When going on a fishing trip, how do you pack your gear? On an extended trip? or a day trip? I’ll go first.
On an extended trip I take a huge duffel bag my wife gave me and fill it full of waders, wading boots, vest, wading staff, reel cases and rod tubes. When I get where I’m going, I just grab the duffel and head to the nearest stream. Of course what ever it is that I’m wanting first is always on bottom and its not a real good way to travel and I wish I had something better but it gets me where I’m going with all of my stuff.
On a day trip I use an old canvas creel. It holds my fly box and one of the pockets on it is perfect for my camera. I just sling it around my neck and I’m off. The rod and reel don’t have a bag to be put in, so I wind up with them lying in the front seat of my truck. Again, its not a good way and I wish I had something better, but it works for me.
So, what do you do?
hNt
PS I think I’d like to use a backpack. One that holds the rod tube. I don’t really hike to any of the streams I fish, except from the truck to the water, but I think that would keep all mu stuff better organized.
I never UNpack from the daily trips. On longer trips, I will put the extra fishing gear in a bin, the extra clothes in a bin, and the extra camping gear in another. Works like a charm.
I do about what DG does. I keep a plastic bag with a change of clothes, a first aid kit, matches, etc, in the rig at all times. Also there is an inexpensive fly rod under the seat. My tackle box consists of a cardboard box that contains a couple of inexpensive reels and plastic bags with terminal tackle (leaders, flies, etc). When I get ready to go I usually throw in a better rod and maybe a better reel. If I plan of keeping a few fish to eat I take a wicker creel along.
On my last trip I wanted to keep a bunch of whitefish so I obttained one of those cheap backbacks likre the kids take to school. I think I payed 2 bucks for it at a yard sale. I stuck the fish in the backback and then transfered them to the cooler when I got back to the truck. It was cold enough the fish were OK. Worked like a champ.
The Sims “Taco” holds my boots, waders and vest as well as giving you something to stand on when changing into or out of the waders. It breathes well to let things stay fresh and dry out. I have an extra gear bag with spare waders, fly boxes, flashlights, headlamps, first aid kit, wader repair kit, etc. (Don’t forget spare batteries) This stuff is always stored in the car with a couple of rods.
On our recent 30 day trip I packed clothes in 2 1/2 gal, 1 gal. and 1qt Zip lock Bags. That way I did not mess up the whole suitcase digging out a change of clothes. In fact I did not even take a suitcase just 2 32 qt. storage containers. One for warm clothes and one for everyday stuff. Need a change of skivies and socks? Just grab a bag and head for the shower with fresh jeans and a shirt!
I have a large plastic foot locker my son bought me at the PX. It holds everything except boots (and wet waders on the return). I throw this in the back of the truck, one box and I’m ready to go.
On an extended trip, all my camp stuff, fishing stuff, cooking stuff and food goes in the back of the van. Unless I’m taking my jon boat, then some of it goes there.
On a short trip, everything goes in the back of the van.
i like to use plastic tuppeware-type containers. i put extra leads, tippet, splitshot, etc in one, tools like hemos, plies, bottle opener etc in another, reels in another and flyboxes in another, etc. all sized accordingly. then all this goes in a bigger plastic container, usually rubbermaid, with vest, hats, extra close, lid goes on, ready to go. waders and boots and wading staff in another rubbermaid. rods stay in tubes. when i go fishing i grab 2 containers and which ever rods i want that day and i’m off.
I have a duffel bag, non-military type with a zipper in the side, that everything goes in if its a flying trip. It will hold waders, boots, fins, float tube, rods, everything.
For my normal fishing in the area, fly boxes stay in the Fishcat, waders, boots, pfd, lanyard, rain jacket, etc, goes in a 30 liter dry bag that fits behind the seat of my Fishcat. I try to remember plastic bags to put wet boots, waders in at the end of the trip. I added the bottom inch or so of a 5 gallon bucket to the bottom the dry bag after it started to leak a little, it fit almost perfectly.
I am thinking of getting a tourbus. I can never make up my mind on what to bring and have a real hard time getting everything in the van. funny but true…and rather sad.
I have a few options, for the waders they just stay in the boat and get wiped down if needed at home, tackle box is nothing more then a cheap storage container from wall-mart, I have 3 or 4 nice backpacks that I do convert too when hiking to remote streams. I clean my reels, rod and lines about once a month. The best setup I ever had was my VW Westfalia, I miss the old girl, I kept 90% of my gear in her all year long including my pontoon. If anyone has a Camper van and thinks they don’t use it enough and decides to sell it? DON’T!
[SIZE=2]I always have 4 ‘containers’ when I go fishing.
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[li]Medium pack with appropriate clothes for the weather PLUS a complete change in case of a plunge (I have been known to lend them to other plungers).[/li][li]Small tub with waders and boots - dry on the way there, wet on the way home.[/li][li]Med/small square shoulder bag containing equipment appropriate for the fish/water - chest pack, reels, flies, first aid & emerg., spare leaders, shot, cigars, etc.[/li][li]The preferred rod plus a back-up rod in tubes.[/li][/ol]On longer trips the same stuff for fishing, just the extra stuff needed for a longer trip, like camping/cooking gear, ‘town’ clothes, spare clothes, etc.
I like the zip-lock idea for daily changes of undies - used similar to segregate daily menu on canoe trips, never thought of it for long trips – good organization! If (car) campin/tenting most of the clothes go in a tub too, to keep them fresh. The tub also makes a good night-stand in the tent.
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Everything I use is kept in my Jeep , I can set up house at anytime. I also have a back pack in there if I have to hike a ways and can stay over night, it has a small tent with it and a bed roll…
… handles everything I need for fishing for a one day outing or a multiple day excursion.
This hydration model holds a first aid kit, a bag with most of the “ten essentials”, TP and cleaning towels, bear spray, a bag with an assortment of furled leaders, tippet material and Tenkara lines, an aquarium net for seining, a couple reels ( if not carried in rod / reel cases ), separate fly boxes for small dries, large dries, small nymphs, large nymphs and streamers, plus a Fishpond Chest Pack with room left over for a rain jacket and fleece cap inside, plus it has mesh waterbottle holders and cord to hold a jacket on the outside.
It’s always loaded and handy. Just pick out the appropriate rod / reel combinations and I’m good to go.
John
P.S. Did I mention room for a sunglasses case and snacks ?? Wallet, keys, and other small incidentals, like the camera ??
P.S.1 These Camelbak packs are bulletproof. I put close to a thousand days of fishing and hiking outings on my first one. It’s still useable, but it is a bit drab from fading and the stitching for the zipper on the main compartment needs some repair. The new one ( in the pic ) does lend to better organization of the contents.
Glad to see I am not the only honest one on here. I fish as many species as I can per trip. Last month I did a couple days chasing Musky and a couple days chasing trout.OOOHHH the mess of stuff that went!
I meant to confine my comments to using the pack for fishing gear. I haven’t used it for an overnight camping trip.
In addition to what is described, I could add a water filter, some dehydrated camp chow, a minimalist tarp, and some fleece pants and make do in decent weather. I’d have to wear the chest pack instead of carrying it inside the Camelbak and use the outer pockets and attachments and the hydration pouch more efficiently, but it would probably work out just fine.
John
P.S. If I were going to do an overnighter, it would probably be somewhere where I would only use Tenkara gear, which would free up a lot of space by eliminating reels, the number of fly boxes, etc.
