If you do end up doing the fly fishing thing youtube has some good casting tips and demos.

Hank Patterson will teach you all you need to know. It's all about the "snap and splash"...
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TYdkojxrEsM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I like fly fishing but if you are backpacking it is about food. Take either a fly or spinning rod that works for you. Cheap and disposable is probably best if you are as hard on gear as I am. Since you are a bass guy, you will have your preferences. Take what you are comfortable with. The trout in the Sierras are small and dumb. Either will work fine. That is my favorite kind of fishing - eager, dumb trout.
Have fun!
Larry

Yep...never catch the smart ones...only the dumbasses :D

Eager... dumb... We are still talking trout fishing here are we.

Sorry 'bout that...I drifted to dum-basses...now back to the dumb trouts.