You need water to go fly fishing.

Obvious, right? While this is appropriate for  fish to habituate to your particular river, pond, or coast, it also has a very real application for you.

Sling packs have bottle holsters and drift boats have footprints for coolers because anglers need to stay hydrated. For every hundred articles about how to prospect for trout, which fly rod to buy, and where to go on the next vacation, there probably isn’t one piece on water. Even with the premium people pay for high-end, vacuum-sealed tumblers to carry their beverages, there isn’t a lot of fishing-focus on that kind of water itself.

So, in brief, I’ve got three reasons why you should be drinking early and often while fly fishing:

Focus

I’ll talk about real health, life or death stuff in a moment. So if you think that you’re young and invincible (or as is often the case, old and invincible even though all indications point otherwise) pay attention.

Your brain will be happy if your body is hydrated. This means that you’ll be more apt to notice fish, focus on your presentation, and problem solve in general. There is plenty of empirical research that points to links between hydrating and maintaining a baseline of cognitive  ability. Chances are you were told to bring a bottle of water to your SAT for this very reason.

At a bare minimum, you’re much more likely to avoid a headache if you’ve been drinking water. But reaching for that water bottle really does have an impact on your fishing.

Stamina

I am not going to take a stab at where the mental/physical percentage breakdown lies in fly fishing. Being generous, let’s say that it is 50/50. There are plenty of decisions that need to be made. Fly selection and quick-reflex casting equations all happen between your ears. However, without a functional arm attached to a serviceable body? There isn’t going to be much fishing going on.

While we shouldn’t fool ourselves into putting fly fishing in the same category as the triathlon, getting out and into the water is physical activity. Especially if fly fishing is the only thing that gets you close to exertion, you need to think about hydrating like an athlete. You’re not an athlete, but you might need as much Gatorade as one.

Hot weather, high altitude, or even a wild night at the lodge last evening will put your body in a place where it won’t cast, wade, or even tie knots well without water. You can’t fish unless you can do those things. A few sips here and there is hardly an inconvenience.

Safety

Across the internet, you’ll see various recommendations regarding water intake for outdoor activities. The average seems to be about 16 ounces every hour. To be honest, that seems like a lot if you’re not pushing yourself while hiking to the river.  But again, if that number is thinking about someone who is pushing himself – and if you push yourself when you are walking while fishing – it might make sense.

A remarkable amount of people get sick from being dehydrated in the woods. Many who get lost or even die see dehydration as a contributing factor. The bottom line is this: take some water, it might help your fishing an it might save your life.

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Here’s what I do:

I drink a lot of water on the way to fishing. A lot. It isn’t that I want to be uncomfortable, it is just easier to pack water inside if possible.

Then, I carry too much water. A full hydration bladder or a couple of water bottles will do the trick. Even if I’m running light (especially if I am running), water is a necessary weight to carry. I don’t care too much about the temperature of my water, so if I take more than one bottle I usually opt for Nalgene-style containers instead of insulated stainless models.

Lastly, I know some people don’t like drinking water. That blows my mind. Anyway, add in some sort of powder that flavors your water. Throw in some low-calorie electrolyte supplement while you’re at it. Anything to keep you fishing and fishing safe.