I have always loved fishing; especially for trout in cold, clear mountain streams. I first learned to fish with my uncle Joe while growing up in Northern Nevada. The first part of our fishing ritual was to go out the night before and dig up some big, juicy earthworms that were sure to entice trout. We would get up early the following morning, gather our doomed prisoners and then head out to the stream. These trips generally involved a few hours of driving, followed by a scenic hike amid the fragrant sagebrush, and then a day of working our way up stream catching rainbow and brown trout. When we caught “keepers,” they were slipped into our 1960s era canvas creels lined with fresh strips of streamside willow branches.

It was not until I was in college that a family friend introduced me to the art of fly fishing. I was immediately captivated with this form of fishing, but I lacked the time while in school and pilot training to really pursue it. That all changed when I was stationed in Arizona for several years. I launched myself into learning all that I could about the sport – the gear, the flies, casting, fly tying and…sometimes, the catching.  

Even as a pilot, I still can’t help but look into the sky with childlike wonder when I hear the noise of an aircraft flying overhead. I look to see what type of plane it is and appreciate it’s path slicing through the air. Similarly, when I find myself walking along a stream [without my fly rod] I can’t help but to get lost staring into those perfect lies, searching for a glimpse of that big trout lurking – waiting for his next meal to drift by.

So on my PCT journey, I plan to combine my love of backpacking and fly fishing by bringing a tenkara fly rod during the stretch of trail that goes through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this region, the PCT snakes past many fishable rivers, streams and creeks as well as high altitude lakes that hold rainbow, brown, brook and golden trout. Tenkara is a Japanese form of fly fishing broken down to just a rod, a line and a fly; it is perfectly suited for backpacking. The telescoping rod itself weighs just under three ounces and the only other items needed are some line, tippet and a variety of dry flies and nymphs in a small, foam fly box. I’m very much looking forward to satisfying my fly fishing fix while on my trek through the Sierra Nevada Mountains…and I bet some freshly cooked trout will do wonders for “hiker hunger” too!