Backpacking Frying Pan

[JHP]

I am almost always a catch and release fisherman but, I will be going on a backpacking excursion this spring and expect to have at least one ceremonial trout dinner I am looking for a lightweight frying pan. It seems all the truly lightweight stuff is only 7–8 inches diameter which, to me, it’s just not wide enough. I would think at least a 10 inch diameter and even a 12 inch would be better. Any thoughts or suggestions? Weight is important but not if I can only get something 7-8” diameter.

Thanks!

Jim

[caddisman4]

Hey Jim,those lightweight Japan made cast iron pans in 9.5 dia are just a couple pounds. Pricey but killer.
Karl

[snorider]

Tin foil! that is the trout frying pan of choice when I have to carry the pan. For decades now I have carried 2 nesting Ti stockpots, a plate/lid and a lightweight wire grill grate. My trout recipe is gut the fish, leave the head on. A pat of butter on the inside along with salt and pepper and a pinch of old bay, perhaps some wild onion if they are around. Just wrap the fish in a foil pouch and cook over the coals. Few things taste as good as a breakfast of trout above 8000ft.

[DrLogik]

Cooking on an open fire? I agree with Snorider. I use the "Heavy duty" aluminum foil because it takes more abuse when moving the package around. I don't carry butter with me backpacking but I do carry a small Nalgene bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Gut fish, leave head on, drizzle of olive oil (both sides and inside), salt and pepper (inside and out), fold it up in a little packet (not too tight - leave some room inside) and place on coals. Couple minutes on each side, take from coals, let cool a bit and enjoy!

Clean up is a breeze: unfold foil, place fishy side on coals and cook for a couple of minutes. Fold up foil and go! If you're really careful you might get a second trout out of it.

[JHP]

I may be able to have a campfire but I also will be carrying a small lightweight propane stove if not.

[cheffy]

This would be my choice but maybe a tad heavy since I like to travel light. Check your local thrift store for a thin steel pan. I picked one up for $3.00

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-CRS10-Skil ... el+fry+pan

[snorider]

Yep the extra heavy stuff! Dr Logic, NO BUTTER!!? but how can you survive I carry olive oil and butter, and in griz country to boot.

[Olyfisher]

+1 on the tinfoil, butter and olive oil.....Many years of the same. And since you're trip is for the Spring, you're unlikely to have burn bans. Still, that propane backup is not bad, for nothing less than the quick cup of coffee/tea in the morning.

Don't forget the garlic salt......

[JHP]

Thanks guys!
The tin foil sounds great as does the lodge carbon steel frying pan. Going to try both!!
Garlic salt is a must!

[wineslob]

Been backpacking for over 40 years. If it were me, I'd look for a set in a thrift store. Probably one of the old Pal sets. Or, as I do, a crappy old Teflon pan, around 8", and cut off heads and tails. Frying in bacon grease is a must.

[Arctic-Grayling]

My friend from Sweden gave me a Muurikka frying pan, made in Finland from steel. Works great for brook trout, bacon, eggs, sourdough hotcakes and fried potatoes. It is the only frying pan I have used in the outdoors for many years. I really like the short handle socket feature too. It's weight is a little over a pound and is nine inches in diameter.
Here's a link:
https://scandinavianoutdoor.com/muurikk ... kalepannu/
I don't know if there is a USA dealer.

[cdmoore]

You can find them on amazon

[Arctic-Grayling]

cdmoore.......
You have better searching skills than I have, the ones I found on amazon were the bigger heavier ones with three screw in legs. I have one of those too, works great for a group, but only take it truck camping or canoe tripping with short portages, it is not back packing friendly. Could you send me a link you found for the 23mm one. I have a couple of friends that would like one like my small skillet with the socket handle. I am planning a trip to Finland and Sweden next fall, I could get some then, but I would rather not pack a bunch of steel frying pans back through customs and TSA.
.........A-G

[tonkin67]

Checked their website , love those birch mugs.

[Apple Pig]

The Banks Fry-Bake Alpine model is my backcountry choice. It frys fish in the evening (walleye ... I'm not normally catching "harvest" sized trout in numbers to make me feel that I can keep ... ymmv) and bakes my biscuits in the morning ... over open fire.

I spent most of a year trying to sort the gear for "cooking" rather than the add-boiling-water freeze-dried salt mines. Banks is the ticket for reliable repeatable outcomes.

It is annodized. Clean, it is non-stick. I make a cajun rice and sausage dinner, field chilli, ham and eggs (frozen egg-beaters ... works great on a three-day), and oyster stew - though stew is car camping. I have a thing about packing in potatoes. Won't do it.

Biscuits and gravy breakfast is a trout-camp favorite.

I use the 10" lodge carbon steel also with reliable results but only when car camping. If I can fry in a pan for 1/7th the weight with a 3oz squeeze bottle of EVO, I won't pack in the carbon steel.

Trout camping is my favorite outing. Looking forward to the new 4-layer packable waders from Patagonia this spring.

Best to you. Good gear is like a good tool ... because it is. Banks. Good gear.

[WF70]

Wimps!
I once backpacked my 10 inch Wagner cast iron skillet backcountry in the Shenandoah Park on a three dayer.
But I'd rather be smart than a wimp. One of the stupidest things I have ever done. That said, the 40+ years of laughter my son and I have had for such a boneheaded camping move, the hypothermia, at the risk of our lives, the lousy fried eggs, in hind sight was worth it. Still got the pan. The wife uses it for tortillas. But when we car camp nothing is a good as bacon and eggs fried on it, even though it looks like garbage with burnt tortilla leftovers as a "halo." I won't go car camping without it. Too many memories.
I regard the cookware we use, or misuse, as an essential part of fly fishing.

[pontiac787]

The Banks Fry-Bake Alpine model is my backcountry choice.

I've had the bank on my want list for a while. I believe they are made in NH to boot.

[wctc1]

My wife has close to a ton of Lodge. Don't suggest it for backpacking. She also has two of the "copper" looking pans in 10&12" Light, easy to clean and do a fair job over a fire. Also cleaning cast iron is easy. Lots of places to look on various ways on how to do it.

Since I was a boy in north central Nebraska, the only time I've not seen a cast iron on the stove, was for two years in the USMC before I got married. But one of the things I remember about the ranch was the neighbor rancher had a stream with trout in it. As a youth, no matter how I cajoled him, he wouldn't let me fish for my first trout; said they were few and for his grandkids. He'd heard about me fishing; catch-and-release was far into the future.

[tunafart]

silly me, thought this was gonna be a post on camping on a scenic, fishy river in Colorado.....

[joebank]

45 years backpack fishing in Montana - HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM FOIL and a little oil.