Over the years, my fly fishing carry system has evolved through a series of mutations. I’ve tried everything: vests, vest packs, chest packs, waist packs, hip packs, sling packs, backpacks, flapjacks, minimalism, maximalism, antidisestablishmentarianism–you name it. They were all adequate. But the combined addictions to tackle and curiosity compel me to avidly revise. My…
Since the day I first picked up a fly rod, I’ve been trying to figure out the ideal way to carry my gear. Like many, I’ve run through the gamut of vests, hip packs, chest packs, sling packs … you get it. In recent years, I’ve been using a kind of modular system with different…
Here’s my new super-compact wading bag and what I carry in it. Over the years, I’ve whittled down my wading system to be much simpler by observing my own habits. In this video, I show you what I carry and why. And toward the end of the video, I give two little tips on…
Tenkara gear is so light and compact, it can fit into just about any adventure. My Yonah Tenkara Pack is about as dialed in as I can think I can get in terms of tackle, but sometimes, you need to carry more. Here is a Facebook live video I made showing how I incorporate…
After more than three decades of trying countless carry systems, I think I’ve found my Holy Grail. It’s everything I want: light, compact, ergonomic, and provides quick, easy access to everything I need exactly when and where I need it. All systems are prone to evolution if the right opportunities come along, but this one…
Let’s face it, when it comes to fly fishing accessories, retractors (AKA “zingers”) aren’t the sexiest things. We tend to focus on rods, flies, lines, and other things that are more exciting. But when we get right down to it, we all rely on supplementary tools to help us with our streamcraft. And that so…
I know most of you probably don’t and might consider it completely unnecessary, but I carry a fishing wallet. It’s where I keep my license, national park pass, emergency cash, business cards and other sundries. Until recently, I was carrying a Travax wallet which works great, but is a little bulky. So in my ongoing…
Here’s a simple hack I came up with to carry my thermometer on my new Yonah Tenkara pack which allows me to clip it to my net in order to get a better reach. This just makes it easier to get the thermometer a little deeper so I’m not merely measuring the surface and easier…
Like many of you, I am continually striving to improve my on-stream carry system and I feel like I make small increments of progress with every iteration. For years, I’ve been carrying a Fishpond San Juan chest pack and it’s served me well. Every so often, I browse sites like eBay, Amazon, and Etsy, searching…
Sling packs have become all the rage in fly fishing over the last few years–and for good reason. They’re light, compact, versatile, and offer a unique hybrid alternative to wearing both a backpack and a fly fishing vest without sacrificing the convenience and functionality of either. And the intrinsic ethos of their design is especially…
A “fishing” wallet? Yes, a fishing wallet. And it’s not a metaphor for an arsenal of techniques or secrets I carry on the stream or anything more interesting like that. I’m talking about an actual, mundane, physical wallet. For years, I’ve kept a dedicated wallet in my kit to carry certain fishing-related sundries I don’t…
Here’s a video of how I set up the Tenkara Guide Sling Pack from Zimmerbuilt to be my ideal carry system for tenkara fishing around Colorado. This pack was designed by the Tenkara Guides in Utah to be a tenkara-specific pack but could also be used for conventional fly fishing. How do you carry your tenkara…
Many anglers have a fishing office (i.e. man cave) where they have their fly tying desk, gear, and where they like to put their tenkara rods on display. Some people have built their own tenkara rod racks, or used an off-the-shelf solution like these pool cue racks to show off their rods. But the innovative…
“Man cave”, “gear room”, “fishing room”, “sanctuary”…no matter what you call it, we all have our special little corners of the world where we gather our gear, come up with new creations, or just generally meditate on our sport (even if it’s just a corner of the garage). This is mine. And I’d like to…