Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Jewelz on December 19, 2011, 08:45:46 PM
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My back pack that I use to carry my fishing gear in just kicked the bucket so i'm in the market for another one. But what to get... should I go for a Vest to pack my gear (that's how my dad does it), a new back pack (that's what i'm leaning towards) or a fanny pack? What does everyone else do or suggest?
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Personal preference really.....but myself I like either the vest or the pack depending on how long i'm out for/if I want to bring snacks, camera, etc, etc.......I highly recommend checking out these and especially their "Tech Pack" line up for both vests and packs!!........ http://www.fishpondusa.com/packs.cfm
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I have three vests one for fly, one for float fishing and one for salt water fishing. However in the winter I use a pioneer jacket with a significant number of zippered and velcro pockets. Tried a fanny pack and it would not hold enough gear for a day on the water. and
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personally i hate fanny packs, they get in the way when fishing and everything gets soaked when crossing. back packs are okay but a bit of a pain as you always have to take it off to change up and rerig, also a backpack has lots of room so youll find yourself carrying more crap then youll ever need. i use a vest when im fly fishing for trout in summer but in winter it gets wet fast and can be unpleasent and tight oveer all your clothes. i personally wear a wading jacket which holds all my gear and still has extra pockets plus hand warmers :) i also have another thinner wading jacket with less pockets for flyfishing or warmer weather fishing. my wading jacket is the amundson top touch.
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Love the Fishpond Vests. Personally, if I was gonna blow money on one, Id go for this one simply for the options. Just because you can load it up, doesnt mean you have to. Also, its comfy as hell! Tried it one a while back.
(http://www.fishpondusa.com/productpics/wildhorsemain1.jpg)
(http://www.fishpondusa.com/productpics/wildhorsemain2.jpg)
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i use a fanny pack but i do have a wading jacket that fits pretty much everything i need so...
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Shoulder strap bag is the way I roll, I now use the simms, waterproof model, LOVE it.
http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/dry_creek_chest_hip_pack.html
thats the one but mine has a shoulder strap and thats all I use, but the waist strap is good for those who like to keep it tight to the body.
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Between my wader pockets and wading jacket I find I have more than enough room for all my gear. If I'm switching between the pin and my fly rod I just swap out a couple boxes and I'm good to go. A good wading jacket is the way to go but can be expensive. If you're on a budget the amundson jacket noted earlier is on sale at wholesale sports for 119.99 which is a pretty good deal. Not sure of the quality as I own a simms but for the money it seems like a good jacket.
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I fished with a vest for 20+ years and I just switched to a pack made by Simms that can go around your waist or be used as a sling pack .
I quite like it so far, an I find my back is not sore. Should have switched years ago
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Personal preference. For me it depends on weather, how long I am fishing for, and what I am targetting. In the fall, when I am gone for long periods of time and I want to carry food, water and gear (and fish!) I go with a vest.
When I am fishing the beaches in the summer for a couple of hours, it is warm out and I am carrying minimal gear, I go with this pack.
http://www.williamjoseph.net/products/product_1.aspx (http://www.williamjoseph.net/products/product_1.aspx) Works well slung over my side and worn on the hip. Love the magnetic closure.
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I was in the same boat. Backpacks fit a lot but were just a real pain. I've yet to put it into practice though, but after much deliberation, I "figure" a shoulder bag/sling pack is the way to go. It's more comfortable, easy to access and tie stuff whilst standing etc. Also, would still work if I was to use some sort of floatation device somewhere down the line.
This is what I was thinking of and seems to be very popular, Orvis Safe Passage Sling $69USD :
http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3H6P (http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3H6P)
This is what I ended up buying and will see how it goes, MEC travel bag $19 :
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/TopSellers/PRD~4004-126/mec-small-carry-all-shoulder-bag.jsp (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/TopSellers/PRD~4004-126/mec-small-carry-all-shoulder-bag.jsp)
or their smaller size
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/TopSellers/PRD~4009-377/mec-travel-all-shoulder-bag.jsp (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/TopSellers/PRD~4009-377/mec-travel-all-shoulder-bag.jsp)
I only float fish and being my first season trying out steelheading, I figure the more efficient and organize I am out there, the better. I also plan to get some sort of ATSKO waterproof spray (I have some for waterproof breathable fabric and it works super well), and maybe seam sealer and make the bag completely waterproof, or at least so most of the water will bead off.
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Thanks for all the replies guys.
