Category: UL Fishing Gear

  • ULTRALIGHT FLY REELS

    ULTRALIGHT FLY REELS

    Unlike fly rods, which are often only a few tenths of an ounce different among brands, styles, pricepoints, and even sizes- there is some weight to be saved when it comes to selecting the right fly reel for your Backpacking Outfit. In this post, I’ll try to outline some of the best lightweight fly reels for your next backcountry mission. Keep in mind, I do not operate on an unlimited budget, so most of these data points are from online research and may vary from real world specifications. That being said, I have either personally owned or have had trusted friends with first hand experience with all the brands on this list, but not always these particular models.

    For the purposes of this list, an “Ultralight” Reel will be defined as a reel under 3oz in it’s smallest configuration.

    Photos By Jackson Dockery & Atticus Leithner

    Redington Zero

    When Redington released the Zero quite a few years ago now, I was stoked. It really opened up the UL reel market to a much lower price-point. It’s predecessors were in the $250-$400 range, while the Zero was introduced at a price less than $100. At it’s current price of $109 the zero is still very difficult to beat. In my mind, the zero is the frontrunner for any Ultralight outfit, unless you just have money to burn

    • 2.7 Ounces (2-3wt) /// 3 Ounces (4-5wt)
    • Cast Spool and Frame
    • Click and Pawl Drag system
    • $109.99
    • Made in Korea

    Sage Click

    The Click is the Zero’s Hotter older sister. It’s Lighter, machined, and just better looking. It’s also 3 times the price. The sage click is also the lightest reel on this list, at a scant 2.3 ounces.

    • 2.3 Ounces (0/1/2wt) /// 2.62 Ounces (3/4/5wt) /// 3 Ounces (4/5/6wt)
    • Machined Spool and Frame
    • Click and Pawl Drag System
    • $330.00
    • Made In Korea

    Lamson Purist

    Another Gorgeous UL Fly reel: something about Lamson’s Minimal and Futuristic design asthetic just looks right on an Lightweight fly reel. The lamson does have a slightly larger arbor than the other offerings on this list, which will give a little more line pickup per turn of the spool. Although it’s not often needed, the tiny arbors on these reels do make it hard to catch up with a larger fish running towards you- but that is seldom (or never) on most of the streams I fish. That being said, any additional arbor size makes it just a bit easier to reel up when moving spot to spot, and reduces line coils.

    • 2.7 Ounces (2/3/4wt) /// 3.1 Ounces (4/5/6wt)
    • Machined Spool and Frame
    • Click and Pawl Drag System
    • $369.99
    • Made in USA

    Lamson Force SL

    THE HOT-ROD UL Reel: Take the Purist, slap Lamson’s superb conical sealed drag in it, and give it an even larger arbor and more backing capacity. What’s the catch? The price. This is the perfect reel for those journeying off the beaten path in search of larger fish that are a little more likely to give that drag a workout.

    NOTE: See the Lamson Speedster on honorable mentions for a sealed adjustable drag, at a lower pricepoint, for only a half ounce penalty.

    • 2.82 Ounces (2/3/4wt) /// 3.31 Ounces (4/5/6wt) /// 3.7 Ounces (6/7/8wt)
    • Machined Spool and Frame
    • Sealed Adjustable Drag
    • $629.99 – not for the penny pinchers!
    • Made in USA

    Galvan Brookie

    The Brookie is one the the OG Ultralight reels, and sports slightly more”dated” styling, but gives up nothing in terms of performance, and plenty of reliability. The galvan does have a unique Adjustable click and pawl, that can be set to your preference at home before you hit the water.

    • 2.54oz (0-1wt) // 2.72oz (2-3wt) // 2.97oz (3-4wt) // 3.2oz (4-5wt)
    • Machined Spool and Frame
    • Adjustable Click and Pawl Drag System
    • $275.00 – $305.00
    • Made in USA

    ECHO Shadow Click

    Another affordable reel, like the zero. The shadow click offers distinctive styling and a low weight at a very low price. Based on very little first hand experience with this reel, I would probably splurge and purchase the Zero for the extra 10$.

    • 2.36 Ounces (2/3wt) /// 2.9 Ounces (4/5wt)
    • Cast Spool and Frame
    • Click and Pawl Drag System
    • $99.95
    • Made Overseas

    Honorable Mentions:

    • Hardy Ultraclick UCL : The lightest fly reel I could find (2.2oz), but seems to be discontinued
    • Lamson Speedster: Just on the cusp of what I considered “ultralight” for this list. The 3wt model comes in at 3.26 ounces, and sports a sealed adjustable drag- perfect for when you need a little more stopping power for larger fish. The Guru and Litespeed are also only slightly heavier than the speedster.
    • Orvis Battenkill Click: The only Mid Priced Machined reel I could find, but the weight didn’t make the cut (3.4oz in 1/2/3wt). The classic style may appeal to some, but it does have a very small arbor. The Battenkill accells in durability.
    • Ross Colorado: Another beautiful reel, that just missed due to weight. The Colorado is 3.2oz in a 2/3wt, made in the USA, and has a Click and Pawl Drag. But hey, what’s a few grams?
  • MY ULTRALIGHT FLY FISHING KIT

    MY ULTRALIGHT FLY FISHING KIT

    I love fishing for wild trout. I remember as a kid, hearing older more experienced anglers talk about “wild brookies” and wanting to experience that rare, sought after treasure for myself. As far as trout fishing goes, bluelining for wild trout about the only thing I do besides a yearly pilgrimage out west. I think it’s its the aspect of adventure and exploration that draws me to these little jewels that inhabit backcountry streams. This coincides well with another love of mine: backpacking.

