I'm a hack with a fly rod. My wife would argue that sentence was four words too long.

I am not a particularly skilled caster nor experienced flyfisher, but I have caught cutthroat, brookies & rainbows up at 10 - 12K ft in CO, and browns down lower. Browns in the Driftless in WI. Have a native brook trout stream not 300 yards from me here on the east side of the Twin Cities that I should fish more than I do.

Would really like to try to catch some fish with the fly rod in the BWCA this year. Will be in there for the opener, barring a really late thaw. Won't be on any laker lakes, so it's Walleye, SMB & the Toothy-ones-who-shall-not-be-named.

So...my extremely limited arsenal has exactly two fly rods of lower quality.
One is a two piece 5 wt, 8 foot rod, the other is a 6 piece 8' 6" rod, also 5 wt (Cabelas stowaway).

Would either of these be worth taking, or would I really need to move to (& invest in) an 8 wt?

The issue you are going to run into is casting streamers. Anything bigger then a wooly bugger becomes harder to do on a smaller weight rod. That being said it is possible just not the most efficient. I have an 8 weight I got the Orvis combo for a relatively cheap price. If you get a fly rod combo I would recommend getting a brand that is known to produce a good fly line which is going to be by far your most important piece of equipment. If you are going to ever spend significant time streamer fishing I would suggest a heavier rod.

Although blue gill on my 4 weight is a blast and I find myself frequently doing it. They put up a good fight, taste good and are relatively easy to clean. Don't let it stop you from trying work with what you've got. Happy paddling.

I'm a novice at best and am considering taking a fly rod this time, but I agree with Loopy that a 5wt for the size streamers/bugs you will want to throw is too light. Or it would be for me. I was wavering between a 6wt and 8wt, but when i thought about what bugs/tube flies to use, decided on the 8. Other factor is I have a sinking line for the 8 already spooled up, so the 8 won. I planned on using a braid or fluro leader to protect against the toothies. I've never casted from a canoe, so still considering the practicality of a fly vs just a couple bait casters.

I do not have alot of experience of casting a fly rod from a canoe. But so far my main problem has been my paddling partner. I do not have nearly the amount of line control as I do when using conventional gear. But that is mostly being relatively new in fly fishing compared to using spinning or bait casting rods my entire life.

8 wt., depending of the rod maybe even rigged with a 9 wt. line.

If it's all you have, then take it realizing that a 5 wt in a canoe fishes more like a 3 wt. Also, an 8 foot rod fishes more like a 7 foot rod. In other words, you will be severely handicapped but if you find a windless day you might get lucky. Of course, it would be better if you were really proficient with an undersized rig. The best advice is the 8-wt with an overweighted bass taper line.

I use an 8 wgt 9 foot rod with Orvis Bank Shot 9 wgt line. I can cast just about anything. If you have difficulty fly fishing from a canoe it is best for you to be in the bow. If you cast from the stern you can hook your bow partner when you make that cast. I think WIND is the biggest negative to fly fishing in the BWCA. The wind does not stop me from bringing and using a fly rod. Use the wind to your advantage.