Up here, the variety and sheer size of some fish can make using what Bacpac wants, a real challenge. Depending on the location and time of year, there are lakes, rivers and streams with everything Trout, Salmon (many varieties), Steelhead, Lake Trout to Dolly Varden to name but a few. These fish can range from the pan sized trout weighing next to nothing to large Salmon, Steelhead and Lake Trout that can weigh tens of lbs.

If anyone has been Salmon fishing, then you know what it is like reeling them in, even with proper gear.

Regardless of where I going, I always carry a small fishing kit in an Altoids container which is stored in the bag below along with the spools of line. This bag is then stored in my PSK. Worse come to worse, a line out on a longish stout stick is better then nothing at all. Mind you, again depending on the location and time of year, when the Salmon run, some streams and creeks are teeming with Salmon and in a true survival situation, I would not waste my time with the rod and reel nor the stick and line method


A few pictures of the kit.





If I go out hiking with fishing on the Itinerary then I will carry a slightly bigger kit and a 6' telescoping Shimano fishing rod of which there are also different manufacturers of such as Shakespeare and Daiwa.

Getting back to Bacpac's question. I would think that carrying a small amount of gear then finding a stick or purchasing a couple of telescoping rods is a better idea then using the containers as the reel. Also some backpacking fishermen/women up here who venture into the real remote back country lakes and streams have been known to simply pack along an ice fishing rod as they are so short and fit into just about any backpack.