Backpacking + Fly Fishing

[6xAdams(Jones)]

From my experience, obtaining the perfect presentation is much easier if you are a great caster. Just learn to cast.

... and mend... and dead drift... and air mend... and pile cast... and reach cast... and tie good knots... and...

 

[Mike]

Yup! Hoping to do it this June. I did it once long ago with a girlfriend that, by then, wasn't my girlfriend anymore. . It's a tough, rugged trail, but beautiful.

I thought you were going to say that the trail was the reason for the break-up. It has probably been the catalyst for many a falling out between couples. Having done it on an unusually hot Memorial Day weekend, I recommend taking heat into consideration. Fishing looked potentially great, although low flows would be challenging on those relatively small streams.

 

[jeffroey]

With regard to leaders, I'm with @jifigz - just carry a few spares and if you're worried about matching your leader to your fly, carry a couple of different leader builds and leverage the loop to loop connection.

I usually don't worry too much about it on the streams I'm fishing - I use the same leader regardless of if throwing a dry, a streamer, or anything in between. The only time I replace a leader is if break it well above the last couple of sections which are usually 4 or 5x anyway.

Maybe it would be different if I was fishing larger waters with spooky fish . . . but probably not

 

[Broodstock]

My favorite backpacking rod I got from eBay. It’s a Scott S4 8’ 3wt 4 piece. It’s light and short and lashes to my pack. It was a great deal and especially for a Scott. I pair it with various reels depending on where I’m going. It’s been great for small stream fish but I’ve landed some pretty large ones with it as well. I will also second vote the Patagonia stealth chest pack. I usually add a foam box of dries, nymphs and streamers in my confidence patterns. Split shot, one spool of 4x and 6x, floatant, nippers and small hemostats. That’s it for fishing gear. Everything else to suit your backpack camping needs is up to you.

 

[MBWCC]

Take a look at Orvis Clearwater 6-piece or the Cabela's Clearwater Travel rods (also 6-piece). The Clearwater is available down to an 8'6" 3 wt; the smallest Orvis is a 4wt. The tube & rod weigh almost nothing and will fit either inside or strapped outside a backpack. I typically take a lightweight reel, a 9' 5x leader, 5X tippet, and one small box of generic dry flies (parachute Adam's, elk hair caddis, etc.). I hike up to alpine lakes where the trout are hungry and will nail anything that even barely resembles a floating bug.

 

[tomgamber]

Haven't done it since moving back from ID. But I preferred a two piece rod in aluminum tube and a little duct tape or a rubber cap (discovered later) from a hardware store affixed to the bottom. The guy who first took me up to the lakes did it so I followed suit. You have a ready made walking stick, and a big long piece of metal to swing if you need to. A grouse that startled the crap out of him on our first trip was the only self defense I witnessed. this guy was a bear biologist so I took a lot of what he did in the wilderness as gospel.