Sling pack full#

The next, almost as critically important, piece is the hip pack. It’s not too big, not too small and most importantly, not a fly-line trap. “Our home waters here in Arkansas have us using a boat as part of our daily program. Now you can find Antoine ( The French Fly Fisherman) and his FJ Cruiser year-round on the Farmington River and surrounding rivers in Connecticut and the adjacent Northeast.įor backcountry trips, a backpack allows you to carry the essentials. But again, as Truel Myers of the Orvis Fly-Fishing School says, ‘The situation will dictate what you’re going to do.’” – Antoine Bissieux taught thousands to fly fish at the Orvis Fly-Fishing School in Manchester, VT. A good pack that survives all the abuses will become your best friend. To me traveling light is key: I can move longer and faster without getting tired. It’s light, has plenty of room and I can move it around my body, so it’s out of the way. Guiding can be fairly physical so personally, I’ll use different packs depending on the trip but very often I go back to the Orvis chest pack. He owns Cross Current Guide Service and makes his home waters on the Upper Delaware River System. During cooler weather when the bulk of my clothing is an issue, I’ll bail on the vest and either go to a sling pack or waist pack depending on how much tackle and other stuff I feel a need to take along.” – Joe Demalderis has been a full-time fly-fishing guide for over 25 years, named Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide of the Year in 2010. The pockets in the vest give me ample room for fly boxes and other trinkets we reach for while on the stream and are easy to get to. If I’ll be on the river for a shorter period and not far from my vehicle, and when spot hopping from a vehicle, I prefer a good old-fashioned lightweight vest. Then I switch from the sling pack to a day-size backpack. This changes when I’m guiding clients and need to carry more gear, and beverages and lunch. This gives me enough space for fly boxes, tippet, leader, a rain jacket and water. When I plan on wading for a day, whether it be on a river, stream or saltwater flat, I prefer to use a sling pack.

This allows a handy storage system for my gear and keeps my flies dry and my body unencumbered with the weight of a vest. On days when I’m primarily in a boat, I use a waterproof boat or tackle bag. “The beauty of the options available today is that there is seldom a need to compromise when selecting a tackle-management system. Our resident Euro-nymphing expert, Jesse Haller, prefers a vest. You can find him guiding the area rivers for Montana Angler throughout the year, or exploring the alpine terrain of the region on foot, bike, or skis. I guess the solution is to have one of each!” – Mike Mansfield has been guiding in Southwestern Montana for 17 years. That’s when the waist pack - and plentiful jacket pockets - best suits my needs. When I’ve layered up in the colder months, I prefer not to have anything over my shoulders due to the bulk of my waders and clothing. When fishing for myself, I find that a larger sling pack does the trick for extra layers, some food and drink, and my fishing gear. On days guiding in Yellowstone National Park, I carry spare jackets, water bottles, first-aid kit, bear spray, snacks, and all of my fly boxes (plus a spare rod or two for clients) and use a backpack.

Sling pack full#

“I find a time and place for each pack - waist, sling, or full backpack. And, of course, you’re invited to share your bag or vest preferences in the comments below. To help you narrow down the best fly-fishing pack or vest for your needs, I talked to some of our endorsed guides from across the country to get their own personal preferences for fishing in different conditions. Mix in those desired uses with a heavy dose of personal preference, and you’ll find the right pack for you.

However, you should treat a pack or vest as any tool designed for a collection of uses - wading from the car in spring, wet-wade hiking to backcountry lakes in late summer, float trips, and so on. With such a variety of tackle-storage options, there is no one answer to the question, “Which is better, a fly-fishing vest, a sling pack, or a hip pack?” for all experiences. Pack options for anglers have exploded over the last decade or so, and vests have become lighter and more comfortable, with more technical features.