I must be on vacation.I’ve got time to post"stuff". Well, in any case, In an earlier post about an invaluable gadget(my opinion), a few people indicated that they didn’t need “another/more” gadget(s) in/on there chestpack. For my/our information, other than flies, what do YOU have attached to/in/on your vest,lanyard,chestpack? I would like to gleen from the responses what I should/could be including.
Mark
PS: In my case, it’s a hemostat,clippers,tippet holder,Ty-Rite tool,flip-up magnifiers on my hat and that’s about all.
I don’t like things dangling so most stuff is in a pouch attached to my check box straps or waist belt.
The only things attached and able to get tangled up are nippers & EZ-hook on zingers on my chest box straps and Hat-Eyes, Brimz sunglasses, and LED light on my hat visor.
I have a buddy that actually carries a coffee pot, cups, and a backpacking stove to make coffee by the river. We got the idea from AK Best book, just glad I dont have to carry it.
flybox(in shirt pocket), nippers, forceps, floatant, spare leader and tippet spool in fly box. Used to carry all the other stuff, never used it, so I started leaving it behind. Don’t miss the extras a bit
That knot tool made from a clothes pin? Any way you could describe or can you post picture?
I read about the tool in a book called Taps tips, take the clothes pin apart. Fill in the part of the cloths pin that is hollow and goes over the clothes line. The Author suggested wood puty I used hot glue. Make the putty flush with the clothes pin. reassemble when dry.
what this does is give a nice easy to use clamp that holds the line while doing a blood knot, Trying to tye on tippet in a rocking canoe was a pain, with this tool it is easyer. still better to remember to tie it on at home.
I want to play with this clamp this winter and see if I can improve it some.
I once had a fishermen show me a necklace that had a lot of accessories on it. I laughed. I guess it could be a good safety item because it would make plenty of noise so the bears wouldn’t eat you.
Doug
Sims Guide vest- Fly patch pinned over top, right side pocket, floatant chained to right side D ring, ceramic hook hone knotted to a piece of fly line looped onto left side D ring, nipper on right side, micro light w/red bulb and leader butt straightener on left side attached to built-in Sims retractors, hemostats clipped to hood covering left side retractor, leader gauge attached to zinger inside bottom left pocket.
When going light, Richardson 3-drawer chest box - 4 spools tippet on corded spool holder clipped to left side, nipper and floatant on Sierra Coil Clip attached to right side.
I’ve got a net clipped on the back (with a break-away clip). On the front I have forceps, a measuring tape zinger with nail clippers attached, a fish priest (for when I want to keep one). In various pockets I have floatant, a flashlight, a lighter (I don’t smoke anymore, but it’s for emergencies), plastic bags, leader and tippet material, indicators, line “stuff” (cleaner, floatant, etc), differnet fly lines (on spools). Hmmm, I think that’s it? Oh yah, toilet paper’s in the car, but I’ll take it with me if I’m going wilderness for a full day.
I should take a compass and map, but since I don’t, I never leave sight of the river.
My fly vest has things in it that only I would dare to describe. The usual plastic and tin fly boxes with some flies that have never floated on water for over 20 years. Packets of tippet that haven’t been uncoiled since Nixon was kicked out of office. Does it mean anything if my tappered leader packets have knots and the price tag says 39 cents on it? The plastic jar of Cortland white powder floatant broke years ago…instead of using the bottle, I just dip the fly in the pocket. There’s an extra 1494 with WF6F on it in the back flap, but the one on my rod is also a 1494 with WF6F on it…how did that happen? Years ago, somehow the label on the extra 1494 in the back flap got lost…since its dark green I must assume it is a sinking line…what weight I am not sure. I am going through a magnetic tin of wet flies, I smile as I recogonize the #4 Purple Joe to tie on my tippet for the next unlucky Steelhead…the barb has broken off…why would I keep this miserable relic? Keep digging.
Ureka! I have found it! The little demi-flask of Irish Whisky…I wondered where this went? Wos this stuff must be 20 years old! Unfortunately there is only a swallow left in the flask…but it is none the less wonderful. I must remember to refill it. And here is a book of matches from Circus Circus in Las Vegas… never know when you will need a match. Last but not least the Zebco push button spin reel…just in case I run into a little kid that needs a reel.
I had a good laugh the other day. I am in the process of switching from my vest to a chest pack. I’ve had the hardest time finding one I like. I’ve settled on a temporary one (which may be more than temporary) but at least its cheap. To get on with the story I emptied my vest that I’ve been using for the last 5 plus years. I found aside from the stuff I want to carry, two old used leaders, toilet paper that has been wet and dry so many times its a hardened clump of pulp, plastic packages that held all sorts of stuff and thats only the stuff I want to disgard. I also found a 10x magnifier, some sample containers for bug specimens and some tools for putting midges onto tippet that I had given up hope on and decided were lost. No wonder I’ve been suffering lower back pain.
Doug, I have two vests…the one I was describing is the one that stays in the PickUp truck along with the glass Elkhorn flyrod. I’m not kidding about the age and condition of some of the things in it. I went into the 21st century a year ago and got a nylon ClearCreek chest pack. It just insn’t the same, all this new stuff in it, leaders that cost more than my first reel, the pocket for the Hardy Princess looks like it was made for it and oh yes, the flask pocket is closer to my chin…coincidence? I think not. The old vest, clean it out? I have more important things to do on cold winter evenings, like filling the flask’s (as in more than one).