I went and bought a cheap back pack just to tie me over til I can save up some money to get a nice wading jacket. The backpackwas only $25 so its not a big deal, plus its waterproof so it'll be good for any season.
Thanks again y'all. :)
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I fished with a vest for 20+ years and I just switched to a pack made by Simms that can go around your waist or be used as a sling pack .
I quite like it so far, an I find my back is not sore. Should have switched years ago
Where did you find this pack made by Simms and was it expensive? I am looking at switching from a vest to something else because of my back injury.
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http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/headwaters_waist_pack.html#
I think is the one he's talking about.
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Simms waist packs are great.
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I've been using the Simms Dry Creek pack for a bit over a year and while the quality is good, function is terrible.
- Neither waist nor shoulder straps stay put once adjusted; just keep sliding loose. You have to tie the straps into a knot or put a pin in place, which shouldn't be necassary for a bag in this price range (I'm sure this wasn't the first time Simms made an adjustable strap system - no excuse for such oops).
- While they mention that the zippers are only water resistant, they should stay away from using the word "Dry" in the product name. After a few hours of fishing in the rain, you WILL notice water in the bottom of the bag, including the side pocket in the front. After a few hours of heavy rain exposure, your stuff will be floating, and things will rust.
- I have also noticed that while wading deep and having just the bottom of the bag touching the water, it got wet inside even though the water was nowhere close to a zipper. I know they say it's not submersable, but I think they are referring to zippers and not nylon material.
- Zippers are very stiff due to water-resistant design, so be ready to use one hand to unzip and other to hold the pack. IMO, a regular, easy to use zipper with a waterproof flap that covers both zippers would have been a better design.
And there is my boxing day rant! ;D
Btw, I have yet to read anything bad about this pack, although it's pricy: http://www.sagebrushdrygoods.com/product_info.php?cPath=8&products_id=26&PHPSESSID=8ba01cbe6ed9366949fad763795ee765
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Danube Boy siad everything abut the Dry Creed pack's characteristics. I also have one and have had the same experience . I do not use it anymore.Water gets in easily and it does not stay dry even in a small drizzle of rain. The zip is just a pain in the butt to zip and unzip.
I am now looking to get something more user friendly.
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Bushline has a mini-vest that I've been using on the Fraser, Vedder, Harrison, and Chehailis for steelhead and salmon, on a boat and on the bank. It's worked very well for me. Fully adjustable and fits a BIG guy like me: 6'3, 3 bills. Instead of fabric, the vest parts are mesh with fabric pockets, making it nice for scorching summers, and it doesn't soak up water in the rain.. Neoprene yoke.
Got it at the A & N New West last summer. $50, I think. Very comfortable.
Anyone else use one? how did it work for you?
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My vest is the 6334 model from the link:
http://www.worldfms.com/newproduct/documents/130-131.pdf
The company that makes this is World Famous. They've made "affordable" fishing/camping stuff for years, but like I said, this model works very well for me.
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This is what I have just switched to. Well something very close to it. It is made by Sage and the quality is perfect to last quite awhile. Mine has a water bottle pocket on either side of the main bag. This one has plenty of room to carry all what you need for fishing. I really like how the adjustable clips really stay in place so that once you have it all adjusted they stay in place. It will definatly take some getting used too as I have been fishing with a vest for quite some time. I tell you my brother was sure happy to get my vest, even though it was about 10 years old it still was like new. It was one that was made to last unlike the vests you get today.
(http://www.sageflyfish.com/images/magictoolbox_cache/dd6b6cfc02e1715d9cb0915c3f4a72c2/4522/selector72x72/551c38e09801056fae7fb18f536e2d8b.jpg)
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(http://p0.flyerland.ca/images/products/10038000/10038694_image.jpg)
But I thought maybe this one would work even better for those who need to bring everything... ;)
(http://pocomilitary.com/catalog/images/Canada%20Military%20Surplus%20Tactical%20Camo%20cstv.bmp)
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I always laugh when I hear people talking about fanny packs. Back in the UK Motherland, fannies are something only girls have ;)
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After I went out on the river last week, I noticed that my backpack was just way to big. I mean its nice when you wanna pack a lunch or carry a rain jacket, but otherwise just too much. All I needed that day was my leader tube, a jar full of roe sacs and some other tidbits that I kept in a small double-sided case. Now I'm leaning towards a fanny pack, much like you see runners wear, small center pouch with 2 bottle holders on each side. That should be good enough for what i need during these short winter fishing trips.