What do you always take out on the river with you but never

Whether I use my vest, chest pack, Barbour fishing jacket or occasionally just a lanyard (still sticking a few items in my pockets), for just a few quick casts from shore I always seem to bring way more 'stuff' then I ever use.
I have never changed spools mid stream or on shore...never. I have never used a knot tying tool. I have never used the little jack knife I always carry. I have never used the extra set of nippers . I have never used the little tube of wax coated stick matches. Never! Why then do I have to prepare for any emergency and tote all this stuff with me. Yes, sometimes I am a good distance back in... but...to never, in many decades, ever used any of this stuff.? Am I alone out there? What do you carry onto the water with you that you have never used?

[This message has been edited by mantis (edited 08 November 2005).]

I have gotten my trout kit down to the bare minimum and can proudly say even all the whiskey I carry gets drunk!

If I don't use it, it gets taken out of the kit. The ONLY thing I carry that MAY not get used is the spare batteries I tote. I usually check all the lights, etc. before hitting the water so I usually have fresh batteries in them and don't need the spares; but it a minor space taker and worth the added insurance.

BUT...

I keep a gear bag in the car that is a virtual fly/hardware/liquor/tobacco shop and as a result don't worry about things I may forget; it's only a walk back to the car to get them.

LOL ... funny you should ask Mantis. This was a horrible season for me ... I had little time to fish, and when I did the fish didn't cooperate.

So, to answer your question ... a camera. I had hardly a single opportunity to press the shutter button.

There's always next season I guess (although I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an upcoming steelhead trip).

Mike D. [url=http://battenkill.tripod.com:3df70]http://battenkill.tripod.com[/url:3df70]

P.S.

I think I might have that reel foot you asked me about. It took me awhile, but I believe I've one that will work for ya' ... I just need to check the screw set on your reel.

Bamboozle,

I am with you. I always bring back an empty flask and a cigar band!

net http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif

First aid kit!


------------------
John G.
Albuquerque, NM

1st aid kit, rain jacket, and headlamp get the least use of the gear that's always in my pack.

------------------
Fishing the Ozarks

Abel "Blade" knife.

Mike-D
Great Mike...Did we both get the same CFO that day when I almost went home with yours?

Mantis,

Yep ... we both picked up the same reel. It was a couple weeks later I discovered the same problem you encountered. I was able to find a working foot, but it's taken this long to find another.

Mike D. [url=http://battenkill.tripod.com:8fd54]http://battenkill.tripod.com[/url:8fd54]

About 4 dozen to many flies.

------------------
You can't catch fish with your fly in the air!

My net

------------------
I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!

Cactus AKA "Lucky Dog (Pirate Name)"

Backing

A magnesium firestarter . A large magnifing glass on a string , also for emergency fire starting . An emergency blanket still in its pack after 15 years . A compass , A pack of MRE emergency rations many years past its use before date that Probably do more harm than good if you were forced to use it .

A jar of salmon eggs kept in the truck and unopened in 45 years . It has seen 6 different trucks over the years , it has seen my kids grow up and move away , most importantly it has seen me go from a fish killing take all your allowed home , bait fishing Happy go lucky Kid to an Older grey haired happy go lucky Flyfisherperson who releases his catch most of the time . That jar of neon pink salmon eggs will never be used I just seem to need it for luck .

------------------
I could be wrong , It seems unlikely , but I suppose it could happen.

With the exception of the rod, reel, line, leader, a few flies and water, most everything I carry I do not use. I have not needed my magnesium fire stick, nor my pepper spray, nor my compass, nor my pocket knife, nor all of the 5 flyboxes, nor my whistle, not even my ziplock bag of band-aids, but should I need them, the years of carry all that extra crap will make it seem worthwhile. Well, so I tell myself. Big difference between want and need. I dont want to get lost, but I need to find my way home. I dont want to start a fire, but I may need to to stay warm. Boyscout training cannot be undone.

Have fun, Jeff

------------------
Tis my time on the water, in the mountains, and in my driftboat where I can see things as they really are.

I'll sleep better tonight knowing I wasn't the only person to carry a magnesium fire starter and compass http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif.

That cracks me up! I used to be ready for a 2 week survival bivouac with the crap I used to carry: stove, fly tying kit, emergency blanket, extra everything; even a hammock! I used to be 6 foot tall but the weight of my vest crushed me down to 5'10".

