I just ran across a really unique site that Tenkara and Backpacking Fly Fishers alike might find interesting. It’s called The Eclectic Angler and it has a good mix of finished products (such as hand made reels) and DIY supplies for reelsmithing and line making. Of particular note for Tenkara fishers, they sell horse hair…
This easy-to-make strike indicator was invented by the French during an international fly fishing competition and was recently featured in Fly Fisherman Magazine. It’s basically a monofilament “spring” that is very sensitive and gives you a good visual indication of even the most subtle strikes. I don’t know if the French have a name for…
Here’s my favorite, general purpose midge pattern. It’s easy to tie and very effective. While you could tie them in any color I mostly tie them only in black. Materials Hook: Tiemco 2488 #20 – 24 Thread: Red 8/0 Abdomen: Hareline Ultra Chenille Micro, black Thorax: Hareline Ice Dub, Olive Brown Breathers: Polypropylene Yarn, white…
To me, one of the most interesting challenges of fly fishing on multi-day hikes is coming up with a system that allows you to carry all of the essentials without lugging a 15 lb. vest up the trail. Although my system is constantly evolving, here’s one that I found works well. Total weight (including rod): …
I’m one of those people who likes to fish my way up to my campsite. I’m usually not wading so leaving my pack on while I hit pocket water along the way is my typical MO. Yet, I want quick access to my flies, floatant, nippers, and tippet. Here’s a great little pouch you can…
For many of us, backpacking deep into the wilderness means fishing small streams with a lot of pocket water. I ran across this quick video demonstrating the high-sticking technique with some tips on how to avoid drag in these tricky little pockets.
A long time ago, multi-piece fly rods were considered junk. The technology to prevent multiple ferrules from compromising the action of the rod simply hadn’t been perfected yet. Fast-forward to the present and we are lucky enough to have a multitude of pack rods that cast just as well as 2-piece rods. Lucky for us,…
For the backpacking fly fisher, choosing flies that are multi-use allows you to save space and carry a lighter, more packable fly box. I can’t think of a better, more versatile pattern than the humble hair-wing dun. It’s easy to tie, can represent a variety of species, and is convertible. Leave the tails on and…
