This may be a little off topic but backpack fishing for me is not that different from canoe trip fishing. You find an area with some lakes that look fishy, plan a route, load up some gear and travel from lake to lake fishing and camping as you go. Take a layover day when you think you are on a good lake or in a spot you can day trip to some good water. Different gear but pretty much the same concept. I backpack fished for many years before I canoe fished. I do a trip or two a year for both backpacking and canoeing.

I got some nice fish and some good pictures that I thought would be appreciated here. I spent eight days walking in the Sierras and fished seven lakes. The best fishing is generally as soon as enough snow has melted that you can get in there but that is the worst mosquitoes of the year as well. This year that was late July. In a more normal snow year that would be late June. Check them out if you are interested. If you have the bug and the feet for hiking it is fun.

Fantastic pictures of your adventure. Thanks for posting them.

What do you use for a pack rod

really awesome pics John , thanks for sharing and not off topic at all , looks like a fantastic experience had to be a real treat catching and holding that beautiful rainbow :) and your camp looks like an artist painted it. good stuff !

That first pic and the last two are Gray's Sporting Journal quality.

Ghostrider - I carry one fly rod, nine foot 6 weight, and one reel with an extra spool so I have a floating line and a sinking line. A clear sinking line is pretty important on the lakes. My fishing gear weighs two pounds. My camera gear weighs nine pounds which is excessive. My pack started at 48 pounds and was down to 32 on the last day when the food was all eaten. Food is about 2.5 pounds a day. If it weighs less than that you better buy some candy bars and throw them in.

On canoe trips I take a Daiwa three piece 7 foot spinning rod and two fly rods. My fishing gear for canoeing is about eight pounds which is probably light for some anglers on the board. I am not a super serious gear fisherman but I have upped my game significantly since I started canoe fishing ten years ago. Walleye and lakers are tough to get on a fly rod and best fished with gear in my opinion. My total canoe gear is probably eighty pounds for 10 days which gets it into two packs.

Awesome pictures what a beautiful backdrop for your fishing adventures.

Stunning...absolutely stunning!

Johnh: "Ghostrider - I carry one fly rod, nine foot 6 weight, and one reel with an extra spool so I have a floating line and a sinking line. A clear sinking line is pretty important on the lakes. My fishing gear weighs two pounds. My camera gear weighs nine pounds which is excessive. My pack started at 48 pounds and was down to 32 on the last day when the food was all eaten. Food is about 2.5 pounds a day. If it weighs less than that you better buy some candy bars and throw them in.


On canoe trips I take a Daiwa three piece 7 foot spinning rod and two fly rods. My fishing gear for canoeing is about eight pounds which is probably light for some anglers on the board. I am not a super serious gear fisherman but I have upped my game significantly since I started canoe fishing ten years ago. Walleye and lakers are tough to get on a fly rod and best fished with gear in my opinion. My total canoe gear is probably eighty pounds for 10 days which gets it into two packs."

Ya, lakers are tough on the fly rod, but you can do it even shorefishing in the really early spring. Can't be beat for level of fun!