One quick glance at the high peaks of the Caribous is all any backcountry trout angler in my neck of the woods needs to come to the realization that it’s going to be a while.

Snow cornices still grace the tops of Red Ridge, and Fall Creek is running dirty. Getting up high to the cutthroat water is weeks away. And I’m sure I’m not alone as I struggle with my impatience. Backcountry trout anglers all over the West are fighting itchy trigger fingers, just like they do almost every year at this time. Winter hangs on in the Rockies. It’s a fact of life, and all we can do is wait.

For as long as I’ve been drawn to the outdoors, I’ve been obsessed with gear bags and boxes. Likely, it’s a natural evolution of an obsession with gear that most all outdoor recreators come to share. You invest in and depend on specific tools to get the job done, and so you need them organized and protected from damage.