Shedding Weight, Part 5: Other Backcountry Fly-Fishing Essentials

A curated selection of ultralight gear tested for reliability, functionality, and efficiency—helping anglers go further with less.

June 30, 2025 By Marty Grabijas

Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We earn from qualifying purchases.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Introducing our "Shedding Weight" content series, all about the latest lightest fly-fishing gear to help you get into the backcountry. It has been organized into multiple parts, published over the coming days. This is part 5. Find links to the entire series below.

In this final installment of our five-part series, we turn our attention to the overlooked essentials—the small, lightweight tools that make life easier on the water. From hydration solutions to innovative fly storage, every ounce counts when refining a backcountry kit for efficiency and performance. Here are the pieces that have earned their place after countless miles and hard-earned lessons.

One-Liter Smartwater Bottle, $2.99

A Smart Water water bottle sitting on a wood post. — One-Liter Smartwater Bottle, $2.99. (Marty Grabijas photo)

I don’t always drink bottled water. When I do it is Smartwater. However, I am not drinking it for the liquid’s touted benefits. Rather I am drinking it for the awesome reusable bottle. Smartwater bottles are a go-to for fast packers. This particular bottle is years old.

One-Liter Katadyn BeFree Filter Bottles, $52.95

A Katadyn BeFree water filter bottle leaning against some wood and rocks. — One-Liter Katadyn BeFree Filter Bottles, $52.95. (Marty Grabijas photo)

When in the backcountry, and not around steaming piles of cow pies, I dip and sip with Katadyn’s BeFree bottles. With an integrated filter, I find that these are a lighter and quicker solution to water purification than a SteriPen UV Water Purifier. I particularly love the light weight of only 85 grams, or 3 ounces. As a soft flask, you don’t have to carry the volume as it empties.

Foam Fly Boxes, around $30.00

Three orange fly boxes on a table top. — Orvis foam fly boxes. ((Marty Grabijas photo)

I adore the organization that magnets bring to fly fishing, but they are heavy. Foam fly boxes by Flambeau and Orvis weigh in at only around 50 grams, or under two ounces. For smaller, essential items like fly boxes, headlamps, knives, etc. I always rock bright colors.

Cling Mag Grab Mini, $19.99

Cling Mag Grab Mini, $19.99. (Marty Grabijas photo)

Magnets weigh. However, this is where I bend. Foam fly patches are useless with barbless hooks. The foam just does not provide enough purchase to keep your flies secure. Instead, they end up as detritus on the forest floor. Cling’s Mini weighs in at 38 grams, or under 1 ounce. To secure to a pack, vest, a shirt, simply pull the polished metal backing off of the magnetized front. Put the backing on the inside of where you want to attach it to, the magnetized aluminum front on the outside, and they “cling”. I wish more brands would ditch foam fly patches for magnets. Apparently however, pace-makers and liability issues are a concern.

Garmin InReach Mini 2, $299.95, service plans vary

A Garmin InReach satellite communications device strapped to a Patagonia backpack. — Garmin InReach Mini 2, $299.95, service plans vary. (Marty Grabijas photo)

My decision to purchase an InReach Mini was an easy one and came after a $23,000 chopper flight out of a wilderness area that could have been avoided with solid communication. The best part of the InReach Mini is that with preprogrammed text messages I can let my wife know that I am still alive when I wake up and go to bed. It buys her piece of mind. If the fishing is lights out, I can also let her know that I am having a great time and will be out late, avoiding SAR being scrambled and allowing more fishing time.

Fly-Fishing Mapping Apps

Side-by-side screen shots of smartphone mapping apps. — OnWaters's river-mile tool is on the left; TroutRoutes's regulations layer is shown on the right.

There are a plethora of new fly-fishing specific smartphone mapping apps, including onWater, TroutRoutes (by onX), and FlyFish Finder, plus many more that are helpful but not specific to fly fishing. They all require premium subscriptions to unlock all features.

I was truly surprised how useful I find these apps. I know my waters well and didn’t think I needed any help, but features like the river-miles tool (in which you tap two waypoints or access sites on a river and it tells you the distance in river miles; onWater and TroutRoutes), the downloadable hi-res offline maps (onWater and TroutRoutes), public lands (onWater and TroutRoutes), gauging station locations and favorites lists (onWater and TroutRoutes), journal entries with photos (onWater, TroutRoutes has a Notes section that functions similarly that is buried in the app), and regulations layers (TroutRoutes) were surprising helpful. Plus, there are some secret access sites–mostly pay-to-access privately owned parcels–that I was blown away to discover under my nose.

