Canada Fly In Fishing Clothing Checklist

It's real easy to pack too much stuff when preparing for a Canada fly in fishing trip. Having a weight limit means you have to be careful not to pack too much. You also want to bring enough of everything you need.

Need is the key word. If you don't need it don't pack it. Make a separate pile of items you would really like to take but don't really need like a deck of cards, a game or a good book, etc.

Once you have a box of items you absolutely need, weigh it. If you are under weight with the items you need go through the items you really would like and add those to the scale until you reach your max weight.

You will probably find you won't be able to bring many of those items you really want. Instead you may find that the items you need exceed your weight allowance. If you want to pack items like lanterns, coffee pots etc. you may want get with the other members of your group and talk them into adding those items in their suitcase.

Stormy days aren't uncommon on a Canada fly in fishing trip and a deck of cards can temporarily chase away the blues. If you don't play cards think of another game the members of your group will enjoy.

Here is a basic clothing list for a 7 day spring Canada fly in fishing trip:

• Raingear - 1 good rain suit should suffice. You may find it almost necessary to wear a rain suit when traveling across a lake in an open bow boat, especially on windy days. You may also find the fish are still biting well in the rain. The best rain suits are the ones that breathe rather than the rubberized rain gear. They work better at keeping you dry in 2 ways; 1. they don't make you sweat and 2. they don't leak at the seams like PVC and rubberized material does.
   
• Insulated Underwear / Thermal Underwear - I personally recommend packing 2 -3 pair of thermal underwear. Something made of breathable material like Under Armour works best. Your sweat evaporates away from your body keeping your dry and warm. This material is also lighter which makes it less expensive to pack in. If money is an issue try to purchase one set of breathable insulates and at least one more pair of standard insulated underwear for back up. Even breathable underwear get wet when you step in the water above your boot or forget to bring a rain suit along. Make sure to take off the standard style insulated underwear when you enter a warm cabin for any length of time. If you get sweaty and return to the lake when it cools back off in the evening you might get cold and uncomfortable. Your partners likely won't be impressed either.
• Socks - You can chose to get breathable socks or standard hunting socks. I recommend a good pair of hunting socks but if your boots are well insulated a few pair of breathable socks will work great also. Once again they are lighter and help conserve weight for other gear.
   
• Boots - I recommend a good pair of insulated boots that come to at least mid calf. They can be leather or other modern materials but they need to be waterproof. Avoid leather boots with a seam on the top of the toe and rubber boots that don't allow your feet to breathe. Thinsulate brand insulation is lightweight and highly effective and I recommend it for Fly In Fishing once again as it helps conserve weight and works extremely well.
   
• Pants - I recommend 3-4 pair of pants for the trip. I like to pack blue jeans as they are good and rugged and I feel comfortable in them. Make sure they are loose enough to move around in with a pair of insulated underwear on underneath. When I'm in the north woods I'm not trying to make a fashion statement so I can wear the same pair of pants for 2-3 days.  They are usually protected by raingear when I'm fishing so they don't get too ripe lol.
   
• T-shirts - I like to wear a t-shirt under insulates, especially the standard kind. This is a personal thing I guess. It's also nice to have something short sleeved on those warm days. 
   
• Long Sleeve Shirts - I like to pack 2-3 chamois shirts. They work great and feel great but any heavy type long sleeve shirt will do. It's best to be prepared for warm and cold in the spring and late summer.
   
• Coat - I like to pack my CarHart Arctic fleece coat. It will keep me warm enough for sure and if it gets to warm I just unzip it. It's nice and rugged also but other heavy duty well insulated coats will work.
   
• Jacket / Sweatshirt - It's best to be prepared for anything and for those days when my Carhart coat is too warm I can throw on a nice light jacket or sweatshirt. Even a vest with a chamois shirt will do it's up to you to decide which is more important.
   
• Hats - Pack a warm stocking type hat and something with a bill to keep the sun out of your face. Be prepared for cold weather, in the mornings traveling across a cold lake can make for cold ears real quick.
   
• Gloves - A pair of gloves helps keep your hands warm on those cold mornings traveling across the lake. it's not bad if you aren't driving you can just put them in your pockets. If you are driving a pair of lightweight jersey gloves can make a big difference.
   
• Sunglasses - I recommend a pair of polarized sunglasses with side view type protection. Polarized lenses help you see into the water which really comes in handy while fishing. Being on the lake on a sunny day can be miserable without eye protection. The sun in northern Canada is even stronger because the atmosphere is thinner. Don't forget to bring stronger sunscreen than you usually use.
   
• Clean Set Of Clothes For Way Home - Bring a clean set of clothes for the ride home but pack them separate and leave them in the vehicle. This way you won't have to fly them in and your outfitter won't mind if you change in their bathroom if you don't make a mess.
   
• Life Jacket - Bring a life jacket, don't rely on your outfitter even if they say they have they have life jackets bring your own. You don't know the condition they are in or if they have a life jacket that will fit you properly if they have them at all.

It's a good idea to give yourself at least one month before the trip to start gathering and purchasing the items you need for your Canada fly in fishing trip.