Has anyone here given any thought to looking "Old School" while fishing with contemporary ethics? So many of the fly fishing products websites show all the new and must have items and I wonder why the old school gear does work any more. I guess what I'm trying to ask is why does a new up-downer hat or Tilley hat have to be the norm? They are great hats and I know they have their place as far as protection from UV rays and shading your sunglasses so they don't reflect the sun from behind you. But, why wouldn't a snap down brim hat work just as well with some sunscreen and shade baffles on the stems of your sunglasses. I know that the new fly fishing vests with all those pockets work very well, But why couldn't someone wear a tweed vest with only two small pockets, and then carry your chosen flies in your shirt pockets? I know that Simms and Patagonia make the cat's meow as far as chest waders go, and most of the time, most of us only wade as deep as our knees. So why couldn't we wear only hip waders and still have access to our belts and zippers? I know that there are many different types of ways to carry all you need as far as tippets, leaders, extra reels, nippers, forceps, thermometers, water bottles and all the other stuff, But why couldn't we just use an old fashioned wicker creel to carry most of that stuff. We don't have to put fish in them after all. I guess I'm trying to ask if there are any other folks out there who feel a tug toward the traditional ways of fishing. We don't have to keep the fish, and we can still pinch the barb and catch & release.
I'd be very interested in your viewpoint.