I guess it's kind of like when a snow storm is predicted and everybody is preparing for not leaving the house for a week. We almost hope we cant...
We are always thinking, what if I fall and mess up my ankle at the bottom of a ravine or gorge, what if I get lost taking a short cut on the way back, What if the car won't start and there are no cell towers so I can't call out and I'm too far off the main road and no one will see me.. It's almost like we want to get stuck out there some where, after all then we can prove we're real outdoorsmen!
I got lost in the bar at the Hungry Trout one time. Good thing I had that hidden fifty in my wallet... See, ya just never know!

TP

My military aviation issue signal mirror. I could leave it at home but like all other things mentioned here as soon as you leave it at home you will need it. Extra clothing too. My father's advice,"You can always take something off but you can't put it on if you didn't bring it along".

------------------
Eric "nighthawk"

It's a great day for fly fishing!

Most of my fishing is out of a boat--Have you ever seen the rods in a bass boat? Well I'm almost as bad. I dont change lines or flies,I just pick up another fly rod.

And one said a change of cloths,I fell in one cold march so I have a worm change in the truck camper.

------------------

Bill

My live well. I fish out of a boat here.
Nice aireated live well in the middle. I
use it for a trash can for my soda and water
containers. Warm regards, Jim

Got to agree with Jack Hise here...I can't remember the last time I used my net...I think it's still "V"!
Mike

------------------
This site's about sharing!

The mini scale, pocket knife, Xink, and lead.
For the most part, if I don't use it I dont take it.

Joe Fox

NOTHING> Really, sincerely. As I have posted before about vests and fanny packs.....I only carry flies in a box stuffed in my blue jeans pocket, net, nippers, tippet material....uh....trying to think....can't think of anything else but rod and reel. Oh, a hat. Thinking of cutting a slot in a piece of 3/8" pvc pipe to release fish in the water with a barbless hook, hang it on my hip with a retractor....and do away with the net.
Gem

PT111 http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif

------------------
There is a fine line between fly fishing and standing in a river waving a stick, and YOU SIR have crossed that line!

RW here,

Usually all the things I never need are in my truck, which means I could have left them home anyway. I might be the original "travel light" guy. I got rid of my vest, net, etc. long ago. Now I carry nothing but a plastic box with a few flies in a shirt pocket, a little swiss army knife, my rod and reel and a spare spool of tippit. At my age now I usually don't fish that far from the truck, and the truck can get me anywhere I care to fish these days. What's in the truck? Now that's a different story.

I tell my wife that if something happens to me just find the truck. I'll probably be on the stream within 200 to 300 yards of it. That's when I'm fishing alone, of course. If I'm with my boys or friends I'll go farther, take more chances. I also learned a long time ago that we all carry 90 percent more "stuff" than we need. On the stream I probably look more like a "bum" than a trout bum...faded jeans, faded baseball cap, faded flannel shirt or jacket.

My motto? Travel light my friends, travel light.

Later, RW


------------------
"We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours." -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-



[This message has been edited by Royal Wulff (edited 10 November 2005).]

a priest.

------------------
JME
@===----?----?----?
Member of B.A.S.S [url=http://www.ukbass.com:75764]http://www.ukbass.com[/url:75764]

leader straightening thing

TP. But when you need it, you REALLY need it!

I got a new chest pack right before my recent vacation and did not have time to transfer stuff before I left, so I took both the new and old ones. When I cleaned out the old one, only about half of what was in it went to MT with me. The one item that really made me laugh was the pair of hedge clippers (about a pound) that I had used one day to help clear a trail of blackberries, and had forgotten to put back in the junk drawer in the kitchen. Glad I carried those things a couple thousand miles. Not.

Oh my, how could I have forgotten TP! Perhaps the most important thing you can leave at home next to the car keys. The only saving grace for me in that department is that I usually hit a Jack-in-the-Box on my way to the river, and they seem to give you 10 times the napkins you will need, so I have a glove compartment full of TP.

Have fun, Jeff

snake bite kit

BSwan,

Really funny---I've only used my backing once in freshwater but I was sure glad I had it.

For me, all the stuff I'm glad that I don't have to use---space blanket, firestarter, compass, whistle, and first aid kit. 8T http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif

------------------
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.

My stringer.
As much as I would like to bring some trout home for dinner, I can never find one that deserves to be on the table.