Hello,
I am considering getting a waist pack for smallie fishing this year. I have been fishing out of a vest pretty much since I started fly fishing, but when smallmouth fishing I tend to pick flys from one particular fly box, so I thought about pairing down some of the stuff I carry with me to the stream. I want something that is easy to tote around and will carry a fly box, forceps, clippers, leader, tippet, and my license. Any ideas or recommendations? What do you guys carry?
Thanks,
Mike
Mike
I considered allot of what you are going through. I decided on a chest pack. An Orvis Safe Passage to be exact. I’ve used it once this year and so far I like it. I think I’ll still use my vest, but will use the chest pack when I want to lighten the load.
Dave
Mike, I fish a lot like you describe and when I do, I never wear a vest. I use a flyfishing shirt. Mine are made by Magellan. They are a Columbia knock off. They have the big pockets on both sides that hold 2 fly boxes and 2 smaller pockets under the big pockets that hold tippet and leaders. I attach my hemostats to the little tab attached to the shirt for that purpose. I have a homemade lanyard (read that large braided line that catfishermen use around here with a knot tied in the end) that has on it clippers, fold up Wal Mart scizzors, 2 sizes of safety pins for cleaning hook eyes and picking out wind knots and a hook sharpener.
I probably have 10 of these shirts in various colors. Mostly neutral colors to match the background I’m fishing. You can get them at Academy Sports. They cost about $20.00 each and they are very durable and comfortable. I wear them when not flyfishing too. I like to make a statement, you know. I like the long sleeved variety. You can roll them up and button the tab to make them a short sleeve.
Mike,
I use a nylon belly/fanny pack most of the time here where it is hot. $5 or $6 at Wal-Mart. Holds my large Plano flybox, leaders, two small leader spools, knot booklet, etc. I use two retractor pins outside the pack for forceps, nippers, floatant, hook sharpener, and leader straightener. I put my little camera case on the pack belt. Even my little light Cabela’s short vest is too hot most of the time. When I’m on my cat, I wear the PFD whether I’m hot or not.
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 22 March 2005).]
Mike:
I have a William Joseph waist pack that I bought with a gift certificate.
I generally like it, but find that it can serve as a tangle magnet for my fly line. I typically use it for striper fishing in the salt so the excess wind and the rolling surf on the coast may be part of that particular problem.
It does do a good job of allowing me to be minimal with what I carry and stll leave room for a few other things “just in case”.
When I trout fish I do prefer the vest in a big way.
I tried a bum pack for those occasions and became annoyed when it was in front of me and tiered of moving it when it was behind (although it held all that I needed). I changed to a small chest pack, choosing this [url=http://www.bucksbags.com/fishing_bags.asp?description=4:cee9d]http://www.bucksbags.com/fishing_bags.asp?description=4[/url:cee9d]
There are similar at Bass Pro Shops. There is enough room for tackle in the front and a rain slicker or water or warm shirt in the back. Not too congested but not big or too hot either.
I use a waist pack that I got at Kmart for about $10. It is designed for fishing and has side pockets that hold fly boxes and allow you to access them without having to spin it around. For about $10 you can buy one of these packs and try it out before investing in a more expensive version. I have been happy mine.
Robert, I saw those shirts the other day. They are 100% nylon and they looked like they would be very hot to wear in the summer. Are they hot to wear?
Rex
I use a mesh vest that I’ve had for about 15 years. Looks kinda ratty, but still works. The whole vest is mesh [got it at Orvis] so it’s very cool during hot times in the summer. Will hold more than I should carry or can be pared down to one box and tools! When on the Hobie I use inflatable vest that has pockets on the straps.
Donald
I’ve used two or three different fanny packs in my time, because a vest hanging off my shoulders tended to make my neck and shoulders hurt. I do a lot of smallie fishing, and some of the creeks I fish have some sudden dropoffs or deep pools. If I stumbled into a deep spot or just waded too deep without taking the fanny pack off, it filled with water. Also, before it filled with water, the initial buoyancy of the pack tended to tilt me forward. I finally tried one of Cabela’s chest packs that comes with a built in back pack. This seems to distribute the weight better than any vest I have worn, has plenty of storage for all the equipment I need to carry, and rides high enough on my body to stay dry most of the time. Like Robert I have several of the Magellan shirts, and no they are not hot to wear. The Supplex nylon helps to wick moisture away from the body so it will evaporate more quickly. The nylon also dries quickly if you get dunked.
Larry Compton
Hey Mike,
I’m a new member, not as astute in fly fishing wiles as some of the salty dogs that haunt FAOL, but I’ve been playing with something for a few years that fits right in to your question.
I’ve been using a lanyard that carries my tools, tippets and a small boxt of flies.
It takes some thinking ahead, or maybe thinking back to how much of the stuff I carried in my vest the last trip out did I really use.
There’s usually a pocket in a shirt or something to carry a an “extra or two”.
Might not be something you’re interested in but, depending on the outing, it might be a consideration.
Good Luck.
Mike,
My vest got too heavy & cumbersome, so I switched.
-Just bought a William Joseph Mini II chest pack with Christmas gift certificates…love the tippet dispenser & has an area large enough for my big bass flybox.
-For summer weather, my Columbia PFG shirt (large pockets & 30 SPF sun protection) & a lanyard.
Mike
Me, I use the vest in the colder months, and when it gets to hot I switch to a fanny pack that I slide to just off my left hip to prevent the tangled line thing.(I cast with my right hand)…
Spelling and Grammar not subject to judgement… 
Rex,
Those may be a new version of the shirt I use. I don’t know for sure. I got one of mine out of the closet and the label says “100% cotton lining: 100% polyester”, whatever that means. Mine aren’t hot at all. They have a vent in the back that the Oklahoma wind blows through and you know from experience how nice and cool an August breeze is here in Oklahoma about 4:00 in the afternoon on a nice sunny day.
Grubb:
Duh. I am so stupid. I’ll have to try that. I’ll also have to get my stripping basket back from a friend’s boat.
mfielder,
I have been considering the same thing. I figured that this way I could have my trout and bass stuff ready to go and not have to switch stuff out of my vest. At any rate I think I am going to get one of the new bags brought out by Simms this year. I like the fact that they are waterproof. This way I can keep my license, wallet, or other items in it I don’t want wet. It seems to be a decent size for keeping things in and yet not too large to make it cumbersome.
Tight lines
Jeff
The Mayfly pack holds a couple small fly boxes, and any necessary tools. Combine that wiith the Filson fanny pack (that I wear over a hip…the fanny is big enough, thank you!). The best of both worlds, everything possible is handy, nothing to interfere with casting, and if needed, a jacket or rain poncho can be folded over the web belt of the fanny pack and worn behind you. Haven’t worn a vest since I fell in and all the pockets filled with water, adding about a thousand puonds to the vest.
Trouts don’t live in ugly places
I use a ziplock bag with about a 20 flies it it. Stuff it in you shirt pocket and your good to go. Cheers.