OnWater has even touted an upcoming AI tool in which it will tell you the length of your catch through a photo alone, reducing handling time and keeping fish in the water longer. Other apps have done something similar in the past, but all required a cumbersome size-reference item to add to your pack, which this does not.

I don’t see myself cancelling anytime soon.

In this installment, we learn about the local ecosystem and related commercial and environmental complexities all interacting in and around Magdalena Bay. Dive into the ecological responsibilities of offshore fly anglers like minimizing impact on pelagic species, understanding migratory patterns, and practicing ethical catch-and-release techniques in bluewater environments.

Fly Tying

Eric Naguski, a trained entomologist, shares his hatch-matching and fly-tying secrets

Fly Tying

Eric Naguski, a trained entomologist, shares his hatch-matching and fly-tying secrets

A lot of fly fishers like to occasionally drop the Latin names of insects, and some of them are amateur entomologists with a layman's knowledge of aquatic insects. But Eric Naguski is a trained, professional scientist with a BS in biology from Millersville University with a focus on aquatic entomology and ecology.

How-To/Techniques

Fish Camp's Introduction to Streamers: Critical Thinking

How-To/Techniques

Fish Camp's Introduction to Streamers: Critical Thinking

In this video, Crossland delves into an often-overlooked aspect of fishing: The idea being an angler who is a critical thinker. The more anglers can learn from each day on the water, the quicker they can grow and improve. Colby Crossland of Spinner Fall Guide Service takes you deep into the fast-evolving world of streamer fishing. If you've ever wanted to chase giant, predatory fish with big flies and aggressive tactics, this course is for you.

Destinations/Species

In Praise of Poppers

Destinations/Species

In Praise of Poppers

One of the ways anglers can strengthen and invigorate their fly-fishing proficiency is to hone their skills with poppers. Poppers are highly effective in both fresh- and saltwater environments, and when fished skillfully will entice a wide variety of gamefish species to take at or just under the surface, resulting in dramatic, heart-pounding strikes.

How-To/Techniques

Country Musician Colby Acuff Introduces Fin & Feather Fly-Fishing YouTube Series

How-To/Techniques

Country Musician Colby Acuff Introduces Fin & Feather Fly-Fishing YouTube Series

In the premiere episode of Fin & Feather, Colby Acuff returns to the water—not for glory, but for truth. Set against the misty backdrop of Arkansas' legendary White River, Acuff joins guides Luke Coffey and Ben Levin to chase elusive 30-inch brown trout and confront the growing strain on a fishery with only a sliver of protected water. Through soulful storytelling and sweeping cinematography, this episode dives deep into the heart of a river that feeds more than just fish—it sustains a way of life. It's a raw, reverent look at what's left to lose, and why it's worth fighting for.

Fly Tying

Fish Camp's Intro to Dry Fly Fishing: Dry Fly Rigs

Fly Tying

Fish Camp's Intro to Dry Fly Fishing: Dry Fly Rigs

Learn three different dry fly rigs that can help you cover a wide variety of dry-fly fishing scenarios. This module also shares the types of knots used to set up each of the rigs. Whether you're new to the sport or brushing up on fundamentals, this guide lays the groundwork for success on the water—where every rise could be the start of a new obsession.

How-To/Techniques

Joe Humphreys ''Mr. Penn State'' Reveals what he's Learned in 90 years of Fly Fishing

How-To/Techniques

Joe Humphreys ''Mr. Penn State'' Reveals what he's Learned in 90 years of Fly Fishing

Joe Humphreys was born in 1929 and at 96 years old he is still night fishing, chasing hatches, teaching children how to cast and catch fish, and inspiring fly fishers around the world.

