Taper for backpack bamboo

[Mvbrooks]

Forget the four piece rods, at least in bamboo. I've made them and they are clunky. Instead, I recommend a nice 7' 3 pc. rod like a 196, 4 weight, or the same taper beefed up to a 5 weight. That becomes a 29" rod, IN A TUBE!!, small and light enough for backpacking but powerful enough to land some of the big Brook Trout you will encounter in back country lakes. You can easily cast 60 or 70 feet of line with such a rod. They roll cast well, too. Add a miniature 6 compartment Wheatly fly box and a LHR Lightweight reel with a WF Intermediate fly line, a couple of leaders, and you're good to go just about anywhere.

[greendrake]

I can't wait to get to old to pack it in.

Good Lord Adam,
Don't rush it! It'll get here far sooner than you want. And take it from me,even before/or if the health goes, gettin' old ain't all that much fun!
I would love to be able to pack in to those Garrett Co. brookie streams,to be able to paddle my board into a nice set down at O.C. Md. again,to go up the side of a tree in my portable climbing tree stand to bowhunt and quite a few other things but have to accept the fact that there are things I just can't do any longer.
Enjoy it while you can!