Fishing Gear.

Bob said:
cabellas collapsible rod. Shinamo AXUL spinning reel, 4 lb test line. Only lure you will ever need is a Jakes Money Clip. gold with red dots. You will catch way m0re fish with a spinning setup and you can fish a fly behind a bubble if needed.
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Do you use the regular size version or the mini one?
 
It sounds like you definitely want to stick with a spinning rod combo. Since you are wanting to keep it under $100 and are just getting back into fishing. I grew up using a spinning rod combo in the Uinta lakes. I would try and find a nice 2 or 3 piece spinning rod from a reputable company. My favorite spin rod for backpacking is a Berkley Trout Series Ultralight rod that I picked up about 15 yrs ago. It's a 6' rod that breaks down into 2 pieces. I picked it up on clearance for under $10. I don't think they make that exact rod anymore but you should be able to find something similar for $30 or less. For a reel you are going to want an ultralight reel to match the rod. I prefer closed face spincast reels because I have had way less problems with them than open face reels. I also prefer the "underspin" style of reel. Like this http://www.basspro.com/Daiwa-Unders...15_11128_530bad75e4b021b76fd3b5df_41408680111
You should be able to find a nice one for around $20. All of the lures that others have mentioned previously on here are good lures. I would add to those the Panther Martin series of lures. In the Uintas you are going to want to stick with the smaller sizes. I would definitely also go with a bobber and fly trailer setup. You can get flies at Sportsmans Warehouse for $1 each or there are some places online you can get them for $0.50. I get a lot of my trout flies from www.streamflies.com. All their trout flies are $0.50. If you are going to buy quite a few of them then the shipping isn't bad. In Utah you can actually fish with three flies on your line. Three can get a little messy but I would definitely recommend fishing with two. You want about 6' between your first fly and the bubble. I like to use a surface fly for the first fly. Get something that has foam in it like a foam beetle, ant, grasshopper, etc. It will float a lot better and longer if it is foam. Then tie on about 18" of line to the bend of the hook of that first fly and put a nymph fly on the bottom fly. Some good all around nymph flies are, Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail, Prince, Wooly Bugger, or any style of midge larvae. I would stay away from the bead head nymphs as they will tend to pull the first fly under the water to much. I will often get into two fish at the same time with this setup.
A few people mentioned casting distance above. I have found this not to be an issue in most lakes. In lakes, fish come into the shallows to feed because that is where the aquatic life is at. The only trout that feed in deep water are lake trout(non in the Uintas that I know of. There are a few lakes in the Winds that have them). You are more likely to find fish feeding in the more shallow areas of a lake than you are the deep areas. In the summer months the fish do go to the deeper parts of the lake during the day where the water is cooler but that is when they are not feeding. When they are feeding, they go to where the food is, in the shallower areas. Shelves in lakes are also great places to fish. The fish like them because they can feed in the shallow water and then dart into the depths if a predator comes along.
Others have mentioned fly fishing. I love fly fishing and that is what I do 99% of the time now but there is a bit of a learning curve especially fishing lakes and the equipment can be quite a bit more expensive. I do find it much more involved and pleasurable though. In your position I would stick with spinning gear for now. Tenkara, like others have mentioned, is a great ultralight backcountry setup but it is definitely more suited to streams than lakes.
 
Great info, thanks.

I work across the highway from Cabellas in Lehi, I think I'm going to run over during my lunch break and take a look. I am actually very surprised how affordable most of this stuff is. Like anything you can spend a fortune if you want to, but it seems like a pretty good kit that will let me catch some fish can be had for pretty cheap.
 
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The Cabelas brand gear is extremely well priced and great quality.
 
I love buying and trying out new gear, so I figured I'd try a pen fishing rod from penfishingrods.com. It's a 5'3" telescoping rod, with a graphite reel for $50 that weighs under 7 oz. We'll see how it does, I've read a lot of great things about them. I'm no pro fisherman, but I enjoy it just as much whether I catch anything or not. Apparently all the pen rods suck except for this one from penfishingrods.com. We'll see...
 
