The last three years I’ve fell in love with Tenkara fishing, my back country set up weighs just over 4 oz. the pole packs down to about 7”. https://www.tenkarabum.com/nissin-tenkara-mini.html

As with others my base weight fluctuates, I’ve quit trying to be completely minimalist and found a very happy medium, sacrificing a few ozs for better comfort. My summer base weight averages around 12-14 lbs. shoulder season varies greatly.

My rod is a 45-year old 4 piece Fenwick made from a kit, and I carry it in a foam pipe insulation tube, rod and case= 4.5 oz.

Reel 3.2 oz (with ONLY the line I need to cast a moderate distance), another very old really cheap item

Everything else=2.8 oz. Includes flies carried on a styro-foam square, one extra leader, very small kitchen paring knife, license, carried in a zip-lock along with the reel

Obviously not gear to impress anyone with long casts! I do not match hatch- just put on one fly and use it until it either falls apart or I catch it in tree. Carry about a dozen flies, all small ones that look like mosquitoes or tan flies.

And yes, a bit more work to clean with my minimal knife.

My husband has a tenkara which I have used, but still prefer the traditional fly set up.

I do not take extra cook gear either. I do carry a few sheets of light weight aluminum foil so I can steam the fish if I catch a fairly large one. Otherwise I just dump them the pot when I cook noodles or rice, and then just pick the meat off the bones before I eat.

There always is the trade-off between weight, function and cost. When I go with someone else who fishes, we do carry a fair sized frying pan. I checked out upgrading my fishing equipment and OMG- I never knew fishing gear got so expensive! I will just limp along with what I have.

My guess is that my reel is a bit heavier than yours...and I take a full fly line on it, too.

I agree with you about Tenkara. I understand the concept, but I also like to cast out into a lake from time to time...and Tenkara simply won't get that distance.