Destinations/Species

Fish Camp's Entomology Course: Insect Life Cycle

Destinations/Species

Fish Camp's Entomology Course: Insect Life Cycle

Maggie Heumann of Trout Unlimited helps us understand how the aquatic insect life cycle and the different variables that affect when they emerge. Fish Camp's Entomology course makes entomology approachable and fun, showing how understanding aquatic insects can help you catch more fish. Maggie breaks down the fascinating world of entomology — the study of insects — and explains why understanding aquatic insects is essential for fly fishing success. You'll learn what makes an insect an insect, how their unique life cycles and adaptations influence fish behavior, and how this knowledge can help you better match your flies to what fish are naturally feeding on. Covering everything from basic insect anatomy to the key aquatic species important to anglers, this course will give you a solid foundation to read the water more effectively, choose the right fly patterns, and ultimately catch more fish. Whether you're new to fly fishing or looking to deepen your understanding of the bugs trout eat, this course will make entomology approachable, fun, and directly applicable on the water. Maggie is a passionate entomologist and conservation advocate, and she turned a childhood love of insects into a career focused on protecting wild places. Now based in Idaho and working with Trout Unlimited, she champions balanced stewardship to ensure future generations—like her two daughters—can experience the natural world as she has.

How-To/Techniques

Ed Jaworowski's Fly Casting Video Series, Video 4: The Backcast

How-To/Techniques

Ed Jaworowski's Fly Casting Video Series, Video 4: The Backcast

The backcast is fundamentally important, yet is so often ignored. It employs the exact same physics and mechanics as the forward cast, simply moving in a different direction. In one sense, however, it is even more important than the forward cast, because the forward cast directly depends upon it, and many forward cast problems stem from a poor or inadequate backcast. Despite this, too few anglers focus on the backcast. Many fly fishers fail to practice it, thoughtfully consider its importance, or even turn their heads and look at what is going on behind them. This is the fourth in a series of five articles examining the physics and mechanics that determine the outcomes of all casts, based on Ed Jaworowski's nearly 70 years of casting, testing, experimentation, teaching, and consulting with physicists, kinesiologists, and engineers.

Gear

Fly Tier's Bench: Shanafelt's 3 Mile PMD

Gear

Fly Tier's Bench: Shanafelt's 3 Mile PMD

Shanafelt's 3 Mile PMD can be fished under an indicator early in the hatch or on a dropper behind a bigger dry fly as things progress, letting it just sort of wallow around on or under the surface depending on where the currents move it. But once the fish start to key in on the hatching adults, he fishes the 3 Mile PMD as a single fly to rising fish. He achieves a drag-free drift into the trout's feeding lane, letting the built-in movement and motion of the CDC collar close the deal.

How-To/Techniques

Fish Camp's Indicator Nymphing: Mending

How-To/Techniques

Fish Camp's Indicator Nymphing: Mending

Zach Peyton from South Fork Lodge covers the often-confusing technique of mending in this segment. Mending is imperative for effective nymphing. He provides a review of when and how to use larger mends, micro mends, and related pointers. Join Zach for a comprehensive overview of Indicator Nymphing in this course. It explores the journey of discovering nymphing as a powerful and essential fly fishing technique, beyond the traditional dry fly approach. Through personal storytelling and practical instruction, it highlights how learning to fish below the surface opened up a whole new world of opportunity and understanding. Viewers will gain insight into tactics, gear, fly presentation, hook sets, and how to land fish efficiently and responsibly. Whether you're a dry fly purist curious about adding nymphing to your toolkit or a beginner wanting to catch more fish Zach's course will give you the knowledge and confidence to fish effectively below the surface. The course explores the journey of discovering nymphing as a powerful and essential fly fishing technique, beyond the traditional dry fly approach. Zach is a veteran guide at South Fork Lodge in Swan Valley, Idaho, where he's been sharing his passion for fly fishing since 2002. Born and raised in Pocatello, he's fished southeastern Idaho's waters since childhood.

Destinations/Species

Fish Camp's Trout Foundations: Where Trout Live

Destinations/Species

Fish Camp's Trout Foundations: Where Trout Live

Riffles, eddies, troughs and more...These are all prime areas of rivers that can hold trout. instructor Mike Dawes breaks down the different types of moving water that fly anglers should target when chasing trout. Dawes is the managing partner at West Bank Anglers and a lifelong fly fisherman with over 45 years of experience on the water. His passion for fishing began early and deepened after a life-changing medical event, inspiring him to dedicate his life to the sport. Fish Camps's Trout Foundations course breaks down the fundamentals of fly fishing in a way that is easy to follow, approachable, and fun. You'll learn what fly fishing is, how to get started, and the essential techniques and knowledge needed to be successful on the water.