New Fly fishing Packraft Available

New packraft available from Alpaca.

I use my current Alpaca Yak and love the durability, portability and lightweight. At a little over 4 pounds it has served me well on many trips and I recommend their products. For a lighter boat I choose Supai Flat Water Raft but it's always a little scary in moving water. Perfect for Cayoneering fishing trips. Now a new boat has come along that cuts the Yack model weight in half if you do not need a boat for class 2 white water travel. It looks safer and stronger.

Alpaca has released a updated version of their Scout packraft! I have not tested this boat for back country flyfishing or Canyoneering Flyfishing but plan to this winter in the Southwest. But, Ryan Jordan over at Backpacking Light has and I trust his opinion and thoughts. I've placed a link here to a video review he has done.

https://backpackinglight.com/alpacka-scout-packraft-review-video/

I also see this boat as a "bridge" sort of boat that can be applied to us crazy adventure fly fishers. It is bigger, more durable and safer then the Supai.

Scout Uses for Fly Fishers

This small lightweight inflatable boat has numerous uses.  Below are a few that I plan to use it for and maybe you also.

*High mountain lakes that require backpacking trips to access them. 

*Cayoneering flyfishing trips that require portage through steep canyons on winter trips. 

*Hike up class one rivers then blow up the boat and fish  back downstream. 

*Access other sides of bigger rivers when wade flyfishing.
In other words if you are wade fishing up stream and see some great "fishy" water on the other side of a river, one could take out this small boat, quickly fill it up and gain access to the opposite sides of rivers. 

*For us that using Adventure Motorcycles and ATV's for several day fishing trips, this is a perfect boat to bring along because it takes up so little room and weight.

Well at least these are my thoughts and I plan on trying one out this winter on some planned backcountry trips. 
Link to Alpaca website...
http://www.alpackaraft.com/product/scout-2017/

Safe passage...
Mark at Trout Bumming.com

Who Can Catch the Smallest Fish

For me having fished many great rivers all over the USA including Alaska for big fish, I still retreat to the tiny streams. They are relaxing, scenic and no one is ever on them. Everyone heads to the big crowded rivers. 

There is nothing like seeking out a small remote stream and planning a trip there.  Sometimes I'll plan to backpack up creek and spent the night somewhere upstream and other times leave early in the morning, planning to be on it all day.  I love these remote quite and lonely places.  I know... it's weird.

Games
Small streams mean small fish.  If I'm with a friend we play a game. It's opposite of what we normally do such as, who can catch the biggest fish! In this game its all about...
"Who can catch the smallest fish"!
We may bet a coffee from the local coffee joint or maybe a dollar just to make it fun. We measure each potential winner carefully.

Tactics 

For small streams I use a TFO 1 weight fly rod rigged with a 2 weight fly line that I cut in half.  A one weight rod lets these little guys put up a fight. As for the line, distance is not needed on tiny streams.  Often, I'll use a small dry fly with a dropper but the dry is almost always all it takes. Sometimes rules dictate what we must use. 

Instead of a vest I'll use a day or backpack. A vest is worthless to me for all day hiking upstream trips. Many times I'm alone so I carry extra stuff in the pack in case I need to spend the night. 

Tackle 

A small box of flies is all that's needed, extra tippett and a couple of tools.  Keeps things simple and light. 

There is just something unique about tiny stream fishing.  Give it a try and see if you can catch the smallest fish!

Mark at Trout Bumming.com 

So Much Snow

This message is for those of you who are planning trips into the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, to our super high elevation lakes that hold the biggest Golden Trout in the world.  NOTE... there is still lots of snow here.  This photo was made today at 8,900 feet and snow is about 6 to 8 foot deep still.  The temperature this am at 7000 foot was 29. This should help those of you that are planning to venture into the Wind River Mountains.  It will probably be another month or so before one can get into the high mountain lakes at 11,000 feet, that hold BIG Golden Trout. Hope this helps those of you that have asked me these questions in the past. 

 Mark at Trout Bumming.com 

Complete listing of Fly Fishing Magazines

Complete listing of Fly Fishing Magazines, by Trout Bumming.com

Fly fishing and Tying Magazines Many of these you probably never knew existed. Some are excellent resources for planning future Trout Bumming adventures. A complete and comprehensive list (updated 12/16).

• 
  
  
• The Drake
• Fly Fisherman
• Fly Life  (UK)
• Fly Rod & Reel
• Fly fish Journal
• Revieve
• Catch Magazine
• Match the Hatch Magazines Northwest, Southwest and Eastern Flyfishing
• Cast
• Steel Head Journal
• Fly fishing Tying Journal
• Trout
• American Angler
• Fly Fish America
• Hatch
• Tail Fly-fishing
• This Is Fly
• Fly Tyer  
• The New Fly fisher  
• Southern Trout
• Fly Punk (online only)
• Fin Chasers (online only)
• Montana Fly fishing magazine (online only)
• Dun
• Scale   Fly and spin fishing)
• California Fly Fisher
• Swing the fly
• Southern Culture on the fly
• Fly fishing & Fly tyer (UK)
• Hatches
• Angeling Trade

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