This will be a little like the what's the best canoe question, but here it goes. Been trying to step up my fishing game over the last 5 years. I don't use live bait, mainly jigs with soft baits, rapalas, and spoons. I jig, troll, and cast spoons. Here is where the difficulty of one rod might come in, but I have been using my Garry Roach rod for everything from small mouth, northerns, and walleye.

Looking to upgrade reel to a Shimano Stradic ci4+ 2500or 3000. Looking for suggestions for a spinning rod that would pair well as an all around tripping rod in the BWCA for Bass, Northern, and Walleye. Can be like a Prospector, does everything well, just not anything great.

I am leaning towards the Fenwick Elite Tech Walleye spinning rod Medium Fast 6'6". Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I have a bunch of rods and reels, but my go to all around rod and reel for the BWCA is a Pflueger president reel with a corked end 6'6" medium action Ugly Stick rod. Great setup, and the rod is indestructible. I'm not bringing any of my G-Loomis rods up there.

So I had the right idea with the 6'6" rod?

Elite Tech would be a very nice rod for anything up there. I'd say 6'6" is about right, maybe 7' if you're really stretching it. I think most of what we take are 6'6 or 6'9

6'6" is the best length for an overall rod in my opinion. I have a couple Fenwicks. Nice rods, but the guides seem a little cheap.
In the BWCA I love my Ugly Stick:)

My fishing rods get used hard in Quetico. Strapped tight in the canoe on portages, banged around at camp, and worked hard while fishing. Not to mention occasional swimming sessions. I need my rods to cost less than $40 to feel comfortable. An expensive rod does not catch more fish.

As much as I like a 6 1/2' rod, I prefer where the tip of a 6' rod ends up when I lash them in the boat to travel/portage. That said, the spinning rod I trip with is a Loomis GLX in medium weight (722 sjr).

Thank you for all the replies and confirmation on 6'6" rod. I will have to consider taking a nicer rod/reel on my camping excursions. Maybe I will stick with the old faithful Gary Roach.

I take an Ugly Stik Elite 6'6" and 7" M paired with Pflueger President reels and 10lb tracer Fireline. If I could only take 1 it would be the 6'6".

How much jigging do you do vs. trolling or casting? Granted, the difference is only 6-12", but a day of jigging with a 6' rod can be a heck of a lot easier on the arms, etc. than a 6'6" rod and especially better than a 7' rod. The longer rods are usually preferred for casting and trolling so one can get the line a bit further from the boat when trolling and to get a bigger sweep to set the hook when casting or fishing live bait rigs.

The question comes down to this: Can you jig all day with a longer rod that's perfect for casting or trolling? ~OR ~ Can you troll or cast occasionally with a rod that's the perfect length for jigging?

Personally, I jig probably 75% of the time so if I had to choose one rod, it would be a 6' medium fast because it would be perfect for that 75% of the time and acceptable for other uses. Your mileage may vary.

I like the extra length of the 6'6" or slightly more for when the big fish goes from one side of the boat to the other and you have to get the line around the bow/stern quickly while the rod is bent over.

Jackfish: "How much jigging do you do vs. trolling or casting? "

I would guess 40% jigging, 40% casting, and 20% trolling. Honestly one of the more difficult things about a longer rod is fitting it in the vehicle with out damaging it.

cyclones30: "I like the extra length of the 6'6" or slightly more for when the big fish goes from one side of the boat to the other and you have to get the line around the bow/stern quickly while the rod is bent over. "

Hadn't thought about that!

This isn't rocket science. 6'6" rod is ideal for an all purpose rod.