| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Blog Search
Daily Dirt
- Backpacker Photo School: Capture Your Favorite Trees
- RECALL: 2011 Editors' Choice Winner
- Make (Gobs of) Money from Hiking
- Medical Update On Backpacker Editor
- Backpacker editor hospitalized
- Video: Hike the Entire Appalachian Trail—in Five Minutes
- Eastern Cougars Declared Extinct
- Believe It: Albino Redwoods
- National Trail Days Announced
- Friday Video: Falling Off A Cliff
- All posts...
Categories
Share your tales of travel & adventure with our step-by-step guide. Upload trail descriptions, photos, video, and more.
Gear Test: Fly Rods
Our expert tested four, 5-weight rods that are perfect for backcountry streams or lakes
Picture this: Five hours into a hike you stumble upon a small mountain lake brimming with rising trout and are suddenly filled with regret. Your 2-piece fly rod is sitting at home, far too cumbersome to carry in your pack. Fear not! There are multiple backpacker-friendly (read: compact and still worthy of a big catch) fly rods available, four of which we have reviewed below!
In the backcountry, you are likely to encounter both open lakes and brushy streams which can make for a difficult decision as to what one rod will be best suited for either situation. An 8'6" 5-weight rod is an excellent compromise; it is short enough to cast in tight streams but has enough backbone for windy open lakes. For well over a decade I have been using a Fenwick 5-piece, 5-weight that my father built in the 1970s as my pack rod. While I have fond memories of using the rod on both coasts of the U.S. and everywhere in between, it can only be described as an overweight broom handle whose performance is readily bested by all four of the 5-weight pack rods I tested.
Cabela's Stowaway 7
Easily the stiffest rod of the group is the $170 (prices listed are for rod and accompanying case only) Cabela's Stowaway 7, an 8' 6" 7-piece rod (cabelas.com). This fast-action rod can cast serious distance but is difficult to handle when trying for short or accurate casts. Roll casting* is nice and firm, though again the overly stiff rod tip left something to be desired in accuracy.
L.L. Bean Travel Series
The 9' 8-piece L.L. Bean Travel Series (llbean.com), priced at $185, has a nice fast action with a relatively sensitive tip. While not absolutely critical to performance, it is also the only rod with traditional snake style** line guides (the others all have single foot guides). Roll casting is one of my weaker casting techniques however the L.L. Bean made it easy. The fast action combined with a soft tip allowed me to effortlessly drop a fly in tight pockets on a heavily wooded stream. My only complaint is that the rod felt a bit heavy when casting at short distances. If you are afraid of taking an expensive rod into the wilderness, the moderately priced Travel Series is a great option.
March Brown Brownsea Island
The MIT-trained aerospace engineers at March Brown (marchbrown.com) created a wonderful fast-action rod, the 7-piece 9' Brownsea Island (pricing not yet determined). This rod is extremely light when casting at all distances and carries 60 feet of line with ease. One of the most innovative features is a patented design that allows you to remove the section above the handle to shorten the rod without having to restring, making it ideal for tight patches on the stream.
March Brown Baden Powell Special Edition
I fell in love with the 8'6" 7-piece medium-fast action Baden Powell Special Edition by March Brown, priced at $520. The light swing weight made it easy to false cast and with the softest tip of all, this rod smoothly dropped a fly wherever I wanted. While not the fastest when casting at a distance, the slower action made this rod the most enjoyable . And, just as with the Brownsea Island rod, the section above the handle is easily removable which quickly shortens the rod length--I only wish the rod was available in a 9'. Though more expensive than its peers, the striking performance makes the Baden Powell a must-have.
Now if I could only find some pack waders for the early season snowmelt...
–Dan CorbettSide note: While all of the rods came with protective PVC rod cases, they were not light. If you are doing more than a day hike it would be worthwhile upgrading to an ultralight plastic or carbon fiber case (you can easily cut a pound of weight or more). The small cases the rods came with did work great when traveling on a plane; I was able to easily fit the L.L. Bean and March Brown rods in my carry-on bag.
(Dan Corbett has been fly fishing for the better part of two decades. Starting with sunfish growing up, Dan now favors using a fly to chase all species of fresh and saltwater fish. Stay tuned for his how-to fly fishing video and a review of these rods on backpacker.com/video.)* A casting technique used when a brushy or wooded backdrop makes traditional over-the-shoulder casting tough. http://www.flyfishingnetwork.org/casts/roll-cast.php
**A snake style guide is attached to the rod at two points whereas a single foot guide is attached at one point. The performance difference is negligible; it is primarily an aesthetic preference.
International Travel
From Nepal to New Zealand, we have stories and tips to help you plan the perfect 'life list' trek abroad.
Navigation Center
Learn how to orient a map, navigate any terrain, and the ins-and-outs of GPS devices.
BACKPACKER's Free Smartphone GPS App
Record and share you adventures with our new, free navigation app. Plus, discover thousands of GPS-enabled hikes in national parks and major cities.
Green Guide
A backpacker's guide to environmental issues and "green" gear.
