FFIM

I have never seen the need to carry two rods when I fish or even two reels but that seems to be a trend. I saw a guy on the Mag this spring with three rods all rigged up. Thought that was a WTF moment. Perhaps, I’m missing some great opportunity and could be tripling the number of fish I catch on an outing? Would love to hear everyone else’s thoughts on multiple rods, one rod multiple reels or old school with just one rod and reel.

Ken

I hate carrying multiple rods, but recognize the utility of it... I carried two rods wading just one day out west and then only got fish on one. Certain places on the WB and EO lend themselves to bringing multiple rods because you are fishing a single pool. I have also found that if bring one rod, I will commit to getting fish on that set up rather than switching up.

Great post and something I've been thinking about for a while. Over the years, I've acquired a few "specialty" rods that are excellent in what they do but are fairly one-dimensional. I also don't like to leave expensive things unattended so I usually only carry one rod when wade fishing. Recently I've been stuck with having brought the wrong rod for what I ended up needing. Makes me think I should just stick to my all-rounder (5 weight) and sell my specialty rods.

I hate carrying more then one also... occasionally I'll carry a spare spool with a sinking line, but hardly ever use it. I have no problem switching back and fourth between nymphs, dries, and streamers. I will re-tie most of my leader several times a day when I do that. I find that unless I'm fishing to picky/spooky trout with dries leader construction is not all that important. I'll often tie on a dry fly leader and loop a TMB on and nymph till I see enough rises to justify switching to a dry. Then simply cut back the leader behind the split shot,add 5x or 6x mono then I'm good to go.

Years ago I saw a guy walk out of the woods near Steep Bank with his arms full holding 5 or 6 rods... I don't know how he managed to not loose or break any of them.

Peter

Fishing stripers from the boat is a different story.. if I have room in the boat I'll rig two rods, but always carry a fast sinking, slow sinking, and intermediate line so I can switch depending on what the fish are doing.

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"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once"
Lee Wulff

I used to sometimes bring two rods (usually broken down, hiking in). It just takes too much mental energy to keep track of extra stuff and the point of fishing for me is to relax, have fun, and simplify. Now I only bring one rod when wade fishing, though I might have a couple rigged up in the truck if I have something rigged that I like.

In the boat, we always bring as many rods as we have slots -- that's usually 5. But that's also because we're not supposed to stop when we're floating through private land, so you blow a lot of good water re-rigging. We just grab another rod until we're down a couple rods, then we find a good spot to stop and regroup.

What this means in practice is that when I'm wade fishing, I'm basically going to fish one way for a long time and just make do, e.g. I'll go dry-dropper or dries only, almost never streamer and almost never dedicated nymphing. In practice, I'll only switch things up if my buddy is hammering fish with a different approach, or if I'm getting the skunk.

I keep a freshly rigged 5 wt. locked in the truck in case I break my main rod. Beyond that, I carry another spool with a sinking line for the rig I'm using. Knowing how distracted I get, I can easily imagine getting all the way back to the truck in the pitch dark, shedding the waders and starting the engine and then realizing I left a rod laying on the bank somewhere.

The "laying on the bank" thing - that's exactly why I won't. Totally get not wanting to change rigs and the convenience of carrying another rigged rod, but I'd lose one - guaranteed.

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May your hope always outweigh your doubts, before this old world finally...punches you out.

While fishing out of a drift boat I most often have two rods rigged up, and sometimes three. A streamer rod, a rod rigged with Nymphs, and a dry fly rod all rigged up.

Wading? Never more than one.

Dave M

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"Fish the West every year. Life is short; and you'll be dead a long time." Chris Hutchins--2009

If we are talking rigged rods, I usually have two in a canoe or boat, and never have more than one while wading or in a float tube. I will very rarely take a second rod in a tube in the backpack when hiking in.

I think the multiple rod trend coincides with a growing go to one spot and park there and fish all day trend in the sport. In most of Maine, two rods when you are wading or travelling along a stream is way more trouble than it's worth. But, if you want to park on the Donnybrook Pool all day and be ready for streamers, nymphs, or dries, you might want three rigged rods. I'd rather live line carp for northern pike than sit on the same pool all day, so I'm not likely to show up with multiple rods.

In a boat, two rods don't slow me down, can be transported easily, and--mostly--allow me to fish a sinking line on ponds while being ready to switch to dries instantly if a fish starts rising. Those rising fish on ponds can be few and far between, and the 10 minutes it would take to change spools would miss the opportunity.

You're allowed 14 clubs in a bag for golf. Just saying....

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The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of something that is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.

Sir John Buchan

I always carry two on my favorite rivers. One cannon for sinking lines and streamers, the other is usually a right angle rig for nymphs. Never lost or broke one in all the years I have been doing it.

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"Fishermen...spending their lives in the fields and woods...are often in a more favorable mood for observing her, in the intervals of their pursuits, than philosophers or poets even, who approach her with expectation." - Thoreau

I generally bring two rods in the truck; a 4wt and a 6wt. I only use the 6 wt. if it is windy, or when I make the rare choice to toss streamers. Other than that, I use the 4 wt with WFF for all types of fishing. Yes, I may miss some fish down deep, but as I am a dry fly snob and that is the way I fish

I almost always carry two when wading. One will always have a double nymph rig, the other will usually have something to swing - either a sink tip with a streamer or a floating line with a pair of soft hackles. On rare occasions I’ll even carry three - and I don’t just camp out at one pool but I DO like spending more time fishing than rigging and I DO like being ready to quickly show a fish a nymph or a wet fly immediately after he moves to a streamer but doesn’t take. If I’m carrying just one rod then it’s the super rare occasion when most fish are looking up and freely rising to dries, even then it’s nice to be able to swing a streamer in front of that shark that just followed the 8” trout you caught on your BWO. In a float tube or canoe I always have two. Something else to consider - for those who have fished with a guide how many fully rigged rods did the guide carry in addition to the one you had in your hand? I bet in most cases it was at least a couple. Why do you think that is? Ultimately everyone should carry whatever they want whether it’s a single rod or multiple and not judge others for their choices.

Sometimes. When I do, it certainly isn’t a problem carrying the extra rod, strung up then divided, it’s negligible in the bulk department.
Two rods serve the hiking angler as well as the guy parking next to his favorite pool and locking it down for the day. For all the nuances, But more importantly, if something bad happens and you need a backup rod. I would hate to hike two or three miles and then have to turn around after breaking my rod on the second cast, or whatever the case might be.
Better to be prepared.

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"It gets late early out there" - Yogi Berra

One rod regardless of wading or boat, and an extra spool with sink tip when wading. However, always two pairs of skis. One pair for carving, and a second pair for pow stashes, woods, and bumps.