10 Ways Fly Fisherman Can Lighten Their Packs

Conserve Strength for the Fishing!

When I first started backpacking my pack typically would weigh-in between 45 and 50 pounds. I had a lot of fishing gear, sometimes packing in boots, waders and even a float tube and fins. I was younger, stronger, and could handle a pack that weight. Still, my buddies often had smaller packs that were closer to 40 pounds. I was jealous, but didn’t really know what I could leave behind because I used everything I brought.

The recent trend of ultralight backpacking gear has created opportunity for all of us to lighten the weight of our packs. I talk in my book Spot Pack Fly Fishing about an overnight trip I took with my nephew that completely changed how I evaluate my backpacking gear. He had ultralight everything, his gear weighing-in at about 10 pounds, and I had a 40 pound pack. For an overnight! Even though it was just one night, I still needed a tent, sleeping bag, pad, etc., etc. I had brought everything I would have taken on a five night trip, the only thing different being that I didn’t bring as much food. Everything else was the same. That was it, I’d had enough. I decided then and there that I needed to change how I backpacked, especially if I wanted to continue taking backpack fishing trips in my 50’s, 60’s, and beyond.

Listed and described below are ten things that I did to lighten my pack. I’ve reduced my pack weight from 45 pounds down to just under 30 pounds, on average. This includes pack, food, water, camping gear, and fishing gear. I hope this is an encouragement for you to do the same, even if you only pick and choose a few of these ideas. If you currently backpack with a 40+ pound pack, I recommend to first focus on saving pounds. As you begin to get your pack weight lower you’ll begin to think in term of saving ounces. Decide what your target pack-weight is, and then develop a strategy where to cut weight to reach that goal. You will see that most of the suggestions below come with a disclaimer, or a trade-off. To save weight there is often something that is sacrificed. Please remember that when reducing weight, never sacrifice safety.

1 – Inventory your gear and weigh each item. You need to know what each item weighs so that you can begin to decide where to save weight. Certain items that you take for granted, may surprise you as to their weight. For example, I typically take two fly rods on each backpacking trip. The rod cases for each weigh 1.25 pounds each. I found a solution that saves almost two pounds (see point #6 below). The first step to lowering your pack-weight is to understand the weight of what you currently have. Once you know that you can begin to strategically lower the weight of your pack.

2 – Ultralight pack. The backpack I used in the past was a 70 liter Osprey pack. It’s a wonderful pack that can carry a lot of weight comfortably. It weighs 5.25 pounds. The pack I use now is a Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L backpack that only weighs 1.75 pounds including the customizations I’ve added. The Arc Haul can NOT carry as much weight comfortably as the Osprey can, nor can other ultralight packs. When you buy an ultralight backpack understand that you’re committing to cutting your overall weight down to 30 – 35 pounds, or less. Some ultralight packs have built in frames, some do not. Even if they do have frames the conventional thought is that they don’t do well carrying more than 35 pounds. With the Zpacks Arc Haul, I ended up buying from them a lumbar pad and shoulder pads that make the pack considerably more comfortable. Without that customization I would not want to carry the weight I typically carry. In summary, switching to an ultralight pack will save weight in two ways. First, the pack itself will save weight. Second, it will force you to cut weight in other areas to ultimately reach your pack-weight goal.

3 – Don’t carry excess water. Let me first preface this idea by saying that taking enough water is critical. Dehydration is a significant risk of backpacking, especially at high elevations. Always be fully hydrated and have water with you to drink at all times. That being said, don’t carry extra water you don’t need because it’s very heavy. One liter of water weighs 2.2 pounds. Early on in my backpacking career I had a water bladder in my pack that held 3 liters. I would routinely fill it up completely at the beginning of each trip – 6.6 pounds. Now I carry a 20 oz sports drink bottle instead. This cuts down my old pack weight by almost 4 pounds, about 10%. I then use a Katadyn BeFree Water Filter (2.3 oz) to replenish the sports drink bottle along the way.

The key to knowing how much water to pack-in is to know your route, and the water available along the way. If you are packing-in along a stream, or will be regularly encountering streams or lakes, plan on using them to replenish your water. On the other hand, if you will be packing away from any water sources all day long, you’re going to have to carry the extra water with you. It takes intentional planning to know how much water to take with you. Backpacking to fishing destinations will most often be on trails where water sources are present. As I said at the beginning, absolutely do not run short on water. Dehydration is a real danger.

4 – Ultralight trekking pole tent. Consider switching to a trekking pole tent if you’re already using trekking poles while you backpack (which I recommend using). There are so many wonderful trekking pole tents available. They typically weigh less, and they pack smaller. My old tent was considered a backpacking tent when purchased, but it still weighed-in at 8 pounds. It comfortably slept 2 adults, and could fit 3 adults if needed. We would split the tent up into its various parts. One person carrying the tent itself and the other person carrying the fly and poles. We’d split it up even further if 3 adults were squeezing in. Still, the weight was 3-4 pounds per person. I’ve used another one-person shelter that weighs about 3.5 pounds, but I wasn’t sharing that weight with anyone. My current tent is a Six Moon Design Skyscape Trekker. It’s a trekking pole tent that weighs 1.75 pounds.