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Go with a rod that's longer than 6 feet. Shorter than 6 feet is just too short.
I've used an Eagle Claw backpacking rod for a long time. It has a reversable handle that can take a spinning or a fly reel.
 
andyjaggy said:
So I'm thinking of this combo.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032MUHBK/?tag=backcountrypo-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QVTUR6/?tag=backcountrypo-20

A little bit more than 100.00, but not much.
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I'm not a fan of the action on that particular Eagle Claw. I much prefer a fast action rod for tossing lures and catching small trout. That one has a more noodle like action, that I can't stand. A lot of people wouldn't ever notice the difference though, so it might not matter you either. Really though, I just don't care for that rod.

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Micro-Lite-Graphite-Pack-Spinning-Rods/product/10204877/

The 6' listed here, I've used - my Son has one. It's fast action, very light weight (lighter than the Eagle Claw. The 6' 6" version, I would not get. It's too heavy, not sensitive enough, like bringing in those little brookies on a winch. No style.

- DAA
 
I just thought I would throw in my 2 cents...
My low end ultra light pole consists of threaded eyelets from a picture hanging kit and a pine branch I get on the hike in. This mixed with a small tackle box, fishing line, and worms works really well. Its a little "Huck Finn" but the kids love it.

Medium: Ugly Sticks tend to handle my abuse and the abuse of my children well. I still have my first one that is 25 years old. I have a 3 section breakaway. I have shattered many other lower cost rods.

High End Fly Rod: Sage Rod
 
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How do you guys carry these when you are backpacking? Just tie them to the outside of the pack somehow? The spot that it would work in is usually filled with my tripod.
 
Yep, the Jake's is what I carry mainly, a couple mepps, panthers and flies but usually go unused... My tackle weight went way down. I sewed a silnylon sack to hold the rod with reel attached. Strapped to the outside of my pack.....easy to get to if I want a quick fish...
 
andyjaggy said:
How do you guys carry these when you are backpacking? Just tie them to the outside of the pack somehow? The spot that it would work in is usually filled with my tripod.
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I put my rod down the side with other tall, skinny stuff. Next to my tripod or my tent poles usually.
 
I ended up ordering the stuff I linked to earlier. Now I just have to teach myself how to tie a fishing knot again. ;)
 
andyjaggy said:
I ended up ordering the stuff I linked to earlier. Now I just have to teach myself how to tie a fishing knot again. ;)
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Haha. It's like riding a bike, except for those times when you totally forget. On a recent trip with @slc_dan I completely and totally forgot how to tie a hook on and had to have him remind me and I had just done several of them a few weeks earlier! Getting old I guess. :moses:
 
Should be good. I used a Trail Eagle Claw for years....still have it, it's a antique now. Got the collapsible just cause I was always afraid of losing a piece of the rod. Love my Shinamu...smooth as silk.
 
I am sure that was embarrassing Nick. :) I was trying to tie a necktie a while ago and couldn't remember how to do it, despite having done it probably thousands of times. Brain cloud.
 
I gave up crane and cables a decade ago, when an old Guru took a liking to me, & showed me the ropes of fly fishing at Henrys Lake 15 mile south, of West Yellowstone... were using flyrods that border on surf rods up there. (Lifting a 15lb trout of the weeds at henrys takes a rod with backbone!) but Ive no doubt the gear I have for that lake is simply to heavy ( for the size of fish) in the uintas. I would, however, consider an ultralight spinning set up again.

Im considering a breakdown 7', 4 or 5 weight fly rod and a reel loaded with sink tip line... The Ole gurus policy was for every fish you see riseing for a gulper, there are 10 more fish below the surface cruising for the nymphs that are coming to the surface. I can always tie a spinning reel on a fly rod, But the reverse doesn't work too well.... anybody else playing the game that way? Id love a more precise description of the weights and lines that you guys throwing, after all, launching imitation garden hackle requires precision! the uintas are my target waters...
 
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