    This is the kit I bring when I’m backpacking or hiking and want to keep things light. It’s small enough that I barely notice it in my pack, but complete enough to handle most wild trout fishing. If I know I plan to primarily fish on a trip, I tend to take a more fleshed out kit. Likewise if I am doing a trip where I may or may not fish at all, I will take an even more minimal kit.

    Total Weight: 172g (6.1 oz)

    That’s everything listed below, including pack, tools, accessories, and two fly boxes loaded with flies. It does not include a rod/reel/line, which I will touch on in the future.

    Pack: Zimmerbuilt Strap Pack

    The heart of the kit is the Zimmerbuilt Strap Pack. This small, durable pouch mounts to your backpack shoulder strap or can be worn as a minimalist neck lanyard, which is my preferred method. I had zimmerbuilt add a few D-rings on top for attaching accessories or converting it into a lanyard-style setup.

    It’s just big enough to hold my entire system: floatant, clamps, tippet, and fly boxes.

    Highlights:

    • Lightweight, minimalist design
    • Additional straps and webbing loops for versatile carry options
    • Roomy enough for essentials, but nothing extra
    • Weight: 53g (1.9 oz)
    • Zimmerbuilt Strap Pack

    Clamps: Dr. Slick 4” Scissor Clamp

    If I bring one tool, it’s these. The Dr. Slick 4” clamp doubles as forceps and scissors. It lets me de-barb flies, unhook trout quickly, and cut tippet. It’s also small and light enough to stash in any pocket, fit in my zimmerbuilt pouch, or clip to a pack loop.

    Highlights:

    • Scissor clamp combo saves weight and space
    • Weight: 31g (1 oz)
    • Amazon Link

    Tippet and Leaders

    I usually carry a couple small spools of TroutHunter tippet, typically 4X and 5X. I honestly don’t know that trout hunter is any better than the other tippet brands, but the spools are significantly lighter than most. If I want to trim weight, I’ll cut out the spool insert to save a few grams.

    For leaders, I bring one or two Scientific Anglers 7.5′ 4X mono leaders, stored in a mini ziplock bag. I t put these in the rear slip pocket of the zimmerbuilt pouch. I can always taper the leader down with smaller tippet if I need more delicacy. However, most backcountry trout are not tippet shy, so I like 4x for the added strength when pulling my flies out of trees. (I do a lot of that)

    Highlights:

    Floatant & Desiccant Setup

    Instead of carrying full bottles, I put my floatant into Litesmith mini containers. My gel floatant (Loon Aquel) goes into a 0.25oz “snap-cap” bottle. My dry shake (High and Dry) gets moved into a tiny hinge-top jar. It’s enough for a few days of hard fishing, and way lighter than the factory packaging.

    Highlights:

    Fly Boxes

    I carry two: one for larger attractor dries and streamers, and a second for smaller dries and nymphs.

    The Hareline Midge Box is compact but the open compartments will hold a surprising amount of flies. I did slightly modify the 6 compartments to accommodate for bushy flies. I removed two of the dividers to give myself two larger compartments for streamers, and two smaller compartments for dries.

    My second box, the Morell Foam Box is ultralight and simple—perfect for smaller dries and nymph patterns. It definitely keeps my flies a bit more organized than the loose compartments in the other box.

    Highlights:

    • Hareline Midge Box:
      • Deeper compartments, good for larger bugs
      • 22g (0.75 oz)
      • Amazon Link
    • Morell Foam Fly Box:
      • Fits in a shirt or pants pocket, provides better organization for smaller flies
      • 28g (1 oz) with flies
      • Product Link

    Fly Selection

    You don’t need many flies for mountain trout. They’re opportunistic and not picky. I stick with time-tested patterns that work in nearly all conditions. I tend to like boyant flies, and those tied with foam to help with floatation in fast moving streams.

    Big Box Patterns:

    • Chubby Chernobyls
    • Stimulators
    • Humpys
    • 409 Yeager
    • Wooly buggers
    • Sparkle minnows

    Small Box Patterns:

    • Weighted Nymphs:
      • Prince
      • Pheasant Tails
      • Hares Ears
      • Stonefly Patterns
    • Ants
    • Parachute Adams
    • Light Cahills
    • Elk hair caddis
    • Beetles
    • Scuds
    • Soft hackles
    • Midges

    Other Essentials

    A DIY stringer (cord and wire) weighs almost nothing but is useful if you’re allowed to keep fish. I’l often carry more than one and come back to collect my stashed fish at the end of the fishing trip. (check your regulations)

    • DIY Stringer: 3g

    Rod Setup

    I rotate rods depending on the trip. For true ultralight trips, I often bring a tenkara rod—with tenkara you save considerable weight, bulk, complexity, and nearly zero setup time. But for more versatile situations, I’ll go with a 3wt or 4wt Western setup on more fishing oriented trips.

    Final Thoughts

    This kit gives me everything I need for ultralight fly fishing in the backcountry—whether that’s chasing native brookies in remote creeks or casting dries on alpine lakes. It’s a tight, compact system that just works.

    Want to make it even lighter? Ditch the pouch, reduce fly boxes, or go full tenkara. But this is my core: 172 grams of fly fishing capability, dialed in for backpacking trips.