backpack fly fishing

[adam]

Anyone?

I'm setting up a pack, trying to keep it sub 20lbs with food and water. I'm doing a good job so far.

I'll be doing this solo in my state for now.

I know I've read a dozen or so stories of you guys with killer photographs, just awesome.

I have an idea for a streamside meet, only three miles from the trailhead beside a nice stream, in a meadow. It would be cool for a bunch of us to meat there, split up, fish, hike, meet back up that evening and share our photographs, meal, what ever. This isn't about that though.

Just curious if you do this and where.

I'm really looking forward to it. The preparation is a lot of fun and I can't wait to get out there and explore new mountain valley streams...

[skyphix]

Only day trips so far, in the Adirondacks of NY. Hiking in to ponds is the ticket here but I like to find the streams running in/out and enjoy them.

My plan this past summer was to 3 day a section of the northville/placid trail ( http://www.northvilleplacid.com/ ) but it never panned out due to some personal issues. Lots of great fishing in the general vicinity.

[rayfound]

The Sierras are a wonderful place to do this type of backpacking.

20lbs is a very ambitious goal for weight when including fishing gear, the best I've managed to date is about 24lbs... but 20 lbs is definately in the "do-able" range if you're willing to be a little bit of a minimalist. (24lbs feels really good on trail, by the way... Previously I had always been in the 40-45lb range and the punishment the body takes with a lighter pack is drastically less)

Your instincts about going light are well-founded... a few simple tips to get started that I feel made major differences to help me get pack weight down.

Sleeping bag - Get a down bag. Its a bit more money, but will save you a lot of weight in 2 ways: #1 - they're way lighter for the same warmth, #2 - They compress way smaller... allowing you to use a smaller capacity, lighter backpack.

Sleeping pad - if you are someone who sleeps on their back... you can probably get away with a cheap, and very light, closed cell foam pad. Unfortunately for me, I sleep on my side/stomach and the foam pads leave me with painful pressure points... they are comfortable enough just laying on my back though. I carry a thermrest for comfort.

Stove - for ultimate weight savings, look into simple alcohol stoves and very lightweight pots for boiling water. For more convenience, think about the canister stoves... I love my jetboil PCS, but happily acknowledge its not the lightest thing going... I just love how it works, and packs, and contains everything.


Clothes - Don't take much! Though this depends on climate.

Water - hike near water so you can filter water frequently and avoid carrying more than a liter at a time.


Good luck.

Ray

[adam]

Hey Ray.

I'm enclosing a list of my kit. This list will soon become static as I am constantly working on it and updating it at grassart. I can't maintain two lists.

Anyway.

2.5lb 20 degree + down bag [x], backpack under a pound [x], 1lb *ultra-light stove [x], 1lb 3/4 length Thermarest [x], 2.5lb solo ultra-light tent [x] and these items all together weight less than 8 pounds, that's where I am at now, that's my base.

I am on track for 20lbs for a couple of nights hiking.

I don't like iodine water so it's a bag to bag water filtration system and 3creeks suggested a Sawyer, very small, I could actually just put it in my hydration line if I wanted. One canister get's me an hour burn at high, 5 minutes to boil so one canister will last at least my couple of days.

I carry a mint tin survival kit, lot's in there, hope I don't ever use it.

How about trading trips?

I visit you guys, you guide me in the Sierra, you visit me, I guide you in the White Mountains? No cost, nothing like that, just a couple of guys trading adventures?

We can work the details as we go.

I'll take you to some very beautiful places, great fishing (tenkara style on me if you want)...

*Alcohol Stove System for sale

A rough list for backpack fishing kit.

