vest or pack

[alexys01]

I appreciate the input guys, I am jotting down a fishing list gathered from all of your info.
thanks,
Eric

[jeffnles1]

I'm watching this thread too. I've always been a vest kind of guy myself. I've checked out some of the fishpond tech packs and like the idea, but having something that bulky sticking out in front of me I'm just not sure of. The extra storage in the back is nice, but really kind of useless on the water. It seems like you'd have to take the vest off to get to the stuff back there. My old vest is nearing the end of its usefull life and I'm undecided if I want another vest, one of the tech vests or a lumbar bag. I may end up getting a new vest and a lumbar pack. The lumbar pack seems like it would be good in the summer when the vest is too hot. Of course a mesh vest would be good too.

The problem with so many choices is it gets kind of confusing (especially for a simple minded guy like me)

Jeff

[monktrout]

I have to admit it-I want to carry everything. I know there are good arguments to go minimalist, but empty pockets must be filled! I need help. But you never know when a green drake hatch or salmon flies could crawl on the east-west prong of the North-South River. When it happens I will be ready. I have been hauling around those Montana fly patterns for 10 years and I might have my day in East Tennessee. I use a vest to carry around my micro fly shop.

[jeffnles1]

Originally Posted by monktrout

I have to admit it-I want to carry everything. I know there are good arguments to go minimalist, but empty pockets must be filled! I need help. But you never know when a green drake hatch or salmon flies could crawl on the east-west prong of the North-South River. When it happens I will be ready. I have been hauling around those Montana fly patterns for 10 years and I might have my day in East Tennessee. I use a vest to carry around my micro fly shop.

I'm with you brother. One of my problems is I fish warm water and cold water and sometimes on the same day. I may start hitting sunfish and bass in a local stream and then head about an hour away to go after trout in the Brookville tailwater. So my vest has everything from 3X tippet to 7X tippet and other goodies.

Last year, I did finally split my fly boxes into warm and cold so I don't loose #20 griffiths gnats among #6 woolie bugger.

Jeff

[monktrout]

Jefnles1, Thank you for your support. Radical cures may be avoided and I can continue my maximist ways with no shade of guilt.

[pmike]

...use a Wm Joseph waist pack during the summer when wet wading and find it will hold anything I need and alot I don't. I also like the Columbia shirts with pockets big enough for a fly box or 2.

In addition, I am starting to use a lanyard because I like to use a vest during the cooler months and it's easier to switch from a pack to a vest if you don't have to remove every tool from one and then re-attach it to another in order to go from vest to pack or from pack to vest.

Mike

[sprestwood]

There are those who believe that having a lot of tackle is a sign of a lack of confidence is any tackle. The way a lure is fished with condidence can often be the deal maker as far as catching fish. When I first saw a backpack-tackle box, I got a real bad case of the over-excited-shakes. But considering I believe you should fish a lure for 30 minuites in any way you can, there is really not any ability to fish through a huge tackle box of lures.

Research and a few years experience on target waters can narrow your lures down to a minimum set of colors of life cycle bugs and other artificials. Im still working on those few years and research. Im still working cos that mininalist approach will work on 90% of the fish in the water, for the other 10% you got to do different things to get the different results.