5 – Ultralight DIY quilt. My traditional Big Agnes sleeping bag weighs 3.25 pounds. It’s warm, but as with most bags my movement is very restricted. It was the restrictiveness as much as the weight that had me considering other options. There’s been a movement towards quilts for both of these reasons. Quilts, however, can be difficult to get used to because of the drafts that seem to creep in during the middle of the night. I use a DIY quilt, one that my wife and I made, that weighs 1.5 pounds. It was not difficult to make, but I’m admittedly still trying to figure out how to keep all the drafts out at night. I like the weight savings and the ability to move my arms and legs. My sleep system includes a Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated 25 x 78 pad that I love. That is something I won’t sacrifice to save weight.

6 – DIY fly rod case. As I mentioned earlier, I take two fly rods on each trip. The cases for each weigh-in at about 1.25 pounds each. I was reading an article written by Janet George in the July/August 2022 issue of Colorado Outdoors titled Ultralight Fly-Fishing Gear. In it she recounted and experience where she was backpacking and met someone using a fluorescent light tube guard (size T12) to protect his fly rod. These can be bought on Amazon.com and only weigh a few ounces. You have to cut them to the correct length, and should insert some foam to cushion the rod tips. I also put my rods into a sock prior to inserting them into the tube. By doing this I save about 2 pounds. Now, understand that the weight savings comes at a cost. The fly rods are reasonably protected against things brushing against them or knocking into them. You can’t shut them in a car door or step on them. I wouldn’t stack other packs or gear on top of them in your vehicle while driving to the trailhead. Understand that the rods will not be as protected as they would be if they’re packed in the rod cases they came in. That’s the trade-off. Janet George’s article also mentioned a tube made by Bourne Outdoors that weighs 8 ounces. I haven’t used it, so I can’t personally recommend it, but it may be worth investigating.

7 – Don’t bring excess clothing. Slowly, over time, I’ve converted most of my backpacking wardrobe to Outdoor Vitals clothing. They specialize in offering lightweight and functional apparel for backpacking. I’m not sure the exact amount of weight I save but here are two categories that alone save me at least a couple pounds. I used to take a bulky fleece vest in the summer, and fleece pullover during shoulder seasons. I would also always take a lined sweater for the evenings. Now I leave all that behind and bring along a Ventus Active Hoodie made by Outdoor Vitals. It is warm, but very lightweight. During shoulder seasons I bring along their Novaul Mens Jacket.

The quantity of clothing to bring is also an area to consider. I used to bring several changes in clothing for multi-day trips. Now, by bringing lightweight clothing made out of odor resistant merino wool, I bring less clothing along. Plan to bring one set of clothing that is made-up of layers. Add layers when cold, take them off when hot. Also pack in a few extra articles of clothing that you make sure to always keep dry. In the event you get soaked, it is always good to have dry clothing to change in to. Really, that’s all you need. Read my Backpacking Apparel Checklist to see the exact clothing I take along. Clothing is a good category to take a close look at when it comes to finding ways to cut your overall pack weight.

8 – Food and cooking equipment. Food that contains a lot of water can be quite heavy. Fruit, for example, can taste wonderful while in the backcountry but it comes at a price from a weight standpoint. Dehydrated dinners are the common way to go. Experiment with the different brands and various meals and you’re sure to find some you like. I’ve found that I use so many calories in the backcountry, and get so hungry while fishing all day, that almost anything will taste good by the end of the day. Still this is an area you can have fun with in your planning. Food is a category that can add surprising weight if not planned. Don’t take just anything. Weigh your food, and make strategic choices of what to bring. One lightweight meal I enjoy is instant mashed potatoes combined with some form of protein. That can be either jerky that I bring or a fish that I catch. For more ideas, I discuss food in detail in my book Spot Pack Fly Fishing.

I use a Jetboil for cooking on all my backpack trips. There are more lightweight stove options available, but I prefer the convenience and the functionality of the Jetboil. Also make sure any cookware such as spoons, cups, and pots are made of titanium or lightweight aluminum.

9 – Leave the boots and waders at home. The key question to be answered with this category is how do you feel about wet-wading. Boots and waders are heavy, and often are not really needed if you are comfortable wet-wading. High alpine lakes typically can be fished effectively from shore. Still, sometimes wading-out onto flats is necessary in order to reach drop-offs where fish like to cruise. Streams are most often fished more effectively while wading, and at the very least, will at times need to be crossed. It is important to understand that wet-wading will likely be required if the boots and waders are left at home. Wet-wading, of course, entails bringing in wet-wading shoes and pants that will dry quickly. For many years I used Keens for wet wading, but this season I began using Simms Pursuit fishing shoes. They’ve been wonderful. They’re comfortable, and they keep the rocks and pebbles out.

10 – Reels and other fishing equipment. Packing in multiple reels can add weight quickly, but may be necessary on fly fishing trips where the destination includes both lakes and small headwater streams. On such trips it is nice to have a heavier 5 or 6-weight rod for the lakes and a 3-weight rod for the streams. This means that reels that match the rods will also be necessary. In addition, sinking line may also be required to fish the lakes effectively. A possible solution is to have multiple spare spools for one reel rather than packing-in two or three individual reels. The spools will weigh less.

Also consider combining your flies into lightweight containers or boxes. Flies weigh next to nothing so you should take all of them along that you think you might need. However, be careful of the weight of the boxes you keep them in. Empty boxes can weigh from two to four ounces. Surprisingly, you can add a pound to your pack if you bring three or four such boxes along with you.

Other ancillary fishing and camping equipment can add surprising weight to your overall pack weight. Weighing each item will help you to decide what to bring and what to leave at home. If items are necessary, bring them. If they’re safety items, definitely bring them! Otherwise, give each item thought and strategically make decisions so that you meet your pack weight goal.