Streamside Gear Survey

[CreationBear]

Here in the Smokies, most of my backcountry fishing is done in stages. I'll carry a pretty substantial load out in my backpack--3L MSR bladder, wading boots, layers, etc.--until I reach one of the backcountry campsites, then hang the big pack on the bear cables there and spend my time on the water with an old-model Orvis sling pack.



(The sleeve on the back is a "field expedient" scabbard for my Tenkara rod that allows me to have both hands free when scrambling over boulders and crawling through the rhodie.)

Otherwise, I could fish all year on what you see here--one of the benefits of having really intellectually challenged trout.

[gingerdun]

OK—Now I understand how to do this. Here are the shots of the fly wallet so you don't have to go to the Photobucket link.

[William Anderson]

CB, when my friend John and I used to hike up those streams in SC and GA we would do exactly the same. Pack in a days worth and stash it after a couple hours of hiking. Fish light and then pack it all back out. Those were some very painful hikes.

Gingerdun, that is a sweet wallet. Where did you find it and who's flies are those? If they are not yours, they look a lot like your father's. It's a cool set up.

w

[gingerdun]

You guessed it. That was my Dad's wallet, containing his flies. He always had it with him on the stream. Some of the flies still have tippet attached, and look a little chewed by trout. I am trying to get my seamstress wife to help me fabricate a similar wallet with a beautiful synthetic leather we found last week, but she tells me that my fly wallet is less important than making the baby quilt for some grandchild of ours that is due in two or three weeks (our fifth!). I don't know how women can get their priorities so messed up. My new wallets won't be as nice as Dad's, that's for sure. No hand-tooled silver clasp, and I'm not sure we'll do the two leader pockets either. Just the cover and the felt pages, and simple metal snaps to close it. I wouldn't go to the trouble, but I dislike the plastic boxes, and haven't been able to find any felt-paged wallets on the market—and of course I can't use my father's.

CB, I like the idea of the 3 liter bladder. Didn't know about them, but that makes sense. Thanks for the tip.

[hankaye]

gingerdun, Howdy;

Sorry about interupting your conversation with dub-ya.
Just have a quick question or 2...;
What kind of material is it that the leader pockets are mad of,
and how many felt 'pages' are there in your Dad's wallet.

Sure looks like he tried to wear it out and only made it look better...

hank

[gingerdun]

Hank, there are three pieces of felt, making twelve pages. The pocket material is a bit of a mystery. It appears to be two thin layers, smooth vellum on the outside, and suede inside. Definitely animal skin.

[hankaye]

gingerdun, Howdy;

Thanks for that. Reckon some research is due to figure out what
the mystery material is...

Thanks again;

hank

PS. With your permission, I'll copy the pix and forward them to a Muzzleloader
forum or 2 that I also belong to to see what might shake from the trees...

hank

[gingerdun]

Hank, feel free to share these pics. They are public now, and if anybody can shed any light on the origin of this wallet, that would be cool. I'd be interested to know what kind of leather it is. That shouldn't be so hard to ID. Let me know if it would make it easier if I e-mailed the jpegs to you. If there is interest from enough fishermen to add such a wallet to their streamside gear, I might investigate the possibility of having some made. It is pretty simple construction, but I'd probably have to improvise on the clasp, and the material for the envelope pockets. To hand-make a silver-plate clasp like that would make this project hopelessly expensive. If anybody has a suggestion for an alternate closure system, speak up. Needs to be really fast and easy. I'm thinking about brass snaps, two or three across the flap.

[michaelgmcgraw]

I Be liking all these neat fly wallets posted here.

[JohnP]

gingerdun, Howdy;

Thanks for that. Reckon some research is due to figure out what
the mystery material is...

Thanks again;

hank

PS. With your permission, I'll copy the pix and forward them to a Muzzleloader
forum or 2 that I also belong to to see what might shake from the trees...

hank

Nice to see a fellow black powder enthusiast on here.