiderwire type lines interest me too, are y'all using that on a baitcaster reel or spinning reel?

JB

I use 6lb Fireline Crystal for all my spinner Trout fishing and BWCA fishing.

Yup. 6' 6" medium action spinning combo with 8 lb. line will take care of you. Bring a backup...accidents happen.

You might want to switch out that 12-lb test on your medium action, you really don't need more than 8-lb test mono even when fishing for pike, as long as you use a leader. 12 is overkill in my opinion doesn't cast as well.

I use 10 o my medium spinning rod for throwing lures that don't run well with leaders. rapalas mostly.

I bring a medium light 7" for mepps and jigs/bobbers

I use a medium/heavy baitcaster for throwing heavy pike lures and laker gear. also for trolling.

Im going to bring my medium wt. XML-ti this year. most sensitive rod I have ever used. Even though it is 200$, the cabelas warantee gives me now worries if it breaks.

Everyone has their own preference, mine is a 6-6 one or two-piece medium light spinning rod. I use these in Canada on an annual fly-in trip as well and have never had problems landing any of the walleyes or northerns we catch, biggest being around 16 pounds. I find the lighter weight poles make it more fun... but the first time I lose one I may change my mind...

I bought a couple 5 piece, 6'6' medium action rods from Gander Mountain. I like these for a few reasons. 1) They have pretty decent action. 2)They pack nicely. They only cost $30.

I use Shimano 2000 series (various models) reels, typically with 8lb Trilene XT.

I have a pair of Bass Pro pack rods I take along, both 6'. A light action spinning with a Shimano Sedona reel with spools of 8 lb spiderwire braid and 6 lb mono. The other is a medium casting rod with a Garcia low profile reel spooled with spiderwire 10 lb. test. I use the caster for deep water vertical fishing,slip bobbers,and worm rigs; the light action for spinners and cranks. I also bring a little telescoping ultralight 4 1/2' with a Pflueger spinning reel loaded with 4 lb mono for blugill and crappie. It all packs up nicely and despite the bad press the pack rods get in these forums, they perform perfectly well with the thin braided line.

I bring 3:

7' ft medium action, light tip spinning for walleye (8lb test)
6' 6" Medium heavy spinning for smallies and such... (12 fireline)
6' 6" medium heavy baitcasting for northerns (12 pound mono)

Bruce

TDALE, I am gonna bring my two poles.. My Ice Fishing pole for jigging and my bamboo for trolling and shore! :)

6'6" or 7'0" Medium Light for me.

Last year I gave my fishin' partner a lot of grief for only bringing an ultra-light rod and reel. Mainly because I let him use my St. Croix UL in Canada and apparently "it broke while bringing in a smallmouth".

He caught and landed plenty of smallies, wallies, and pike last year but lost plenty as well. I was jealous of the finesse it took to land the one he got in though. In the BW you can always get into more than you can handle anyway.

With that said, I am switching things up a little this year. I am still bringing a 6' Med Heavy spinning rod for pike, and a 6'6' Med Light spinning rod for smallies and walleyes. Not quite an UL, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of out fishing him!!

2 6'6" med action spinning 8 lb mono on both one rigged for trolling one for jigging/ slip bobber

i will use 8# on the MH and 6# on the ML

I've brought 2 pole with me on the trips I've taken. Both are 4 piece ugly stik travel rods, and both are medium/heavy rods (one 6'6' the other 6'). I put 12lb spiderwire on one, and 10lb spidermono on the other. I've landed some nice fish with both and haven't lost a big one yet. They are easy to pack and travel with also. When going for the big boys I add a 9-18" leader, depending on the lure.

-I bring 2 6'0" rods, probably medium quality,spooled with 8# fireline-I have an extra spool of 8# mono to switch to when live bait fishing-these fit perfectly between the thwart & the bow of my prism-my rule of thumb is-don't bring anything to bw that you can't stand to lose-there are always casualties on every trip-i still need to get a rod tip repair kit mentioned on another post to fix last years mishap-leave your expensive gear at home-go fishing-cheers-wk

2 - 6'6" rods work great. I use 8lb Easy-Casting Trilene (in a red box). I've landed everything from Huge Pike to a small perch. Medium action is the way to go. 8lb test is plenty.

Well BCHonker, with the way the weather has been up there lately I can see why you'd bring the ice rod...I bet they'd pack pretty easy to! Think I'll probably be packin' the auger this year too.

Hahah I guess i never thought of that! I suppose so!

I bring a 6'6" inch ML pack rod (Cabela XML) and a 6' ML pack rod (Cabela Gold Label). I use Shimano 2000 and 2500 series reels with 8 lb Trilene XL.

I take two poles both of which are Shakespeare Ugly Stiks. One is a 6-0 medium action and the other is a 5-10 light action which is a lot of fun when pulling in a good sized bass. The plus about these rods is that they are nearly indestructible. They are a great rod to have especially when you are in the BW and breaking a tip could put a real damper on the trip.

I take EXACTLY what Imunch85 takes and for EXACTLY the same reasons.
skonie

I bring two 2 piece rods and 2 reels. you have to bring 2 of everything because you never know what can happen to it. last year one of my buddies knocked his in the lake in 15 feet of water. he didn't have a spare but luckily another one of our guys was an experienced diver and brought his snorkle. he found it on the first dive. if it was 30 ft. deep i would imagine it would have been gone forever.