Hello!

I am planning my first fishing trip to the Boundary Waters this Sept/ Oct. What are the best rod, reel, and line set-ups safe with portaging canoe and other camp necessities? How many rods/ reels are appropriate to bring?

Thanks!

I typically take two 6.5 foot, medium, fast action 2-piece rods. Reels are size 30. I use 10 pound Trilene XL line.

Same as QueticoMike, 8 lb test. Lash rods to thwarts inside the canoe for travel and portaging.

I take two open face spinning rods/reels:
Mitchel 6 foot medium light with a Mitchel reel with 8 pound P-Line floro
Ugly Stik 6 medium with a Mitchel reel with 8 pound Stren mono

This set up has worked for me for years. Both are BDB'd under the thwarts when traveling and portaging. We use lure wraps to cover the lures when traveling between lakes for fishing. No lures attached until we actually begin fishing.

I take two spinning rods with, 6 1/2 foot medium action, fast tip. Reels are in the 30 size. I use Trilene 8#xl line for everything. Use a leader if in pike territory. Slip bobbers with leeches or jigs works.

Same here for the most part. Couple spinning rods with 6-8lb mono covers most anything. I'll usually have a rod tied up with a slip bobber. The other one gets a small swivel on it for easy switching of artificial lures. Cranks, jigs, topwater, etc

I use a longer rod, 7', because I can cast further. My preference is a medium weight medium action because it is so versatile. I go with a two piece rod and use a thin walled rod case that can hold all of our rods. When in camp I use the case as a support pole in my CCS lean3. I use a nice reel because I like to, and use 8 lb mono.

I carry more tackle than I should and hopefully will get it down to 2 small trays next year. You just never know what will work.

I bring two setups. 1 medium light (6’9”) and one medium (6’6”). 6 lb mono on the ML and 8 on the medium. I messed around with the braided line for a few years because everyone raves about it but I’m just a mono guy.

I much prefer using the medium light but it just doesn’t have the backbone needed for throwing big lures.

I highly recommend a rod tube for portaging. Serves double duty as a tarp pole in camp. Reels go in the pack. I made mine out of 4” lightweight plastic pipe from Home Depot. Duct taped some rope to the middle for a carry handle and added end caps, but plenty of commercial models are available.

I take a 6'6" and a 7' both M. I put a Pflueger President 35 on both spooled with10lb Fireline tracer. I use a 40lb fluorocarbon leader when trolling. I travel with mine either laying on top of the thwarts or angled out back behind my seat.

We usually take 2 rods and reels a piece. I use electrical cord ties to attach to the threats. Keeps them out of the way, but be careful putting packs in and out of the canoe.

I use an Ambassador and a Calcutta reel. My son has tried to use a baitcaster as well but I now have him using a spinning reel because I got tired of fixing bird's nest.

We usually use 8-10lb mono, but I'm experimenting with braided on one and a flora line on the other.

Walleye-Smallies-61/2 or 7 foot medium to medium light Rod, 6 and 8 clear Trilene XL, reel 2500 Shimano Stradic
Northern- Lakers- 7 foot medium heavy rod, shimano Stradic 4000, 10 or 12 pound clear Trilene XL

Darth vader rods one with 15# fireline other with 6# red mono

QueticoMike: "I typically take two 6.5 foot, medium, fast action 2-piece rods. Reels are size 30. I use 10 pound Trilene XL line."

Same here.

6.5 ft medium fast action 2 piece rods, reels in the 25-30 size, and usually an 8 or 10 pound Trilene. I go 2 piece rods strictly due to packability in my vehicle. Once I am loading the canoe I assemble the rods and they are tied into the canoe.

Reel of choice is Shimano Sedona but I also just picked up a new Diawa that I'm really liking. I have heard good things about pflueger presidents so I bought one and gave it a shot. The anit-reverse broke the first time I flipped the switch. The reel didn't even make it through its 2nd day of fishing before breaking. I'll be sticking with Shimano and maybe Diawa depending on how the Diawa holds up.

Since you also asked about Pike I will let you know what I use. I’m after huge Pike not hammer handles. If a musky gets in the way, it’s going to be caught too.

I use a light duty rod made for Musky that is medium heavy, with a fast tip. Not quite a broomstick but more like a pool cue, a little flex. The reel I use is an Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast 60, right hand retrieve. It is a 6.2-1 receive with 34” line Per turn of the crank. I like the fast returns of the lures on this reel. I toss a lot of in line spinners, safety pin spinner baits, and crank baits. My lures generally are about between 1oz and 3oz in weight. I use PowerPro braided line in 50#. To the braided line I attach a 12” Fluorocarbon leader that is 80# pound. I try to limit my lures to two Plano boxes. Not many get away from this setup. With tackle this big I can land them much faster and that’s much safer for the fish. If you play a bigger fish longer on lighter tackle before you land it, the fish will suffer.