Just in Case

A few pack rods, reels to match, and a small selection of lures and terminal tackle live in the back of my car. Just in case. Because I never know when I might notice a bridge crossing right-of-way beside an intriguing looking stream or a park with a little lake in it and have some extra time. I don't use them that frequently on trips where fishing wasn't already my objective, but pack rods really don't take up much space in the back of a wagon, and when I do want to make a few casts, I want to be prepared. Plus I'm a step ahead on packing the car for a planned fishing trip, when those rods are right for the task.

I can't claim to be prepared for everything. The rods and reels I regularly tote are pretty light, so I wouldn't cast a weedless bass lure across matted vegetation or cast out in a marshy area where I think the most likely fish to bite would be a redfish. However, if I'm around those kinds of waters, I'm farther from home, and often it's a larger fishing trip, and the back of the car is loaded with all kinds of fishing equipment. The pack rods are more for local outings or for sampling a stream I might pass on the way to some non-fishing destination, and more often than not, fairly light tackle gives me a good option for sampling those types of waters.

I discovered how much I like pack  rods when my then-10-year-old son Asher and I traveled across the country on a tripped dubbed the RebelTroutTrek. We traveled for nearly a month in a Ford Fiesta, so we had loads of gear, and simple pack rods stayed out of the way but were always handy, and though we carried a handful of rods, he and I mostly used one rod each for the entire trip.

The rods I currently carry are Fenwick Eagle Travel Spinning Rods. I've had them for a few years and use them quite a bit in trout or smallmouth streams and on ponds for my regular fishing, and have been happy with their performance. They cast smoothly, despite being three or four pieces (depending on model), and they are priced reasonably for the quality at about $70.

Gazing at the picture as I write this reminds me that my car gear is just lying their awaiting a call to action. I wonder if it will get used before the day is over?!