One other item on the "nay" side--if you're at timberline or above where campfires are not allowed or there are campfire bans because of the fire danger (every summer in the northwest), you're going to have to carry more fuel to cook those fish, which will add to your pack weight. (That assumes that otherwise you only boil water to rehydrate dried food--if you're a gourmet camp cook, it won't make any difference.) There's also the issue of needing either a fry pan or a bunch of foil for the cooking and extra fat of some sort.

That being said, I plan to return to Wyoming's Wind Rivers next summer, Lord willing (at my age, gotta add that caveat!). My grown children, bless their hearts, got me a lovely Tenkara rod for Christmas which has renewed my enthusiasm for fishing. It's a more expensive and sophisticated version of the method I learned to fish with as a child, a willow pole with the line tied to the end. I will be in a couple of prime fishing areas, mostly off-trail (thanks, Wandering_Daisy!) and have (not coincidentally) planned layover days in those places. If I don't catch any fish, I'll just have to subsist on side dishes those few days! It's not as though I can't afford to lose weight, lol! Since my protein source would otherwise be dehydrated, any food weight I save will be more than offset by the tackle, the frying pan and extra fuel. In other words, I'll be doing this for fun, not to save any pack weight!


Edited by OregonMouse (04/18/10 05:17 PM)
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey