802 | Fly Fishing Roadtrips and Fitness Adventure with Mckenzie Johns

Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

Dave Stewart

Hobbies, Wilderness, Leisure, Sports

4.7 • 530 Ratings

🗓️ 21 August 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

#802 Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/802

Presented By: Intrepid Camp Gear

Mckenzie Johns' fly fishing road trips have taken her from small Pennsylvania streams to epic solo journeys across the Rockies. On her recent fly fishing road trip from Colorado to Alberta, Mckenzie combined her passion for trout fishing with the freedom of rooftop tent camping, traveling with her blue heeler, and testing the Intrepid Geo Solo tent. Along the way, she shared how fitness helps her stay strong and confident outdoors, making long days on the river and setting up camp effortless. Her approach blends gear know-how, solo travel safety, and a love for exploring wild, beautiful places.

For women looking to plan their own fly fishing road trips, Mckenzie's story shows it's possible to merge fishing, camping, and fitness into one unforgettable experience. From choosing the right tent and packing fly fishing essentials to embracing solo travel and building outdoor strength, her advice encourages confidence on and off the water. Whether on a calm lake, a fast-moving river, or a mountain campsite, Mckenzie Johns proves that fly fishing road trips—when combined with skill, preparation, and passion—lead to adventures worth remembering.

01:14 - Mckenzie Johns was introduced to fly fishing by her father in Pennsylvania, stepped away from it for years, and reignited her passion after catching her first trout at Deckers, Colorado, about 7–8 years ago. She is now in Canmore, Alberta, preparing for her first fishing trip with her father since 2019, highlighting the deep bond they share through the sport.

05:46 - Mckenzie Johns discussed her Intrepid Camp Gear setup, which she tested during an eight-day solo road trip from Colorado to Canada. She uses a 2024 Toyota 4Runner equipped with a Geo Solo rooftop tent and a 190 cargo box, a combination that keeps her organized, allows for quick setup in under two minutes, and provides safety and comfort, especially valuable for solo female travel in remote, scenic locations. For more information, view here.

12:45 - Mckenzie Johns explained that when she first committed to fly fishing, she relied on guidance from her then-partner, supplemented by podcasts, YouTube tutorials, and self-study, but ultimately improved through hands-on practice. She identified casting as her biggest early challenge, starting with Euro-nymphing before transitioning to traditional fly fishing, and now relies on a few "confidence" patterns—especially a size 18 perdigon, flashback hare's ear, and hopper-dropper rigs with a chubby Chernobyl and egg pattern—favoring an intuitive approach over strict hatch-matching.

19:03 - Mckenzie Johns shared that she hasn't been Euro-nymphing much lately, instead fishing with an indicator setup holding two to three subsurface flies—often using a bright pink indicator for visibility. With rivers blown out from recent rain, she's considering lakes while enjoying the rare chance to fish alongside her father, a dedicated trout angler from Connecticut who's always ready to pull out a fly rod whenever he's near water.

22:18 - Mckenzie Johns said road trips let her explore beyond Colorado into places like Wyoming, Montana, and now the Canadian Rockies—finding beauty in the landscapes and the waters she fishes. Her tip for a long journey is to research for safety but embrace solo travel for its empowerment, noting that a reliable vehicle like her Toyota 4Runner makes it easier to be ready for adventure anywhere.

29:15 - Mckenzie Johns described how her fitness journey began from a low point in her life, where hiking in New Hampshire sparked the realization that better physical health would let her enjoy the outdoors more fully. After moving to Colorado, she shifted her mindset from exercising for appearance to training for strength, endurance, and mental clarity—eventually embracing home workouts and even coaching other women to build the fitness needed to explore and adventure confidently.

35:00 - Mckenzie Johns explained that anyone can start a fitness journey at home with just a yoga mat, a few sets of dumbbells, and a focus on weightlifting mixed with some cardio, noting that expensive equipment or a gym membership isn't necessary. She also shared how the fly fishing community has become more inclusive for women in recent years, though challenges remain, and emphasized the importance of female-led groups that create safe, welcoming spaces for beginners to learn and grow in the sport.

46:18 - Mckenzie Johns advised that anyone looking to improve their health can start small with regular walking for low-impact cardio and basic stretching to keep muscles limber before and after activities. She also shared about her blue heeler, Sari—nicknamed "Smooch" for her affectionate nature—who often joins her adventures and enjoys relaxing in their rooftop Geo Solo tent, where she can watch the outdoors through the open windows.

50:26 - Mckenzie Johns shared that she still uses her first fly rod, a nine-foot five-weight Orvis Clearwater, which has proven versatile for Colorado waters, and that she often wet wades in warm weather but relies on her well-patched Patagonia waders—purchased secondhand—when conditions call for it. On the road, she enjoys a collaborative Spotify playlist she created with her social media followers, featuring a mix of genres from classic rock to pop, including songs by Kansas that bring back fond memories of time spent with her dad. If you're looking for the playlist, go here.

57:43 - Mckenzie Johns said this Canadian Rockies road trip has inspired her to return next summer for a longer stay when the fishing conditions are at their peak. She took eight days to make the nearly 2,000-mile drive from Boulder, savoring stops in Wyoming, Montana, and along the scenic Trans-Canada Highway through British Columbia before arriving in Canmore.

Conclusion with Mckenzie John on Fly Fishing Camping

In this episode, Mackenzie Johns shares her journey into fly fishing and camping, from her solo road trip across the Rockies to testing the Intrepid Geo Solo rooftop tent. She talks about her blue heeler travel companion, how fitness plays a role in her outdoor adventures, and tips for women looking to start their own fishing and camping journeys. Along the way, Mackenzie offers gear advice, safety insights, and encouragement for embracing the outdoors with confidence.

Have you ever tried planning your own adventure "on the fly"?

Show Notes:https://wetflyswing.com/802

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Today's guests grew up chasing brook trout on a Pennsylvania stream right out her front door.
0:07.3	But it wasn't until a solo road trip, a forerunner and a Craigslist fly rod that fly fishing
0:12.3	truly stuck. These days, McKenzie Johns is all about helping more women get outside, whether that's
0:17.6	on the river exploring back roads with rooftop tents or building confidence
0:21.8	through home fitness.
0:23.7	By the end of this episode, you'll hear how McKenzie navigated the early intimidation of fly
0:28.2	shops, why a solo rooftop tent setup is a game change around road trips and how a size 18
0:34.5	paragon quickly became her go-to fly.
0:37.6	This is the Wet Fly Swing podcast where I show you the best places to travel to for fly fishing,
0:41.5	how to find the best resources and tools to prepare for that big trip,
0:44.6	and what you can do to give back to fish species we all love.
0:48.0	McKenzie is here today to share her favorite flight patterns,
0:50.8	the ups and downs of learning to cast and what it's like fishing with her dad again.
0:56.3	We're going to get some simple tips on fitness habits that completely changed the game in the outdoors.
1:01.7	And we're going to get some simple tips on fitness and some habits that will help you stay fit and stay more active out there this year.
1:08.7	Here we go.
1:09.3	You can find McKenzie at MTN Johns on Instagram. How you doing, McKenzie? I'm great. How are you, Dave? I'm great. Yeah, this is going to be a fun one today. I think I always love getting into podcasts where they're not exactly all fly fishing, you know, tips and tricks. And I think today we're going to talk not only fly fishing because you're into that,
1:44.5	but also intrepid camp gear. We're going to talk about some of your background with, you know, aspiring women to get outdoors, you know, also some fitness, which is, again, a big struggle for me. But let's take it back to fly fishing first. We always love to start there. What's kind of how did you get in fly fishing? Are you new to it or have you been doing this a while? Yeah. So I would say my background with fly fishing is less than glamour. So I grew up around fly fishing. My dad is an angler. He would be proud to be mentioned on this podcast right now. He's currently sleeping, though. But, you know, he's been an angler for a really long time. And I was exposed to by fishing as a young girl, but, you know, of course, you know, I wanted to do ballet
2:03.1	and the girly things and every... time and I was exposed to by fishing as a young girl. But, you know, of course, you know, I wanted to
2:02.4	do ballet and the girly things and everything. And so, you know, after getting a fly rod in my hand
2:07.8	a little bit, I was like, oh, Dad, I don't know if this is for me. But I do remember we would go on
2:12.6	some, you know, pretty awesome family trips like out into the lakes and rivers in Pennsylvania. I'm originally from the East Coast. And we also had this little brook trout stream right in front of our house. And so my dad would take us down to the stream and we would just throw a fly rod down there. And, you know, I had no finesse. I didn't know what I was doing. And I'm just like, all right, Dad, I'm not catching anything. What the fuck. And so, you know, that's kind of my first introduction to fly fishing. And then about seven, eight years ago, a previous partner of mine decided to dive 2,000 percent into fly fishing. He had never fly fished before. And he was gone every single weekend. And I was like, wow, I guess if I ever want to see you again, I have to flyfish.
	...

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