I was going to bring two medium power fast action spinning rods with me this year. I have never fished the chatter bait and am wondering if the faster retrieve of one of my bait casters would be better suited for this and the spinnerbaits I am bringing. I still want a spinning rod for jigging and casting my z-man's and crank baits but I am trying to limit myself to just two rods. Thoughts? I would think a Medium power rod would be sufficent for most circumstances unless a really large pike latches on.

I think the spinning rods would be all you need. I would advise taking a spare rod “just in case”. I haven’t broken many over the years, but it can and does happen at the blink of an eye...

What walllee said.

Spinning rods will do you just fine for virtually anything canoe country has to offer. When fishing from a canoe well into the backcountry, you have to compromise in order to save weight and bulk. Taking two spinning rods equipped with a couple decent reels will serve you well.

Baitcasters might be better in certain situations, but again, walleyes, smallies and big northerns can be landed just fine with a spinning rod/reel combo.

Thanks for the tips. I just bought a 6'6" Medium HMG but the reel I put on it is making me wonder if it needs replaced or just a good cleaning from Delaware Valley Tackle. I was thinking of a Fuego 2500 or something similar. I debated about bringing a light action but from the smallies I see being posted a medium might be the better bet.

Rs130754: " I was thinking of a Fuego 2500 or something similar. I debated about bringing a light action but from the smallies I see being posted a medium might be the better bet. "

One thing you don't want is a buggy whip fishing rod. Even small walleyes will bend the thing in half. Think what an average northern will do to it, not to mention a larger fish of any species. Medium fast action with a good backbone for hook-setting works great. There are lots of Ugly Sticks in canoe country. Tough, pretty sensitive and good quality for $30-$40. You can jump into the $100+ range pretty fast with St. Croix, etc. Just depends on your preferences and your budget. Fenwick makes nice rods, too. I haven't priced them lately, but I think they're maybe in the $70 range.

As for spinning reels, most in the $40 - $60 range will serve you well for many years. Shimano and Pflueger get mentioned here a lot. There are others.

You should be fine with those 2 med. fast spinning rods. That is basically what I take.....

Rs130754: "I was going to bring two medium power fast action spinning rods with me this year. I have never fished the chatter bait and am wondering if the faster retrieve of one of my bait casters would be better suited for this and the spinnerbaits I am bringing. I still want a spinning rod for jigging and casting my z-man's and crank baits but I am trying to limit myself to just two rods. Thoughts? I would think a Medium power rod would be sufficent for most circumstances unless a really large pike latches on."

I typically fish my Chatterbaits with spinning gear and don't usually retrieve them real fast anyway. You get plenty of vibration with those things even reeling in slowly. I suppose if a guy was going to fish the things all day long it might be nice to have a bait caster for ease of use but I have no issues throwing them for a couple of hours.........then I'm usually onto something else anyways.

The only reason I bring baitcasters is if I am fishing big stuff. Hard to toss a Shadzilla around on typical canoe country gear.

I bring 3 medium weight spinning rods each trip. One rod set up for bottom bouncing/lindy rigs, one rod set up for lures, another set up for hook, split shot and bobber with a leech. 2 piece rods break down and are easier to pack/carry.

I'll +1 on the Pfluger Presidents and I'll add I just got a Shimano Nasci and love it. I usually bring 2 medium spinning rods 6-7' with braid on them. I'll rig one with a titanium leader for crankbait/jerkbait options and then have a jigging rod with flourocarbon tied to to the braid. This year I'm adding a 6'10" Med-Heavy Baitcaster for larger pike baits and some topwater plugs. We fish heavy so I'm not worried about the extra rod. I also use rod sleeves on all of them so they stand out on portages and don't get left behind or stepped on.

I say bring all three. A fishing rod doesn't weigh that much. Also, baitcasters are easier to troll with (especially if you are the trolling motor).

At the advice of those here, I picked up a spare Fenwick HMG and Pfluger President so I can have 2 rods for an upcoming trip. Wasn't widely publicized, but found a $25 dollar off if you get a Fenwick/Pfleuger combination. My wife's contempt for this board grows with each delivery knock at the door...

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PatrickE: My wife's contempt for this board grows with each delivery knock at the door...


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Ha! Hilarious ;-)

Indeed......."What did you get now"