Revolver for Trout Fishing

[CalmerThanYou]

I am going into my third season of inland trout fishing.
I am crazy about it. I carry a fixed blade, mostly for utility.
I bushwack deep into the wood trying to find good Brook and Brown waters.
I am geared up with chest waders, a chest pack for fishing supplies, my Esse fixed blade, and a fairly large net. I try to keep it light as I am either in dense woods or chest high in the stream.
I have run into multiple bears, but they have so far bolted, as soon as we see each other. Probably many around I do not see. There are wolves and recently a mountain lion on nearby trail cams. I fish in Wisconsin.
I think I want to add a light revolver, perhaps in a chest rig, under my waders. It will get wet, and sometimes I go accidentally swimming.
What might you all recommend?

 

[Justin T]

Something stainless with a rubber grip. What’s your definition of “light”?

 

[CalmerThanYou]

Justin, Perhaps utility is most important. perhaps something in 357 mag.
If I get a good chest rig weight may not be a huge problem. Although I do hike in a long way. Often a 7 hour trek.

 

[Dieseltech56]

I usually carry a 357 but if I saw actual bears I would step it up a little. At least 41 or 44 mag.

 

[haywood]

Bear Spray and a light 44 Mag. The 44 Mag May hurt like hell to shoot but, a bear hurts more. I think the bear spray wood be the first thing to try. I’ve heard bear spray works but have no experience.

 

[awmp]

Curious to see other ideas as well.

 

[roguegamma]

My fishing revolver is a Taurus 85UL. It would bother me a bit if it ended up on the bottom of the river. I would be crushed if any of my Smiths, Rugers or Colts ended up there. I call it my disposable revolver.

 

[diyj98]

I was going to recommend a 22LR since trout aren't that hard to kill, but since you mentioned wolves and bears, I'd go a little larger caliber I'd probably pick something like a 65 or 66 S&W. That should be plenty for anything you'd encounter in your neck of the woods.

 

[waffles]

You've only got black bears, whatever .357 you have on hand is totally fine (and honestly a .45ACP, or lesser isn't a problem either. If you wanted to buy something new a Glock 20 would be about perfect).

I run all my fly stuff in a hill people gear kit back (linked below), it will fit my redhawk and pretty much anything else. It keeps **** above the water, allows easy access to flies, split shot, tippet, etc., and conceals a handgun rather than flashing it about.

Hill People Gear | Real use gear for backcountry travelers

 

[The Gila Bender]

My fishing kit includes Simms Guide Pants and Vapor boots, a good hat, and a 3" Model 13-2 in a modified shoulder holster or a 640-1 in a hip bag or sling pack if I'm working a creek or small river in AZ. I'm liking the Hill People Kit Bag idea, though.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

Yes the way I worded my title could attract the DNR

 

[waffles]

You've only got black bears, whatever .357 you have on hand is totally fine (and honestly a .45ACP, or lesser isn't a problem either. If you wanted to buy something new a Glock 20 would be about perfect).

I run all my fly stuff in a hill people gear kit back (linked below), it will fit my redhawk and pretty much anything else. It keeps **** above the water, allows easy access to flies, split shot, tippet, etc., and conceals a handgun rather than flashing it about.

Hill People Gear | Real use gear for backcountry travelers

Quoting myself since I found a pic, but I have a blue one now and it's rad.

 

[Mule Packer]

Ahhh...a man after my own heart. Our area has bears, mountain lions, and the occasional angry moose. Personally, I'm partial to the .45 Colt cartridge. Always have been. When I'm in the saddle, it's a 4 5/8 barrel Ruger Blackhawk on my hip. When I venture into the back country to do a little fly fishing, I'm packing a 3½-inch barrel Ruger old model Vaquero Sheriff's model in .45 Colt spitting 240-grain semi-jacketed hollow points going around 1200 fps.

I carry it in a Black Hills Leather shoulder holster made by Rudy Lozano. Most of the time, I hardly know that it's there.

 

[Rudi]

A 640 with Buffalo Bore Heavy hard cast 180grn. bullets would be as light as I would go for Black bears.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

Wow!! You bring your own raft. That is trick!!

 

[Fishinfool]

We all have our preferences, but in fact any light weight SS slide / aluminum or plastic frame auto chambered for a duty caliber will work. So would a SS revolver.

Before my back went south again, I did a lot of hiking / kayaking / fishing / photography in north central Maine. Lots of moose and bear.

I have carried quite a few different guns over the years doing so, but favorites include -

Charter Arms .44 spl revolver W/ 240 SWC at about 850 fps.
Kimber Ultra Carry 1911 in .45 acp. W / 240 SWC at 925 fps
S&W 2.75 inch model 69 .44 mag W / 240 SWC at about 950 fps.
Glock 19 in 9mm W / hard cast 147 grain TC at about 1000 fps.

There is a theme here. Heavier flat nosed bullets at moderate speeds in easy to carry, relatively light weight handguns. Avoid hard to hit with snubby J frames and overly heavy long barreled N frame revolvers, and you should be good to go.

I usually belt carry guns like these, but sometimes wear hip waders, not chest waders. Any comfortable to you nylon shoulder holster should work. Maybe a pouch sewed into the top of the waders?

Larry

 

[ACP230]

I have never seen a bear in the woods while fishing.
I hope the dry spell continues.

Usually, I have a S&W M38 on my person. I have never had to draw it
although I came close with a young, scruffy skunk that suddenly popped
up on the trout stream.

Sometimes I have carried a six-inch Ruger Blackhawk .357. It carries very well, perhaps the best of my large bore revolvers.

Have also carried a Browning HP 9mm, and a S&W M58 .41 Magnum.
If I was seeing a lot of bears the .41 might get the nod.
I have a New Model Blackhawk in .41 that might carry almost as
well as the Old Model .357 Blackhawk.

Some folks swear by an auto in 10mm. I don't even have one to
swear at.

 

[Sistema1927]

My fishing revolver is a Taurus 85UL. It would bother me a bit if it ended up on the bottom of the river. I would be crushed if any of my Smiths, Rugers or Colts ended up there. I call it my disposable revolver.

I purchased the exact same revolver, and for the exact same purpose. I carried it in a chest rig, just above my chest pack for flies, etc. which rode just above my waders. It didn't ever take a plunge, and I sold it a few years ago.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

A Fishpond chest pack rides on the outside of my waders, and is waterproof. Most of it's capacity is taken up by lures, but I could possibly fit a gun inside.
It has the waterproof zippers which are harder to open than ideal.
I could always ask the bear to hang tight for a bit while I open up my pack.

 

[Texas Star]

Ruger SP-101 .357 with three inch barrel, or a GP-100. If it gets soaked, easier to take apart than a Smith.

Keep it dry? S&W M-66 with four inch bbl.

No large threats? M-60-4. Actually, with the right ammo, it could kill a cougar, etc.