Hi Guys,

Just wondering how many of you take in a fly rod when in the BWCA or Quetico. In my neck of the woods (Algonquin), I always take in 2 fly rods and in most years a spinning rod as well. I use the fly rods the most by far. No real difference in catch rates with the rest of the guys, who only use spinning gear. Some years I out-fish all of them. What about you?

Moonman.

I gave it some thought for this year, briefly. Probably won't bring it. But that said, the fly rod accounts for <2% of my fishing overall anyway.

Hi Windsailor,

Smallies were made for fly rods. If you like getting smallies on floating rapalas and jitterbugs, you'll like it even more getting them on deerhair bugs.

For me its the fun and the challenge at times, when you know spinning gear would be easier and probably more productive due to conditions and fish species targeted.

It will also be really nice to use your Grandfather's gear and maybe pass those rods along someday. Every fish you get will remind you of him.

Moonman.

I fish with a flyrod almost exclusively, but when its not the right tool, I'll pick up a spinning or casting rod.  Depth and wind are the biggest reasons I put the flyrod down. 

Depending on you and your desires - and the time of year  and species involved - you might take one. Or even only a fly rod.

Unlike most lures heavy enough to cast (floating plugs excepted) you don't have to be working the reel and rod all the time. This means if you're fishing 2 in a canoe, the stern guy could be fishing a flyrod and still have plenty of time to maintain course. 

Casting a popper out and letting it sit for a loooong time before moving it is a great way to pick up smallies.

With a sinking or sink-tip line you can get a fly down pretty deep if you're trolling, or if you're patient you can strip a fly in pretty deep.

Could someone please explain to me what difference the rod makes if you are trolling?  :question    I'm not a big fisherman, but I would at least like to grasp the thrust of what you guys are saying.  I mean, either way you got a lot of line out behind you and you hope some fish thinks it all looks like lunch shortly after you go paddling by.  Your rod is just sittling there passive while you are paddling.  I always thought trolling was less of an art form than the others--you are simply hoping something is there and is hungry enough to be fooled by what you guessed might look like lunch.  Trolling seems like a lot of guessing to this novice, comparing to the presentation skills required by the other methods.  So go ahead, enlighten me.  I admit I have zero knowledge in this area.

Also, I assume fishing from a canoe is not a good idea if you are a novice at both canoeing and fishing?  (Unless your gear and dry clothes are in camp and not in the boat, the weather/water are not too cold,  you stay fairly close to shore, and you were starting to stink anyhow!)