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Chief Joseph
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Joined: 10 Nov 2007
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Location: Verlot-Priest Lake
Chief Joseph
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PostMon Jul 29, 2013 11:32 pm 
duvidl wrote:
I now realize how naive I am. I just thought if I put a string on the end of my trekking pole, and a hook on the end of the string, and stuck it in a lake, I might end up with a trout for dinner! Am I totally fooling myself?
Yes you might....most mountain lakes contain Cutthroat trout, they are very aggressive and not selective, they will strike nearly anything. Case in point: I was backpacking with the gnome and while camped at a lake @ 6k feet a storm came in, we were a bit low on food and hungry for trout so i tossed a line out with a couple of salmon eggs and it wasn't long before breakfast was served. Then I was attempting to photograph a trout rising to surface bugs, I missed the shot so I took a short twig and tied a bit of grass to it, threw it out in the lake and sure enough a nice bit cutt rose, inhaled it then quickly spit it out the gills.....I stood there amazed!

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Sean T
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Joined: 20 Nov 2012
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Location: Okanogan Highlands
Sean T
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PostTue Jul 30, 2013 7:42 am 
duvidl wrote:
I now realize how naive I am. I just thought if I put a string on the end of my trekking pole, and a hook on the end of the string, and stuck it in a lake, I might end up with a trout for dinner! Am I totally fooling myself?
Fish that don't get a lot of pressure will go after all sorts of stuff. The issues with your trekking pole is flexibility. You won't feel anything and it would be boring.. If catching some fish is all your after not the sport of it, yea. Tie 2 pound test on and bait up... Your not gonna be able to offer a very good retrieve with smaller crank baits but maybe some small spinners...best bet is corn or worms

"he is one of those wolf lovers and hides in the shadows". 32 Predators
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Chiend
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Joined: 23 Jan 2019
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Location: North Bergen
Chiend
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PostWed Jan 23, 2019 5:20 am 
Stumbled upon this thread, and I want to share my experience...I aplogize for bumping Just a few suggestions: Instead of going and putting a small ultralight reel on an ultralight rod, put the medium-sized Guide series spinning reel (Gander Mountain brand like this http://www.ricksbaitandtackle.com/best-ultralight-spinning-reel/) on a light rod. If you hook to a decent bass, at least you will have the spool diameter and ratio to take in line faster ,and also be able to back reel if the drag is a little to light for a close quarters fight. The reel (and many people like it) is about 20 bucks, very smooth with bearings, and all the quality you need. Even a $ Daiwa push button reel with an anti-reverse switch does as good.

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Backpacker Joe
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
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PostMon Jan 28, 2019 7:12 am 
I am and have been a Hi-Laker for years. While Im not the most rabid fishermen Ive fished a lot of Washington Hi lakes. Im not much of a fly fishermen, but Ive been on trips with men who are. NOTHING catches fish in mountain hi lakes like fly fishing! There is no comparison. If you're serious about mountain lake fishing learn to fly fish!

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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SultanHiker
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SultanHiker
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PostTue Jan 29, 2019 12:05 am 
I'm not a fisherman at all (yet). My two teenage boys are super interested. One wants to hunt and bring a pole to pass the time and possibly harvest his own dinner. The other is just looking for sport (catch and release). I'd be very much interested in opinions for decent set-ups for backpacking (my passion) so we could all enjoy the sport together. So weight is important, but not as important as quality. Plus, if we catch nothing, at least we had fun getting there! I'm looking for a pole/reel that would be jack of all trades for alpine lakes. we've seen some poles on Amazon that are cheap. But some reviews complain about quality of pole or reel. not interested in fly rods for hiking until i get more into fishing in general. I have a fascination with that idea, but I think I'll wait a little longer. Opinions Welcome! (meanwhile, I'll scour the archives...)

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JVesquire
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JVesquire
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PostSat Feb 02, 2019 3:35 pm 
I've had the Okuma Voyager for probably 10 years, a very affordable rod. The reel crapped out about three years ago, but the rod is going strong. I've caught everything from small trout to decent size pike on it. It's a five piece lightweight spinning rod. Alternatively, teach your kid to fly fish. Those set ups are light and easy to carry, but more $$. He'll thank you when he's an adult and fly casting is second nature. smile.gif Fly fishing is a lot harder in high lakes because there isn't always adequate room for the backcast, and for a kid it might be even harder to learn the casts you need to get by. You can pretty much get a similar presentation of a fly with a spinning rod, even if you don't have the zen perfection of the fly fisherman.

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Kat
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Joined: 05 Oct 2003
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Kat
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PostSun Feb 03, 2019 5:19 am 
The link to the Shakespeare telescopic Tom linked to earlier in the thread is the one many Hi-Lakers use (myself included.) Can't go wrong with this one.

