I am going in this year in late July, as opposed to our normal time of early June. We have always brought 1-piece rods and lashed them into the canoe when traveling and portaging. However, I have had some rod guides break and it seems to take a little extra time to lash/unlash each time we get to the lake off a portage so we aren't messing up the rods.

Long story short... This year, I am thinking of bringing my Fenwick Eagle 3-piece spinning rod and my St. Croix Triumph 4-piece spinning rod in the hard-shell carrying case that comes with the Eagle rod and it can fit into the side of my pack (as it's only the diameter of a hockey puck and 30" long). I am also thinking of bringing a 6th sense Milliken 4-piece baitcaster rod.

Questions....

What are the advantages and disadvantages of bringing pieced rods as opposed to full 1-piece rods?

Has anyone had bad experiences with pieced rods up there?

Thanks for the tips and info!

Can't say that I've ever had any issues with 1 or 2 piece rods.
They are the only loose hand held items I portage and I carry them butt end first.

philhartman5886: "...I have had some rod guides break...."

My rods are two piece, but I keep them put together and lashed inside the canoe.

Expect to break some rod guides on your Fenwick and St Croix and other.

I’ve taken both. If I drive to BW (I live in socal so I don’t drive often) I take my 1 piece rods and bungee them to canoe. Never had an issue doing that. If I fly I take 3 piece rods in a carrying tube. I usually carry with paddle and a pack on portages. The only real issue I’ve had with them is the pieces sometimes come loose after a day of casting, just check them every once in awhile. I do prefer the feel of my 1 piece rods but it’s not that big a deal. It is nice not having to be careful putting packs in canoe or worrying about tips getting busted.

I've taken one-piece rods 8' long for Pike and Muskie. I've taken 3-piece, 4-piece, spinning, casting, and fly rods. I find packing in and out I may have them packed away, and at that point, there is some advantage to having multi-piece rods, but once set up they stay rigged.

The good thing is that multi-piece rods now fish like a one-piece rods unlike decades ago.

I've taken some of my higher-end St. Croixs and would rather fish with a great rod, and take the risk, that's why I have the rod.

Knock on wood, I keep my rods together along the side of the canoe when paddling and one of us carries them that isn't taking the canoe when portaging. Be careful, but know something can happen, and fish and have fun.

You won't fish if your rod isn't rigged, so rig your rod and have it ready.

Nomad.

The advantages and disadvantages are just as you'd imagine.

Portaging is much easier and much safer for your rod, when you have your rods broken down and in a short hard shell case. I typically have my rods packaged up for the long treks in and out. Once camp is established I leave my rods fully assembled and rigged up the entire time, until its time to head home.

In terms of disadvantages, i can't think of any that are specific to the bwca. You might get slightly less of a smooth bend in a multipiece rod vs a 1 piece, and when fighting a large fish you may encounter your top sections start to rotate a bit, but overall multipiece rods work really well.

Is there any concern of hooking into a bigger fish and having any of the 3 or 4-pieced rods snapping at certain sections? Or are they pretty reliable and comparable to the 1-piece rods in that sense?

philhartman5886: "Is there any concern of hooking into a bigger fish and having any of the 3 or 4-pieced rods snapping at certain sections? Or are they pretty reliable and comparable to the 1-piece rods in that sense?"

I don't use them but know people that do. You shouldn't have any problem with the rod snapping at any section as long as you make sure they are pushed in all the way every now and again.

philhartman5886: "Is there any concern of hooking into a bigger fish and having any of the 3 or 4-pieced rods snapping at certain sections? Or are they pretty reliable and comparable to the 1-piece rods in that sense?"

Just this week a guy on Facebook bwca group caught 3 pike over 40" with a 3 or 4 piece rod. I think he did break something fighting one of them, but based on his photos landed them all.

philhartman5886: "Is there any concern of hooking into a bigger fish and having any of the 3 or 4-pieced rods snapping at certain sections? Or are they pretty reliable and comparable to the 1-piece rods in that sense?"

As long as you're not trying to fish with a $5 walmart special, then I think you'll be just fine. For all the multipiece rods I have, the connections are very secure, and fit deeply into each other. I've caught very many 4-6lbs fish on them with no issues.

Fly rods are almost all four piece and catch big fish. If the ferrules loosen up and separate a bit the rod can break there when you put some weight on the rod. Waxing the ferrules helps keep them from separating but if they don’t fit well together they will separate regularly and end up breaking.

I have had a couple of three piece ugly sticks that broke. Both at the same spot and without much weight on the rod. Seemed like an obvious design flaw. I splinted a broken one together with braided line and duct tape and used it for several days that way. It worked better than the original rod. I now have a 3 piece Daiwa Ardito. It is a pretty good rod and has caught lakers without any problems.

I have a 3” case I made from polystyrene pipe. It holds two fly rods and the Ardito. I put them in there on travel days for convenience and when traveling to and from canoeing.

Check the arc on the rod when it is bent. It should be smooth. If there is an inconsistency in the arc at the ferrules that is a problem. The ugly stick had an inconsistency at the upper ferrule and broke there.

I've always brought one piece rods. Last thing in the canoe, first thing out. The less stuff I have to do the better.

In my experience, it depends on how you fish. Do you put a line in on every lake that's deep enough, or do you get to your destination then break out your fishing gear?

If you are constantly fishing, then it doesn't matter. Just go with a one piece rod or leave your rod assembled. It is not worth breaking down the rod every portage then setting it back up again.

If you are planning on setting up your rod once you get to camp, then something that breaks down works better. You can protect your rod, pack it away so it is one less thing to handle when loading and unloading the canoe, and it portages much easier and safer.

I love the 4-piece rods with a rod tube as I can pack it. Loose items and stuff strapped all over the canoe doesn't work for me...kind of drives me nuts on travel days. My travel days consist of one pack, my map and water bottle and that it's.

As far as fishing performance - i notice no difference. I've caught plenty of BIG pike and big bass - never had a rod fail until this year, when the handle fell off while casting (it was a pretty old rod). Not a big problem as I typically pack two of the 4-piece rods in the tube, so I just switched to the second one.