Fly Fishing Gear

[Geezer Tom]

Being new to this forum, I've spent some time reading quite a few of the previous posts. I ran across several people looking for lightweight fly fishing gear.

I'm not one of those backpackers. For the last 25 years all of my trips have been oriented around finding that perfect rise. My fly gear probably could be considered luxury items to many of the backpackers I know. I try to make up for my indulgence by cutting weight in other areas.

With this in mind I would like to share my fly fishing kit.

I haven't dared weigh my set up. My pack weight for 9 days (all the food I can carry) runs around 42 pounds.

I'm highlighting my flies in this photo. 1) box of scuds   2) mouse box   3) dries, caddis, hoppers, etc.   4) mostly nymphs, stone, etc.

Rods that I carry. There are 2 because I fish a lot of areas that are very brushy along the edges of streams and creeks. 5) padded carrying case. If I pushed it, I could probably fit three rods in the case. 6) 9' 5 weight St Croix. good overall in small streams to rivers. 7) Moonshine 7'3" 3 weight. I use this for tight fishing, brush, tight back casts.

I tend to stay away from expensive reels. Some might say I'm cheap. However, I would like to think that the places I fish are rough to get into and I'm always banging, dragging and dinging my gear. 8) orvis 5 weight with 50 yards of backing. 9) okuma 3 weight. no backing.

And that brings us to my creeks. All the weight of my gear melts away as soon as I start flinging flies. This photo I'm using the 9' 5 weight and sporting an older vest. I love this creek because of all of the structures that hold fish...But that is for another thread.

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Geezer Tom
too many photos

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Great stuff and thanks for sharing. When it comes to my backpacking setup I've managed to get it down to one fly box, but I've been known to expand to two on occasion and with one it's certainly more of a generalistic approach. I've never taken mouse patterns on any mountain backpacking trips however (and it would be tough with one fly box). Do you have much luck there / have you found the mouse patterns to be effective?

[Geezer Tom]

I save the mouse pattern for larger fish. I sometimes will fish (where regulations allow) at night during bright moonlight. I caught my biggest fish ever just outside of SEKI on the Kern River on a mouse at mid-day. It was a 23" Kern River Rainbow. I have a lot of experience with smaller trout so I was sure to lose something that big.

My March trip into Arizona might have a lot of browns on the river. I will probably try a mouse there.

With me, I find that if I slam a mouse against some rocks and then do an erratic retrieve, I get a lot of hits. I guess that it looks like a mouse fell into the water and is scrambling to  swim out. Some of the bigger fish that have gone after a mouse I've thrown, will slap at the mouse to disorient it and then strike immediately after.

I find when fishing streams that I have experience, I will cut my fly selection down to what I know works. Same with the rest of the gear. For example: Upper Kern (near Junction Meadows), I would only take 1 rod, 1 reel and maybe just 1 reorganized fly box.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

I may have to add in a mouse pattern or two into the selection as a test - has been a while since I've fished one, with the last time being for largemouth bass. Certainly worth a go with it being an item on the menu and especially for some of those larger fish.

[Geezer Tom]

Are you a convert? I guess that will only be answered if you have positive use results. Be careful from where you get your patterns. I have seen them from $5 each to a dozen for $12. You can sometimes find them listed under bass flies.

Bass Bug-Mouse

1 dozen flies (Half Buck Fly Shop)$11.95 from https://www.flydealflies.com/search.php

I found myself at the local park pond practicing casting with the larger 'mouse'. They are heavier and not as aerodynamic as most flies. Good luck.