Bike Fishing 101
The bicycle has been held by the world as one of humanities greatest inventions. It has given people freedom in transportation as they could travel longer distances efficiently, affordably and pollution free. This is also another way to enjoy fishing and adventures outside. On your next trip, or simply a free Sunday, ask yourself – can you leave the car at home? Or can you reach a new spot on a bike that you have not been able to before? Venturing by bike is rewarding and fun. The accomplishment of the ride by itself and the exercise outdoors can make anyone feel good.
A big reason I developed this rod was to step up adventures like this. And it does make it easy. The rod can fit in almost any daypack or hydration pack out there, or if you have a frame bag on your bike it drops in there too. You can keep it light and do a ride for the afternoon, or as many have seen on the web there are loads of people committed to expeditions or epic weekends via bikepacking.
With our gear, you can ride along till you see a good spot and with minimal commitment take a few casts to test what is lurking out there.
Really what puts a smile on my face is covering miles in nature and the possibility of getting beyond other crowds and fisherman to have a serene day outside.
Gear required for a day out:
A big focus on this list below is to just go minimal to help be nimble and have an easy day out there.
A bike – Doesn’t need to be special just needs wheels and pedals!
A helmet – Don’t hurt yourself, life is cool, helmet hair is cooler
A bag – Need to have something to bring essentials for yourself. Whether it’s your trusty Jansport or a bike specific bag from places like this it doesn’t really matter
Water and Food – depending on how long you are going for
Bike tools – Bring a spare tube, pump and bike multi-tool in case you need some tweaking
Fishing Gear – A rod this is a nice one 😉 , few flies and tools like this kit. (you can probably leave the net, waders and all that at home - go light, maybe you will get wet or you can cast from shore, it will all be fun!)
Sunglasses – To protect your eyes and go polarized so you can see the fishies!
Everything listed above should only weigh a few pounds, your water will be the heaviest item!
Where to go:
Check out your route before you go whether you have an end place in mind or are taking a wander, just be prepared for each. Part of this is to understand the distance, trail type and elevation changes to be prepared for. You can have successful trips in town, or leaving from a parked car up in the mountains – just need to find some water to drop a line in!
When to go:
Anytime! The beauty is that on most days of the year at least one of the fishing or biking will be good. There are also times like high noon where the fish are less likely to take a fly, so go for a ride, scout out what you can find and enjoy the scenery.
Grab your rod, get on a bike, and explore!
Above shows a simple setup that's probably in everyone's garage - in the bag are two rods, lunch for the day and even full rain gear.
A nice brown I ran into on a recent ride. He took the streamer on my second cast of the stop, then I was on my way again!
Below is an old ad I found from 1897! bikefishing is not new folks, its just catching on again.