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BigBrunyon
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BigBrunyon
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PostThu Mar 14, 2019 3:57 pm 
back in the day guys would just dip a big hook in the water and wait till a fish was above it then yank up REAL HARD!!! get em through the side!!! illegal and frowned upon in most sportin' waters these days though

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SwitchbackFisher
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Joined: 24 Feb 2018
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Location: Wa
SwitchbackFisher
Boot buster
PostSat Mar 16, 2019 12:20 pm 
I am a huge fan of the eagleclaw trailmaster. The one that has a reversible handle to go from spin to fly fishing. The bag it comes with fits on the side of my frame pack and it works great. I have used the lifetime warranty on it and 25 bucks for shipping there and back was all it costed no questions asked.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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Chief Joseph
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Location: Verlot-Priest Lake
Chief Joseph
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PostSat Mar 16, 2019 12:36 pm 
Backpacker Joe wrote:
NOTHING catches fish in mountain hi lakes like fly fishing! There is no comparison. If you're serious about mountain lake fishing learn to fly fish!
True, and what a lot of people don't realize is that you can catch a lot of fish, especially in high lakes without being a skilled fly master. I have caught fish dragging a dry fly wet many times, sometimes while rowing back to shore. I had a strike on a back cast when I let the fly sink too low, it surprised me so much that I snapped the fly off, trying to set the hook. At a particularly high lake in the N Cascades, I tossed a twig with a piece of grass tied on in order to create a photo op of a big Cutt that was feeding in a deep, clear, pool. It rose, inhaled the offering and quickly passed it back out through it's gills. Cabellas sells a nice, highly packable 6 piece fly rod that usually goes on sale, I think in the Spring for around 100 bucks, comes with a hard and soft case, and imo is very good quality, especially for the price.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Brian Curtis
Trail Blazer/HiLaker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Silverdale, WA
Brian Curtis
Trail Blazer/HiLaker
PostSat Mar 16, 2019 2:41 pm 
Chief Joseph wrote:
Cabellas sells a nice, highly packable 6 piece fly rod that usually goes on sale, I think in the Spring for around 100 bucks, comes with a hard and soft case, and imo is very good quality, especially for the price.
That is the rod I use for both fly and spin fishing. Breaking down to 6-pieces means that I can stick it inside my pack so I don't have to carry a hard case and it stays well protected. BUT, this rod comes with a huge caveat. Hopefully they have fixed this issue in the intervening years, but the reel seat on mine was attached with a cardboard sleeve. A cardboard sleeve that dissolved when it got wet in the middle of a week long trip. A fishing rod that falls apart when it gets wet is really bad so I would imagine they had enough returns that they must have fixed that issue. At least I hope so. I repaired mine with epoxy putty and it hasn't had any further issues.

that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
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SwitchbackFisher
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Joined: 24 Feb 2018
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Location: Wa
SwitchbackFisher
Boot buster
PostSat Mar 16, 2019 2:49 pm 
Brian Curtis wrote:
Chief Joseph wrote:
Cabellas sells a nice, highly packable 6 piece fly rod that usually goes on sale, I think in the Spring for around 100 bucks, comes with a hard and soft case, and imo is very good quality, especially for the price.
That is the rod I use for both fly and spin fishing. Breaking down to 6-pieces means that I can stick it inside my pack so I don't have to carry a hard case and it stays well protected. BUT, this rod comes with a huge caveat. Hopefully they have fixed this issue in the intervening years, but the reel seat on mine was attached with a cardboard sleeve. A cardboard sleeve that dissolved when it got wet in the middle of a week long trip. A fishing rod that falls apart when it gets wet is really bad so I would imagine they had enough returns that they must have fixed that issue. At least I hope so. I repaired mine with epoxy putty and it hasn't had any further issues.
I may need to look for this rod, but unfortunately the Cabela's in Yakima rarely gets any decent gear sales. Just curious does everyone else take the handle or crank off spinning reals when putting them in pack? I do to try and make sure it doesn't break when I set my bag down.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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Chief Joseph
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Joined: 10 Nov 2007
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Location: Verlot-Priest Lake
Chief Joseph
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PostSat Mar 16, 2019 3:02 pm 
I will have to check mine Brian when I get home in a couple weeks, not sure if it has cardboard under the reel seat or not. I bought it I think in 2017, maybe 2016, when did you buy yours?
SwitchbackFisher wrote:
I may need to look for this rod, but unfortunately the Cabela's in Yakima rarely gets any decent gear sales. Just curious does everyone else take the handle or crank off spinning reals when putting them in pack? I do to try and make sure it doesn't break when I set my bag down.
Well, you might try to find it at Cabella's Online, I think free shipping over $50, and sometimes you can find coupon codes. On my spinning reel-rod, I usually just loosen the handle crank, the one that I have folds over, but yes, it's a good idea, takes up less space and no chance to break it.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Brian Curtis
Trail Blazer/HiLaker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Brian Curtis
Trail Blazer/HiLaker
PostSat Mar 16, 2019 3:03 pm 
SwitchbackFisher wrote:
Just curious does everyone else take the handle or crank off spinning reals when putting them in pack? I do to try and make sure it doesn't break when I set my bag down.
The best thing to do is get a reel with a collapsable handle. You can leave the handle on but it will tuck up under the rotor. I used to get reels that had collapsable bails, which was really nice. But I don't know of anybody who makes them like that any more.

that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
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Brian Curtis
Trail Blazer/HiLaker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 1696 | TRs | Pics
Location: Silverdale, WA
Brian Curtis
Trail Blazer/HiLaker
PostSat Mar 16, 2019 3:07 pm 
Chief Joseph wrote:
I will have to check mine Brian when I get home in a couple weeks, not sure if it has cardboard under the reel seat or not. I bought it I think in 2017, maybe 2016, when did you buy yours?
Mine is older then that. Maybe 2014.

that elitist from silverdale wanted to tell me that all carnes are bad--Studebaker Hoch
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