Fly Fishing

72Twenty · Location: Wyoming

I am just curious what the collective here prefers to use. I own a vest but have since purchased both a chest pack (2 years ago) and a sling style pack (a couple months ago).

I always love my vest, but I have a tendency to over pack it with way more than I need on a given day on the river. I went with a medium sized chest pack (goes over both shoulders, has pouches on the front and back) and like it most of the time. It does, however seem to move around a little too much when I am wading in rocky terrain and casting hard. I recently purchased a W&J sling pack (on a closeout deal site) that only goes over one shoulder with a strap that clicks in around my waist to stabilize it. I have found that it wants to slip off of my shoulder, especially when wearing it over a jacket. I'm not all that happy with it at the moment.

I guess I just need to think about how I load it to balance the weight a little better so that it doesn't want to slip off, but I am not sure.

What do you guys prefer to use?

rustayy · Location: Islamorada,FL

If I am guiding or fishing deep in the backcountry I like to use my chestpack. It has more than enough room for all of my gear, lunch, fly boxes, extra layers etc. If I am fishing on my own and don't need all kinds of extra gear in the salt or on the river, I prefer using a sling pack. I like how easy it stows behind you out of the way of casting, and it has plenty of room for all of my needs.

norm289 · Location: SW PA

I used to love my vest. Then I started carrying bigger flyboxes that wouldn't fit in the front pockets. Ended up having to put them in that single large pocket on the back. Really was a pain when changing flies, especially if I was in the water. Plus I always felt a need to have something in every pocket, so I ended up carrying way more than I needed for any situation. I picked up a W&J sling pack(doesn't have the waist strap), loved it at first but found somethings I do not like about it. It seems to want to slide around at the worst possible times, landing/releasing fish, ducking in and out of brush, etc. I also do not like the constant swinging around on those days where it seems like you are always changing flies or rigging. However I do like the fact that it easily stores whatever I need for a trip out on the water, regardless of location or targeted fish species. I also have a chest pack. I rarely use it at all. I'm a pretty big guy and with the way the pack sticks out, it always gets in my way. Doesn't matter if I wear it low or high. Another thing I don't like about it is, even though it holds my tippet, tools, weights, indicators, etc, I'm limited to about one flybox. Two if one is really small. So for now I'll stick to my sling style pack until I find a system/setup that suits my preferences better.

hookmeup · Location: Willoughby, OH

I started out with a regular vest a few years back. I too felt I had to fill all numerous pockets, could get very heavy. I then graduated to a WJ chestpack. Really nice storage and construction. The problem I had was the 2 front pockets would get in the way, actually would hit the side of my arm sometimes casting. So I sold it to a guy who said he loved it. I then started just carying limited supplies in a fanny pack, worked O.K. for beach site fishing in Florida. Had to slide it around the front to get stuff out. I finally purchased an Orvis sling pack last year. Also forces you to slim down your supplies. It is nice to just throw it on and off. It does seem to slide down shoulder though of wading jacket while steelheading.. Like to say it will work out, kind of in the minimalist thing now with gear.

stoneyfly · Location: Rocky Mountains

Sling all the way. Have the Orvis Sling and it is great, but just score the Willy J sling it this thing is sick!

kokomas · Posted: Sat 11/13/10 8:43 am Post subject:

Hey guys, new to the board but recognized 72Twenty from tgr forums. I have had similar issues to all of you with my gear carry and am wondering what you don't like, if anything, about the orvis sling pack?

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

I just got back from steelhead fishing, and used the new/upgraded Orvis Sling Pack. Loved it. Durable zippers and plenty of space in both pouches for my tippet, leader, fly boxes, camera, light rain jacket, etc. What I like best about the sling pack is that it keeps my chest area clear while fishing/casting, eliminating the potential for the fly line to get hung up on something I don't want it to (which seemed to happen often with vests and front-side packs). Yet, it's super easy to access all my gear simply by "slinging" the pack from my back to front side. You can get it here.