My Backpacking Fly Fishing Setup and Background

I started fly fishing when I was 16 out on the North Fork of the Clearwater River in Idaho. It was a 1 to 2 week trip that was taken on a yearly basis. After I turned 18 I went into the Marine Corp and the fly fishing came to a ceasing stop while I moved around and eventually got stuck in the armpit of Arizona (Yuma). On my last deployment all my fishing gear was stolen from my buddies house while we were both deployed overseas. After we returned home we found out that his house was literally ransacked and left open.

Anyways, Nancy's Dad, Kenny Wylde taught me how to cast back in the day and I became fairly productive on the small tributaries of the North Fork and including the North Fork of the Clearwater River. One year I brought in a plump 15 or 16" trout out of the North Fork, which up and to that point was the most fun I had ever had fishing. I casted a good 40 to 50 feet upstream and the fly just passed by a large hole and WHAM! Fish on and it was actually a fight on the double pawl real! The fish was jumping and swimming all over the river, after several minutes of fighting I got the little guy back to me and I triumphed into camp. Well, come to find out no one heard me mutter that my dirtbike broke, that I was pissed and that I was gone fishing... I got in a considerable amount of trouble since they sent out a search party looking for me... But I exclaimed look! I knew there was still some keepers this far up on the river! At that moment I fell for fly fishing, granted I haven't caught any fish that size on a fly since, but one day I will! The fight was just a thrill!

So as time passed I still dreamed of fly fishing from time to time. But it wasn't until I started visiting the alpine lakes and streams again in Washington after I moved home that the memories of Cedars hit me and the bug started biting again. After the Elwha trip with Jesse, I started frantically gathering supplies with a balance of cost to weight. I tried to Keep it as simple and as light as possible without fully draining my account. So here's what I presently carry:
The fly setup, picture taken by Jesse

Fishing Gear	oz.
Cabela's 5 piece rod w/sleeve	4.00
Scientific Angler's 456 reel w/line	5.05
Dry Fly Dressing	0.75
Leader line	0.10
Forceps	0.75
fishing License	0.60
Fly box w/flies	0.70

The rod is a 5wt 8' 6" and I only carry the sleeve and am very careful about tossing my pack around in respect to where the rod is. The reel is 2.75oz by itself and is a double pawl style drag. I should of put less backing on it and it would have weighed less... The fly box is a Morell and the smallest model that they offer which can hold a decent assortment of flies.

My present trout fly box, it is still a work in progress...


Occasionally I throw in some Aqua Socks for wading, but more and more if the weather is nice I just wade in barefoot or in my breathable hiking shoes. I would like to try the 1.9oz wading shoes that I have seen a couple threads on BPL and I believe it was the Jolly Green Giant's blog I've seen them featured on as well. The main thing that I plan on adding to my fishing kit is a lanyard bag. I have a ton of extra Dyneema Fabric lying around that I intend on making a little pouch with pockets for the fly box and Hemostats/Forceps to be leashed to so that it would be relatively easy to access. I'm not really a fan of stuffing all the stuff in the 2 breast pockets of my shirt, but it definitely works, but is a pain to fumble for stuff when you are trying to release a fish in a timely manner. There will be more on the lanyard in a MYOG blog post after I design and sew it up. Today I was at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop collecting a new reel, line, flies, and a fly box for salmon fishing. There will be more on that after I pick up the rod and have a trip report posted from either being skunked or catching a fish.