I'm looking at adding fishing to my solo trips as a thing to do to keep me occupied. To start out I'm really just looking to troll while I paddle and cast a couple of times while I take a break in a bay etc. I one shot all my portages and don't baby my gear, so I'm looking to keep the gear fairly durable, compact (minimal tackle, but that's for a different thread) and relatively cheap.

I've got an old 2 piece 6'6" Ugly-Stik/Reel combo from when I was a kid and my Dad/Grandfather have all the tackle I'll need.

I'm paddling a Wenonah Wilderness but the curvature of the boat and the position of the 2 thwarts on either side of the seat makes it so that if I strap the rod under the thwarts when not in use, I worry that I'll break it since it cuts into the seat position and really isnt protected by the gunwales since it's so far into the center of the boat.

I was looking at Emmrods but the price is pretty high considering I don't even know whether I'll love fishing on trip or not. Alternatively, I was looking at picking up an ice fishing rod/reel combo (25 bucks or so) and trying that out since it's cheap, compact, and very light. My main concern is the lack of casting distance and that if I'm not catching anything, I won't stick with it and just be carrying extra weight for nothing.

So, let's revive this forum and discuss the issue of taking up fishing on trip. Should I stick with what I've got, and if so, how do I transport it without breaking it? Or should I look into the ice rod idea? Will I catch anything with it or will it just make me hate fishing?

I use this little set from Daiwa









Closed up, it measures 14" x 8" x 2 1/2 " & weighs almost nothing.

The rod assembles to 6'. The reel is compact, but very smooth, and the little 'tackle box" in the lid plus the small compartments beside the reel hold everything I need - hooks, weights, pencil-float, lures & prepared bait. I love this little thing, and it has totally solved all my packing and carrying issues with fishing gear.

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In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.
Mark Twain

You can troll by simply wedging the butt of the rod between your knees on the floor if you're kneeling while paddlng... the gunwale supports the rod out over the water and the rod tip should show the lure vibrating as well as any bites.

If you're sitting and paddling, pretty much the same setup... the rod butt is held in place on the floor with the feet and ankles. I've trolled long distances afternoons and evenings this way, and never had any worries about the rod falling out over the side when a large one hits.

Six and a half feet is a good length for trolling out of a canoe, longer rods have too much rod length hanging out over the side when trolling and are harder to put away under the thwarts when that's needed.

Trolling and covering distance is a great way to spend time in a canoe if you're not in a hurry... good luck!

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While I'm not a big fan of them, you might want to consider a collapse-able rod. You should be able to find a safe place to attach it to the boat so it's out of the way and so it doesn't get damaged.
Ralph

I take my fishing pretty seriously, probably more than most. I do rely on fish for some meals, and Im usually pretty confident I can catch me something to eat. In saying that, I need quality gear to get that done. I use a fenwick methods 3 peice rod. 6'6", medium/medium-light. And I use a mid grade quantum reel. I forget the exact model off the top of my head. Not a super expensive setup, but will cost almost $200 by the time you add up the tax. I dont like to skimp on gear that I need to rely on...especially when it comes to food, cause I like to eat.

An ice fishing rod works for me. One piece, short and the lack of casting distance isn't a factor. I used to take a telescoping rod, but, my ice rods are way easier to fish out of a canoe. The short rods make it easy to catch and release fish.

There are many good suggestions above. I recommend a rod and reel case with a zippered pouch. That keeps everything organized, packed, and accessible. Enter "rod and reel case" into a search engine and many choices will appear. You can keep a small plastic box of tackle and extra lures in the pouch. Also, the boundary waters catalogue carries a rod holder designed for kevlar canoes, if you like to troll. For more detailed information, let me recommend my book, "A Guide to Wilderness Canoe Fishing" available on Amazon and Kindle.

Frankr

Personally, I have never really enjoyed trolling while tripping. When I am paddling, I am canoeing; when I am fishing I am fishing. Boat control is critical to fishing success, as is lure placement. If I am just paddling in lines at cruising speed with one lure, I am probably hitting less than 1 percent of the fish-holding structure, and then I risk getting snagged.
If you want to troll, you can get a cheap, one-piece, four-foot rod. A one-piece is counter-intuitive for canoe tripping, but at four feet you can portage it with your paddles and it won't hang up on bank obstructions. My ice-fishing rods are too limber for the larger fish you can see in the bush, but I know there are stiffer ones.
What do I use? I use a pack rod or a telescoping rod with a light spinning reel and 6# line. I cut a piece of PVC to fit and use duct tape on the ends.
The Mepps Syclops spoon is good for all-around fishing, attracting bass, trout, pike, walleye and other species, and you can get single-hook options instead of treble, so they pack flat. I also usually pack a jointed Rapala, a frog-coloured Kwikfish and a few brown jigs. For browns in Algonquin, I use front-weighted spinners or Lake Clear Wabblers with a worm.

Keep an eye out at Dollarama, they often have a collapsible fishing rod for $2. I own about 5 of them because it was such a good deal. Walmart recently has had some for $20 that are probably better quality. They also have $2 reels at Dollarama but I would not use those rather get a $10 or $15 one from Walmart to start with.

For a tackle box I would also recommend the dollar store. The smallest one I could find elsewhere was way too big for me and I didn't want to pay $7-10 for one. Instead I bought a container of framing nails from the dollar store and dumped the nails. It has about 5 or 6 small sections where I put my hooks, lures, etc. You can also grab lures there but none are worth it, you're best to hit walmart again.

All and all I built a pretty darn small and compact setup for about $20.

To each their own. After cursing the cheap reel I outfitted my daughters with I have sworn to get them something that sucks less (yes, the terrible line had been replaced with something better). Stuck drag, tangled line, and lost fish are just not worth the savings for me. I'm getting myself something decent (probably the highly reviewed and reasonably priced Pfleuger President) and giving my current reel to the kids.
http://www.cabelas.ca/product/21320/pfl ... ning-reels

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ColdspringPaddling.com

I got lured into [pun] a couple of cheap telescopic rods at wallmart for $9.99 each. I brought them home, and like the big goof I am showed my wife the new gadget and flex tested it. It snapped at a ridiculously shallow arch. At first I was totally miffed. Then I considered how lucky I was that it snapped in my kitchen rather than with a fish on in the backcountry. I think I'll stick with my ugly stick lites thank-you very much.

My wife's quote - 'Next time you do something as stupid as that at least have the courtesy to videotape it so I can submit to Fail.com"

There's an old saying Downeast.

If you go cheap, you're sure to get beat.

With all due acknowledgement that I think it's too risky to take really expensive fishing equipment on remote, whitewater trips, you still want decent equipment so you can enjoy the great fishing available in remote areas.

I had problems with an Abu Garcia Cardinal reel several times while fishing, a pain if the fish are biting... at first the nut that held the spool on would not stay tightened and then a bearing broke down and that was that. Trouble is, the sales guy at xxxxx said it was good quality... that was before the days of online reviews.

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I'm with Kerry. Fenwick used to sell rod tubes and maybe they still do but this is all I could find. http://www.landmarkflyrodtubes.com/Tubes/aluminum.htm

My two piece ultra lite fits great and my three piece is a little snug and had to bend the big eyelet to accommodate. Reels are personal and my small one with two pound test fits great in my cooking pot. The big Mitchell I loosen up the handle and pack with care.

I take a regular rod and clip it below the rear seat and the thwart next to the gunwale. Pretty hard to break in that position.

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Old canoeists never die---they just smell that way.