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Travelin’ Light
Written By: Chris Wilkes - The Highland Hiker | Issue: 2017/10 - October
Fall is here! October is one of the best months of the year for fly fishing. The water temperature for trout activity is optimal, hatches are plentiful, and the fish are biting! It’s time to get in the water!
But stop me if you’ve heard this one: It’s a beautiful morning and you want to get some fishing in before some really un-fun commitment you’ve made in about 4 hours. You start to do the math in your head. 30 minutes to dig your rod and reel out of mothballs, 40 minutes drive time, to the river, 15 minutes to get your waders on, your fly tied on, and your gear stowed, and finally 20 minutes to wade upstream to a place that has as little pressure on the fish as you can find. Suddenly you’re, looking at about 20 minutes to fish before you have to start the whole rigmarole in reverse and decide it’s better to stay put and eat pancakes. Am I Right?
Well, relax. The truth is you can cut just about everything down in your process by packing light and only using the essentials. For instance, if the water is cold but the air is around 65 degrees or above, you can ditch the waders and just wet wade using your wading boots or sandals. Also, think about where you’re headed. This time of year theres no need to take all 27 of your fly boxes. Have one side-box packed up with Elk Hair Caddis, Adams Parachutes, and Jack Cabe Hoppers, plus some rubber leg nymphs and you should be good to go. Breaking down rods and reels always adds time to a trip so if you can carefully secure an already assembled rod and reel in your car or truck you can save some time once you get to the destination. For those that are facing this time crunch weekly, you may want to look into getting a rod rack for your car roof or hood that transports fully assembled rods from place to place.
Finally, remember that you don’t have to find the “perfect fishing spot” to get strikes. Technique and presentation can often overcome the troubles of having to fish in an area that has already been fished that day.
