Rod Setup For The Bwca

[MN Bob]

 Staying on gunflint side in September Want to hear what everyone is using while packing light as well at what test for line. I'm thinking one rod only. 2 piece. I will be targeting walleye.  I'm thinking 10lb test to stand up to the inevitable northern but fear may be too heavy for the eyes.   Thanks for any input.  Also taking GPS locations and  personal hotspots.  Lol. 

[Kettle]

Always pack two! I take my reels off and duct tape the rods to the inside gunnels of my canoe, makes it easier to portage. I run 8 lbs flouro on my 6'3" rod for jigging and 6lbs mono on a 7'0" rod for lindys

Edited August 13, 2019 by Kettle

[Wanderer]

Kettle gives good advice.  You’d have to go up to 20lb flouro to keep the pike from biting off.  I’d run 8lb on both though. But that’s just a personal preference.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

^^^^^^^^^ What they said! 

 

Definitely bring 2 set ups! Nothing worse than going all that way, and through all that work only to have a rod or reel break early on the trip and you can't fish anymore.  A second set up weighs next to nothing, and could be worth more than anything else you pack if you  end up breaking one. 

[delcecchi]

I use braid.   For the jigging rod use a wire leader of some type if pike are a problem.   A piece of tooth proof or equivalent in 15 pound test can just be tied in.   I prefer a snap on the end but it isn't necessary.   South bend makes good leaders that have thin wire, and small swivels and snaps.   Invisa-leader is name.   

For the big bucks there is a 49 strand tieable wire....

both these are available at amzn and in test down to 10 or 13 pounds.  

You can also buy nylon coated and melt the coating to really secure the knot.  

FF has the cortland.  you might have to order the AFW stuff

[delcecchi]

Oh, and two rods/two reels/spare line.   It would totally suck to be back in and break a rod or have a reel/line go belly up.  

[delcecchi]

On 8/12/2019 at 9:36 PM, Wanderer said:

Kettle gives good advice.  You’d have to go up to 20lb flouro to keep the pike from biting off.  I’d run 8lb on both though. But that’s just a personal preference.

A decent pike will bite through 20 pound flouro in a heatbeat.  Certtainly 14 pound like happened to me yesterday....

[Wanderer]

11 hours ago, delcecchi said:

A decent pike will bite through 20 pound flouro in a heatbeat.  Certtainly 14 pound like happened to me yesterday....

 

Yup!  14 will get cut, as will 20 from time to time.  I’ve run enough different fluorocarbon to get to the conclusion 20 lb is the best combination of fish ability and pike protection for the gear I use.  Anything less and the bite offs are easy.  Anything more and the stiffness kills the action too much and is hard to tie.

 

I’ll be looking for those leader materials you posted though.  I need something like that for a couple muskie rigs I want to experiment with.

[delcecchi]

The pictures were from Amazon, if you can't find it locally.   Jann's Netcraft has a lot of that stuff also.

Comes in a variety of thicknesses/strengths.   Some folks use crimped sleeves especially with the thicker stuff.