Backpacking and fly fishing go together like peanut butter and jelly. They both benefit from one another when combined. For backpacking, fly fishing provides a source of fun, a great way to pass the time while at camp, and a great way to put food in your belly. We all know the best fishing spots are always far off the beaten path, so a backpack full of camping gear provides the fisher with all the tools needed to reach those distant lakes and rivers, where the fish have never seen a fly before (or at least not every day of the week). To me, it seems like the majority of people who go fishing rarely venture more than a mile away from their vehicle. Some worms, a lawn chair, a cooler full of beers, you get the picture. A hike into the backcountry with a multi-night stay (and if there is water or lakes along the route, I will always add a day to the trip just to fish) can reap the rewards many of those roadside fishermen will never see. Like a lot of things in life, the extra effort goes a long way.

If you’re new to one or the other of these sports, there are a few key pieces of gear you’ll need to get started. You can take it as far as you’d like in terms of gear, but really you can get by with a pretty basic setup. Backpacking is a very simple sport. All you really need is a backpack, a sleeping bag, some warm clothes (depending on the area), a rain jacket, some food, and water. Check out my post on planning a successful backpacking trip here and the ten essentials every backpacker should have in their pack. Fly fishing can get technical when it comes to equipment, but for most backcountry fishing trips, I like to keep my setup pretty simple. A three-piece fly rod and reel, a box of flies picked for the area you’ll be hiking through, an extra leader and tippet, along with a set of snippers and forceps will get the job done. You can always bring more stuff, but the weight adds up quickly when you’re carrying it in on your back, so give it a lot of thought on whether or not you really need it.

Also, don’t forget to throw in some seasoning, breading and a small piece of tinfoil to cook up your trout on the fire for dinner. In total, a backcountry fly fishing kit shouldn’t add more than a pound or two to your backpack.

It was backpacking that led me into the mountains to get away from life’s burdens but since then, it has opened up so many doors for me to not only catch more fish but also to see and do things that would be impossible without loading up a pack and taking off for the woods. I appreciate and enjoy backpacking just as much as I do fly fishing. They are quickly becoming one in the same for me.