READERS COMMENTS
I would have to disagree about cheap rods performing better than more expensive rods. I'm a competitive flyfisherman in Colorado and do more flyfishing than you could imagine. My favorite rod is my Winston LT 5wt. Yeah it'll put you in the 700 dollar spending range but it makes 100 dollar outfits look like crap. I primarily nymph fish and I don't even use an indicator these days because I can actually feel the slightest hits on flies. Don't even bother buying a cheap rod because its just annoying with no accuracy and stiff non playable rods. Splurge and have fun!
Tight Lines,
Austin
Posted: Jan 26, 2012 Austin Manthey
Please edit out the repetition of my comment. My computer and my skill-levels are poorly-developed.
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Anonymous
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I remember when March Brown first started selling fly-rods and their market was to accommodate the Boy Scouts, hence all of the references to Boy Scout history in their sales labels. They started with $100 rods which Scouts could afford; now they have appealed to the affluent market and Scouts cannot afford their expensive products. The best deal for a good rod for serious youth who are committed to fly-fishing, is the Cabela's Stowaway 6; I build one from a blank ($60), in an 8 1/2 ft. 3 wt., and it casts very well and carries well in a backpack. I recall that the commercial version costs $130. Not many youth who start fly-fishing will stay with it, and parents get 'sticker shock' at buying gear which may be used for only a few trips. March Brown rods are too far out of reach for the Scouts...a shame, considering the initial purpose of reaching the youth market to teach a lifelong sport of much worth. Yes, I am a Scout Commissioner and Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Counselor for long years of history with youth and fly-fishing. I am at the Parish of St. Alban's in Edmonds, WA, too!
Posted: Oct 04, 2011 Old Pest Howard
I just got back from a month of backcountry flyfishing trips in the Rockies from southern Colorado to Banff and think this is a pretty good article. However, I have found that I don't need the 7 piece travel rods since the 5 or 6 piece rods are short enough to fit in my luggage and on the side of my packback without sticking up (and I have had trouble with some of the 7 piece rods sticking together in the past). I backpack to fish so I don't mind the rod in the outside, side pocket of my backpack. I use a Temple Fork 6 piece rod with a Redington 5 piece rod as a backup in the car. The above quote about "95% of the performance for 20% of the price" is about right with these modern graphite rods and the way they make the connections now. I did switch for a few hours near the end of this trip to someone elses Sage 2 piece and it was sweet but both of my other rods are almost there. And I have caught alot of fish on them over the years in the backcountry!
Posted: Aug 10, 2011 Scott
It seems like Backpacker is missing out by not taking tenkara into consideration! Quite a shame, if you guys want to be on the forefront of what is new for backpacking, you NEED, absolutely NEED to tell others about tenkara for backpacking.
Super compact rods, very lightweight, eliminates need for reels and cases, and is very quick to setup! Plus, very simple in case non-fishers are interested.
Posted: Feb 21, 2011 Adam Truan
This is a late comment, I've heard enough fly fishing snobbery to last a hundred lifetimes.
I've seen guys with $3K outfits get out-fished by 15 yr. old kids with a beginner's kit from Dick's.
Here's what I'll say about expensive fly gear:
1. Most of the time (but not always), they have great warranties, and that makes up for some of the increased cost, but then again it would take allot of $75 rods to make up for 1 Sage.
2. More expensive fly rods are often less about how many fish you can catch with them, and more about how good they feel.
3. There are some expensive rods out there (Sage for example), that compare poorly with rods costing a fraction of their price.
4. Try enough rods and you'll find some stand-out rods that cost more. The March-Brown Brownsea is one that stands out to me and I prefer it to the more expensive Baden Powell. But you'll also find some that cost less. I have a no-name graphite rod from eBay that cost $50, but it's my favorite all-around rod.
5. The modern fly rod market is all based on graphite. Before graphite, the difference between a cheap rod and an expensive rod could be quite large. Not any more.
An analogy would be to compare commuting with a Ferrari vs. a Honda. The Ferrari will get you there and do it in style, but it's a specialized car that really isn't very good at commuting. While it may kill the Honda on a racetrack, the Honda is actually a much better car on typical highways where the Ferrari's kidney-pounding suspension, super-loud exhaust, and mind-crushing acceleration quickly become a nuisance after the novelty wears off.
In the current fly fishing market, 20% of the money gets you 95% of the performance.
And hey this is a backpacking magazine talking about fly fishing - not a fly fishing mag talking about backpacking. If you're a backpacker who wants to eat fish, save your money for something else.
Posted: Oct 25, 2010 Fly Snobs
Tenkara=Backpacking Fly Rod. My 5 piece Winston LT is so last year now. A total package of 5 ounces can't be bested by any western fly rod and reel. Furthermore you can leave the rod rigged with fly allowing you to extend the telescoping sections and fish in seconds. I have passed up a lot of fishable waters because of the rigging hassle. Tenkara rods are also their own protective case. Get on board Dan!
Posted: Oct 09, 2010 Kevin Kelleher
ADD A COMMENT