Backpack flyfishing
- This topic has 28 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated Aug 4, 2010 at 3:01 am by
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Rich…if you would like to catch greenback cutthroats in a string of lakes hit me up at thefiberglassmanifesto@gmail.com.
There’s already been a lot of great info in this thread. I do a large amount of backpack fishing in winter, usually not huge distances but I’ll cover six to nine miles a day.
For me the absolute biggest factor is footwear. I like a softer boot that is well-fitted to my heel and will move with my foot. If you get the hard, firm hiking boots for ankle support, you really, really, really need to break them well in before setting off into the back country. I have a very nice pair of solid leather plus Gore Tex LL Bean boots that are only now being broken in, and I’ve had them for over five years with heavy use that whole time.
I hike a lot of the time in wading boots. Here the key is good socks (Smartwool or Woolpower, pretty heavy in cold weather). Again I like a soft wading boot like the Patagonia Riverwalker or the older Simms L2, well broken in. I am not a fan of the extra huge lug soles on several modern wading boots. Many of the manufacturers intentionally oversize the width of their wading boots to increase stream stability; great in the water, bad on the trail. Lightness in footwear will do more to minimize your fatigue than anything else.
Also, with respect to backpacks, too many packs are too short in the torso for an average sized male. Ideally your pack should be clamped just above your hip bones with a thick, breathable, well-padded waist strap which will bear most of the weight. The shoulder straps should really only be in place to prevent shifting and keep the pack tight to your back. If you transfer the weight to your hips, you can go all day. If you bear it mostly on your shoulders, especially in bouldery terrain with uncertain footing, you risk losing your balance and you will certainly have stiffness. This is especially important if you are camping because your body will not rest as well in any kind of tent as in a bed and you want to be energized the next day.
The other factor for me is preventative maintenance. If I know I am going to be hiking for three days, I will take an Ibuprofen every four hours while I’m out on the trail. For me this prevents headaches and also keeps my muscles loose for day three. I always carry my water in the Camelbak style bladders these days, because it doesn’t slosh (nice for balance again on boulders) and when it’s gone you don’t have to carry a bulky empty bottle. The worst mistake is to clip your bottle to the outside of your pack.
Rich, Check out the East Inlet on the west side of the park (east of Grand Lake). You can easily fill 3 or so days in this area. It’s peppered with streams and lakes and beautiful country. If you are feeling adventurous you could hike up and over to Lake Nanita/Nokoni and exit out the North Inlet Trail but you’d have to get back to your car with some road hiking… Nice thing about the west side in July is less crowds…
Some pics:
Upper East Inlet (Looking west from boulder grand pass):
Make it to 5th lake:
The lower East Inlet has some sweet undercut banks/meadows:
Good chance you’ll see moose:
Plenty of small stream brookie action:
For backpack flyfishing in RMNP, at least consider a tenkara rod. Packs easily, weighs a couple ounces, no reel needed.
The fun/weight ratio is unbeatable!
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