Body
[ ] Bimini Hat
[ ] Sunglasses
[ ] Buff Scarf
[ ] Sun Gloves
[ ] Wicking LS & Hoody + Long Underwear
[ ] Ultralight Wind Jacket
[ ] Pants, Schoeller Fabric
[ ] Sox, wicking, 2 pair
[ ] Lightweight Trail Shoes

Pack
[ ] Backpack (to be determined) 1 2 3 4
[ ] Platypus 2 liter hydration and tube
[ ] Water Filtration Kit (to be determined)
[ ] Titanium Pot/Mug
[ ] Spork ?
[ ] Stove
[ ] Thermarest 3/4 pad
[ ] 20+ degree Sleeping Bag
[ ] Solo Tent
[ ] Tyvek ground cloth
[ ] Toothbrush Paste combo
[ ] TP ~ Baby Wipes (just enough)
[ ] Sunscreen
[ ] Towel

Fishing
[ ] 3-piece 6'6" Fly Rod & Reel
[ ] Tenkara Rod and Lines
[ ] Foam Fly Box
[ ] Haemostat & Nipper

Other
[ ] Knife
[ ] GPS
[ ] Waterproof Matches
[ ] Fox Whistle
[ ] Petzl Headlamp
[ ] Photon LED & clip
[ ] Candle
[ ] Sewing Kit
[ ] Garbage Bag
[ ] Pen
[ ] Parachute Cord

1st Aid (list contents)

Survival Kit

Menu
[ ] Silnylon Bag (to hang provisions in a tree)
Coffee
Tea
Powdered Milk
Cereal
Udon Noodle Soup x 2
Dehydrated Prepared Dinners
Salt, Pepper and Spices
Trail Mix

This list will remain locked while I fill out the links.

List of things I need, I have everything else to include.

Silver Tin $1.85
5/8 Dram vial $1.35
Mini-Match magnesium fire starter $4.95
Waterproof-windproof matches $3.50
5 Tinder-Quik fire tabs $1.99
Potable Aqua water purification tablets $8.00
Commando Wire Saw $6.99
Fresnel magnifier $1.50
10 feet of 24-gauge snare wire $3.25
20mm AA liquid-filled button compass $6.50

I'm putting together my own survival kit based on the one above. I purchased directly from bepreparedtosurvive.com and even got a book on survival written by the author of the Field & Stream aritcle, I think he said he would sign the book, I enjoy that sort of thing.

I used to fly cross country in my hang glider with a survival kit similar to this one and I used it on the rare occaision landing out in the boonies away from my retrieve. I hike the blue line enough that I would hate to know I could use this stuff and not have it. When I was a combat medic, I went through survival courses, my favorite was in the jungle for 3 days although we did all kinds of climates.

In my experience, this kit is excellent for fly fishers who hike.

Soon as it's built, I'll detail it and maybe get the author of the book to comment.

For those of you (members) here, some of the items I purchased, I'll have extra if you want so you don't have to spend extra. Just contact me and I'll send you a piece or part or what ever.

Take the TEST.

I scored 40.

:oops:



http://www.avertdisasters.org/html/72_hour2.html

[Sean]

i'm going the hammock route for solo stuff. cuts the need for a pad and tent poles. but i'll carry extra rope instead.

i also have a jetboil and love it

I have a osprey atmos 50 pack

I have an rei polar pod bag and want to get something even lighter wieght and down for summer.

compression sacks are your friend as well I have one for my bag and a smaller one for clothing and they are both sea to summit made with event fabric which is waterproof.

i've been using katadyn water purifier tablets for over a year now. slight taste to them but i found putting a pouch of propel powder takes care of it. thing i don't like about them is you gotta wait 4 hours. I like to carry two water bottles for this reason and make sure i treat water every night before i go to sleep.

the rest is just clothing and fishing gear.

[rbaileydav]

have backpacked and fished many many times in GA, NC, TN, CO and WY and hope to include many many more states in the future. I tend to go about 4 or 5 miles tops as i am an old fat guy and i also tend to go large in the pack department as i like to be comfy when i get there......... i may go slow but i do get there........ nothing better than going solo .... or there are very very few select individuals that i would take a back pack trip with...... personalities have to value the same things and have the right mesh of talk time and quiet fireside or horizon gazing silence ..... that is only available in a friendship born over time or true kindred spirits.





