Backpacker Magazine – May 2008

Casting Call

Fly-fishing is part meditation, part ultralight technique (catch, don't carry, your dinner), and all fun.

by: Jason Moore

ROD

Pick a 6-weight travel rod seven to nine feet long that breaks down into four to seven sections and weighs about 4 ounces (check the affordable models at templeforkflyrods .com). Expect to pay about $200 for the rod, and $60 for a single-action reel.

BAIT
Carry multiple fly types–nymphs, dry flies, and streamers–to adapt to local conditions. Nymphs mimic subsurface insect larvae and are most effective in high, cold streams in spring. Dry flies float and attract trout that feed on recently hatched flying insects in early summer. Use minnowlike streamers when the others don't work.

ZONE
Cast for trout in swift, cold streams. Target deep pools, sunken logs, submerged boulders, and gravel beds where cautious trout seek cover. At lakes, fish inflows, outflows, and deep inlets. Wear dark clothing, approach the water slowly, and wade without splashing.