[pct-l] 1 lb flyfishing rig

[jeffmoorehead1 at cox.net (Jeff Moorehead)]

Hey guys,
Who says you can't simulataneously enjoy your second favorite pastime of fooling wilderness trout into biting at weird-looking feathers tied onto a small hook? It's a slightly pricey rig, but should enable one to enjoy a well-balanced cast whenever it is called for on a long thru-hike: 
 Redington Wayfarer 5-pc, 7'6", 4-wt fly rod
     (with nylon rod sock).............................     2.7 oz. (no hard protection, so be careful with it!)
 Scientific Anglers System 2L Reel...............   3.8 oz. (other reels exist in this weight range but they are much pricier)
 20# backing (40 yds), 4-wt line (60 yds)....       5.2 oz. (less than is typically recommended but you won't need all the line for this rig)
 5 leaders (asstd. sizes)................................  1.5 oz. (leader sizes depend on the fly size, so you have to be prepared)
 asstd.line tippet (reduced in bulk) .............      0.5 oz. (strip out all but what you are really going to use)
 1 plastic fly box with 20 flies ......................    2.3 oz. (take an ounce off if you throw them all into one or two film cannisters or zip-locks)
Total (minus license)....................................  16 oz !!  

With good research, the total cost of this rig is somewhere around $300. The quality is high. If you tie your own flies, it'll be cheaper (provided you are all set up to do it). This rig is suited for small fish, like the Goldens in the S. Fork Kern and the hybrid rainbow/goldens and brookies in the higher Sierra. It's also optimized for fishing small streams and tight lake outflows (i.e. it is not going to do too well on a large lake with a stiff headwind). Nonetheless, there it is. If you don't know how to fly fish, then try learning how to do it during the long winter. You'll be hooked!
Happy holidays!
 Jeff