DD

[greendrake]

DD,
Have read everyone of the adventures you posted at The Classic Fly Rod Forum and look forward to seeing some here as well.You have first rate communication skills and take great pics to boot.Your stories always make the reader feel as though they are along on the trip :bigthumb:
Will

[adam]

Will, some of his stories are the reason why I am so driven to do this...

[adam]

Monarch Chair from REI (click)

I am thinking about one of these, super light. I can't stand sitting on the ground.

DD, do you use a camp chair?

What do you use.

The below is a thread from Grassart.



This is my kit.

I have been gathering it for months...

Finally, I have all of it together and will begin the process of lightening up, organizing the packaging and the way it goes into the pack and such. I have worked on my tent, tricking out the guy system with triptease line, fasteners and groundhog stakes for the fly. The tent is tight and will withstand a good wind. The stove is petite but will turn on a pot of water in like 4 minutes flat. My kitchen is really light and the canister for the stove will fit easily along with the stove burner inside the tea pot.

Everything is really light, sturdy and ergonomic.

I think the only thing I may want is a down hoody as they are really light and even on summer nights above 9,000' the temps drop enough to excuse the couple of ounces and small space that a warm down sweater will double up with some R base or mid-layering.

Maybe a poncho for hiking in the rain, however, I have a nice Patagonia fishing jacket for that...

I did my homework with a +20 degree down bag from Campmor.

I am fortunate as I had a lot of stuff already and other things I found at re-sale shops like a new 3/4 Thermarest.

But I am set and will give it a overnighter soon to check the system, in the back yard.

Ha!

I would rather find out now what works and what does not as I commit to the wild.

Soon enough, I will weigh the total kit and see if I came in as I thought. As it stands now, it is very light and easy, much much more so than any other kit I have put togther, easily put, I can carry this all day, no problem, then quickly pitch the tent, puff the bag, make a little dinner and be out, no time flat.



Body
[x] Bimini Hat
[x] Sunglasses
[x] Buff Scarf
[x] Sun Gloves
[x] Wicking LS & Hoody + Long Underwear
[x] Ultralight Wind Jacket
[x] Pants, Schoeller Fabric
[x] Sox, wicking, 2 pair
[x] Lightweight Trail Shoes

Pack
[x] Mountain Laurel Design Exodus SUL Backpack
[x] Platypus 2 liter hydration and tube
[x] Aquamira Water Treatment Drops
[x] Titanium Pot
[x] Mug
[x] Spoon & Fork
[x] Stove
[x] Thermarest 3/4 pad
[x] 20+ degree Sleeping Bag
[x] Solo Tent
[x] Tyvek ground cloth
[x] Toothbrush Paste combo
[x] TP ~ Baby Wipes (just enough)
[x] Sunscreen
[x] Towel

Fishing
[ ] 3-piece 6'6" Fly Rod & Reel
[x] Tenkara Rod and Lines
[ ] Foam Fly Box
[x] Haemostat & Nipper

Other
[x] U-Dig it Trowel
[x] Knife
[x] Garmin 76Cx GPS
[x] Waterproof Matches
[x] Fox Whistle
[x] Petzl Headlamp
[x] Photon LED & clip
[x] Candle
[x] Sewing Kit
[x] Garbage Bag
[x] Pen
[x] Silnylon Bag (to hang provisions in a tree)
[x] 50' paracord for hanging + mini carabiner

1st Aid (list contents)

Survival Kit

Menu
Coffee
Tea
Powdered Milk
Cereal
Udon Noodle Soup
Boullon
Dehydrated (non-psychodelic) assorted mushrooms
Dehydrated Prepared Dinners
Salt, Pepper and Spices
Trail Mix
Pancake mix (dehydrated)

I am still looking into a small drum and will put together a little bag of sage and such for good mojo in the outdoors.

I also will bring a camera and accessories along with a Leki pole for difficult terrain. I don't do ski poles.

[Chef]

Cool -I have a friend at work who is a hard core hiker/backpacker and I am teaching him the ways of the fly - The hopes are to learn from each other and get busy in country. Adam, my "Ruby" can get us close for a drop site. We are putting some plans together for first thaw.

Let me know,
Chef