Advice from the ul Flyfishers

For flyfishing, tenkara and UL backpacking go together like ham and cheese, like peanut butter and jelly!

Depends on the purpose and location of the trip.

If the goal is fishing big rivers, I bring my favorite fly rod and reel, a 1 oz foam fly box with a variety of flies, nymphs, and streamers, a mini drop bottle with floatant, a mini hemostat with scissors (1 oz), a small selection of split shot in a mini dropper bottle, +/- some strike indicator putty, and a limited selection of leaders and tippet. I stick it all in a 1 oz belt pouch.

For small stream fishing, I bring a Tenkara rod, floatant in a mini dropper, a few split shot in a tiny ziplock baggie (don't usually need em), a hemostat, spool of 5x tippet, +/- an alternate type of leader. Packs in a small ziplock bag I keep in my pocket.

If the goal is backpacking but I might want to fish, I bring just the tenkara rod, leader, tippet material, and about 15 flies in an old film canister (0.2 oz). I pretreat the dry flies with floatant prior to putting them in the canister. This entire fishing kit including rod weighs 4 oz.

I have been known to not plan on fishing, but in the end, find time.

I always try to pack 25 feet of light fishing line with some favorite flies and/or lures for the area. No rod nor reel unless fishing is the goal. I'll improvise something if fishing becomes an option.

I'm using a spinner normally, but I found this while thinking about shaving some grams out of my fishing kit:

http://www.jaustinforbes.com/

Is that the cuben fiber of fly fishing?

At least people say that the lightest fly fishing setups are lighter than Tenkara, can cast longer and you still have the line in the reel to get the fish up in case you happen to find that bigger one.

I have been known to bring in a Ross pack rod (5 weight with 4 weight forward line.) A box of about 50 flies, nymphs and streamers, a small pack of sinkers, some floatant, 4 spools of tippet(9x,7x,5x,3x)and a half dozen strike indicators (usally the foam ones.) This will do 80% of general fishing handling size 20 to 12 drys, 18-10 nymphs, and some smaller streamers. Heavy?? Yes. The whole package goes about 1lb. When I am going for fishing, I intend to fish, often spending 8-10 hours per day on the stream or lake. 1.5lb is a small price to pay for good gear. 13lb of camera gear is the price for good pictures, if I intend to take pictures.

Also a selection of hooks, hackle, feathers, dubing, thread and a pin vise to tie up something I don't have…usually 3-4oz.

Good gear cannot be beat. It alsways requires some cost…in weight if not dollars.

My philosophy is do it correctly. I usually catch fish…more often, 3 or 4 times the limit.
I only need one or two for supper. I fish for trout/steelhead only.

I agree with Ike,

It really depends on my objective for the trip and it's length.

If fishing is the primary focus of the trip and it's on smaller creeks for < 4 days, I'll take my 3 wt sage w/ matching reel and 1/2 of a fly line and no backing. This is just under 5 ounces. Add a small foam box filled with small dries and nymphs – 1/2 beadhead and 1/2 not, a forceps w/ scissors and a bit of tippet. No floatant, easy dry, or nippers.
The total package is 8 oz (no rod case or cover)

If I'm going longer or if the rivers are larger or more lake fishing is involved, then I'll take a 4 or 6 wt (I don't have a 5 which is probably perfect for this), a full line with backing, more flies, lead in a dropper and floatant (I tend to drown more dries if the water is larger or faster).

I've thought about Tenkara rods but their sweet spot is for small creeks and I've already got a fantastic set up and the feel and versatility of a 'traditional' fly rod is more to my liking.

If your not a purist and hatch matcher there are now alot of good dry flies in the common patterns that incorporate a small piece of foam wrapped around the hook and hidden under the hackle or even parachute Adams with a piece of foam for the wing and these are great since they float like a cork and you don't need any floatant with them.
Orvis sells them as do others and they have a general search pattern sorta like a small hopper that is all foam called a Doc? fly or something and I can fish a week out west using only a few of them. Also foam beetles seem to work everywhere and my buddies will leave with a couple of those and hammer fish.
There are now some light composite (plastic) fly reels that are perfect for trout fishing but I always bring my favorite Scott 3 pc. rod heck it's only 3 + – ounces anyways and a pleasure to fish.
You need hemostats to safely remove the hook but they make a short pair that I really like and are very light. There are the cheap plastic ones that work if you mash the barb down (highly reccomend anyways unless you need to keep them for dinner)but the aluminum ones should not weigh you down.
A couple extra leaders and some tippet weigh nothing and your good to go.
For safety I use a black rod tube when carrying the rod in the pack since they are expensive it's super light and I got it at a golf shop and thry are used to hold club from banging in the bag I believe. The aluminum tubes are way too heavy to tote around. Thin walled pvc and a taped end could also work and be light. No need for a cap gravity holds it in the tube when sitting vertical while strapped to the pack.
Forgot about those new fly boxes that are all foam and also weigh nothing and come in all sizes perfect for packing and storing flies.