Streamside Gear Survey

[William Anderson]

As the season approaches, I'm reading and doing some reflecting (not a lot of tying yet, but my time is coming, as promised...and I'll have some renewed energy in the coming months). I have been fussing around with my packs: waste pack and vest, deciding what did I really need, what did I omit and wish I hadn't (handy wipes), and I'm just generally fixated at present on my gear. Waders are another topic as are boots. Rods and reels also for another thread. I'm primarily interested in what you take and how you take it.

Given, this is completely predicated on what type of fishing you do and where, but we all have very specific and sometime unique preferences and I'm curious about them all. Pics would be helpful if you have them. I'll add mine after a bit of banter. But I will start with...I would prefer to be minimal, rather than all eventualities covered, but I also am shifting toward wearing my strap vest (Filson chest-pack/vest) which affords me the ability to carry some water, a snack, some wet-wipes (tp) and a light rain jacket. My waste pack allows for two small boxes, leaders, a flash light, pain/allergy meds, bandaids, a couple indicators and split shot, tippet spools, nippers and my amadou patch. I usually poke used flies in my hat stitching to dry. The idea of a lanyard seems appealing in its simplicity but cumbersome to me. I have sensory issues and that jangling would drive me nuts.

What do you take and how? Any interesting gadget/inventions that you wouldn't mind sharing?

Thanks.

w

[JohnP]

Good topic. I will be interested to read the answers, as I have been thinking about my own approach. I have always worn a vest. I have carpal tunnel syndrome and a bad back and neck, so my flexibility is pretty limited and I have problems with zippers and closures. Consequently, I usually find I have to take the vest off to get anything out of it, which sort of defeats its purpose. I have been thinking about a chest pack or something similar.

[tie2fish]

Still using a vest ... 5 large external pockets/4 internal, all full; usually 6 fly boxes, spare reel spool with sink tip line, wader patch kit, bandaids, tippet rings, etc; 4 small external pockets for tippet spools, split shot, small indicators w/rubber bands, tape measure, tenakara line, etc. Back vest pocket for sheath knife, water bottle, sandwiches, rain jacket, yadda, yadda. Two D-rings for amadou drying patch and leader straightener, zingers for small Swiss Army knife w/scissors tool open and as a safety line for hemostat, and clear holder for required display of non-resident PA license pinned on right shoulder. The camera, TP, floatant, emergency inhaler (COPD), small fly box(es), lip balm, and car keys go in shirt pockets. No minimalism for me .

[Smuggler]

I have a Willy J "old school" lumbar/chest pack. I can't think of another pack that is more comfortable than that thing.. and I've tried a lot of packs haha. It's great. Sometimes I switch between that and my field and stream tech vest that has infinite pockets... seriously!

I always bring walkie talkies with if I'm fishing with somebody.. camera is a must, if I remember before I leave the house. I keep a small paper clip on my d-loop in case I have to tie a nail knot. Paper clips > nail knot tool. And their about 20 bucks cheaper as well :p.

I don't like to over pack when walking about on the stream, just two fly boxes, tippet, leader mats. nips and a bottle of water most of the time is all I need.

[chase creek]

Non-fishing gear is carried in a North Face daypack I've had for 20+ years. Fishing stuff is carried in a "fanny" pack worn in front. I like the minimalist approach, and carry just one or two small fly boxes, plus the usual items like nippers, etc.
I usually fish alone and some of the streams are rather secluded, so I carry a few things one would ordinarily not if there are other folks around.
Daypack holds water bottle wrapped with a couple of feet of duct tape, a water filter (never run out of water and I don't have to carry a full water bottle), rain jacket, lunch (usually pita bread and cheese), safety pins, "poop kit"(toilet paper, trowell, hand sanitizer), compass and map, whistle, small multi-tool, and a brightly colored neckerchief. Sometimes I'll throw a pair of tennis shoes in the pack if I'm expecting a long walk back to the truck.

[hankaye]

Dub-ya, Howdy;

Good thougths to bring this up now, Think I'll sit back
an take some notes here.

hank

[Mike Connor]

I don't usually carry all that much stuff, and what I carry depends on my destination and the time of year. I use a setup like this and just swap out or combine the packages I need for a specific destination.

http://www.amazon.com/Military-Enhanced ... 03&sr=8-33

http://www.amazon.com/Flecktarn-African ... m_sbs_sg_1

TL
MC

[DUBBN]

Anything I could possibly need on the water is prepackaged for me.

[DUBBN]

If I am in my raft, I take everything I can including the kitchen sink. Cooler for food, a cooler for beer, wet bag with change of clothes, first aid kit, space blanket, .22 pistol, Fly vest. Thing is, when I float, I only wear a small fly box around my neck with the flys I THINK I will need for the trip. This is where keeping a journal of my fishing trips pays off.
While actually rowing the boat, or fly fishing I have only the basics on my person, but have all the gear on the raft. I have over 2,000 flys on the raft just incase..Yes, I know, overkill, but I do have the room.

Heres the box I wear around my neck. It has my flys size 18 and bigger on one side, size 20 and smaller stuck to a magnetic strip on the other side. With splitshot aswell.





Here is a little container that previously contained splitshot. It now contains a variety of beads that I slip above the fly on the tippet. This way I dont tie any beadheads, I just make em on the water, and the fly can serve a dual purpose (beaded or not beaded). I carry it and my tippet material in the little pouch on the front of my waders.



If I am strictly wading I use my fly vest. It has 4 to 6 fly boxes at any given time, first aid kit, lighter, space blanket, whistle, lunch, beer, water etc.



On the back of the vest I carry my rubber net, with built in scales. If you fish with me, I wont take it personally if you dont want me to weigh that fish you believe is 6 lbs. BUT, I get to be designated drinker on the way home if I dont get to weigh it!



Raft fully loaded

[narcodog]

Well, here is my stuff. Lanyard, two spools of tippet, C&F nippers with threader, whistle, faux Amado, a small flashlight, short hemostats. The I have two small fly boxes, one C&F and one clear Orvis box. The Orvis box has movable dividers so I change out the flies for the season. The C&F is usually a nymph box but it could be an emerger box or a midge box.

I also have my staff and a water bottle carrier that hangs from my belt.

I did away with the vest several years ago, weighed to damn much. When I fish big dry's I use a Richardson box.