Fly Vests and Some Alternatives
A Lee Wulff exhibit at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in Livingston Manor, New York commemorating Wulff’s invention of the fly vest (click on the image to enlarge).
The fly vest has become such a staple on the stream that it’s hard to believe it was invented as recently as 1932 by the legendary angler, writer, and outdoor film maker, Lee Wulff. Prior to Wulff coming along, fly anglers tended to wear tweed jackets with long sleeves and would maybe carry a satchel for their fly boxes, leaders and tools. Wulff was a great innovator and figured he could come up with something that would be more functional and convenient. He wanted to be able to carry everything he might need for a day’s fishing with him, he wanted to keep it organized and handy, and he didn’t want to have to leave the stream and risk spooking the fish. Influenced by the already existing upland game hunter’s vest, Wulff sewed together a garment which, in particular, included pockets of various sizes. Wulff’s fishing vest caught on quickly in post-WW II North America, possibly because returning infantrymen had learned the benefits of keeping their combat gear within easy reach stowed in pouches slung from web belts and chest harnesses.
Modern fly vests has undergone considerable improvements in both design and materials and there are lots of alternatives to vests available now too, including chest packs and other pack systems and jacket-vests. So when it comes to vest or vest alternatives there is no single best choice for everyone. What you use will depend on your approach to fishing. For instance, there are those who ascribe to the minimalist approach which involves only bringing along enough flies to imitate what is likely to be hatching on that particular day, plus a few tried and true standbys. The minimalist can get by with a single fly box tucked into their pocket, and with a lanyard thrown around their neck, is all set for an evening’s fishing. At the other end of the spectrum is the angler who embraces the Boy Scout motto of “be prepared” and is going to want a vest with lots and lots of pockets.
If you lean more to the “be prepared” end of the spectrum, you’ll likely want opt for a vest . As much as some of the chest pack or other pack systems incorporate some great new ideas into their design, if it’s the largest number of pockets you’re after, a vest is where you’ll find them. My vest, for instance, has 9 velcro pockets and 14 zipper pockets for a total of of 23 altogether. That may seem like a lot of pockets, but lets take inventory of what’s in my vest. For most of the season, I carry two large fly boxes, one that contains mayfly adult imitations and the other that caddis and stonefly adult imitations. I have another five medium sized fly boxes, two for streamers, another for Woolly Buggers, a fourth for nymphs and larvae imitations and a fifth for Muddler Minnows. Then I have five small fly boxes, one for classic style mayfly adult imitations, another for caddis emerger patterns, a third for wet flies, a fourth that contains beadhead caddis larvae imitations and a fifth that is something of a catch-all. So that’s 12 fly boxes in total. Then there are separate pockets for leader and tippit material, for dry fly floatant, for a flashlight, spare batteries, a lighter and a small tape measure, for insect repellent, and for split shot and a small knife. That’s another five pockets. There are also two large pockets in back of the vest which at a minimum contain a small first aid kit and a large ziplock bag for camera equipment should it rain. The other large pocket is for a net, but it’s usually empty since I seldom carry one. Admittedly, a couple of the other pockets contain somewhat specialized equipment including specimen containers for collecting insects in anticipation of photographing them and a miniature tripod also used in photographing insects.
But it’s not just the number of pockets, it’s also their size and location and, across the board, you see a lot more thought from any of the leading manufacturers going into the layout of the modern vest. Generally larger pockets provide for more flexibility. A smaller fly box will fit in a larger pocket, but the opposite is not the case. Not all the pockets on any vest are large enough to accommodate large fly boxes, but you’ll quickly adapt the use of smaller pockets for how you personally fish. For instance, if you use a lot of dry fly floatant, a smaller pocket located close to hand becomes the spot for your dry fly floatant.
You also want to keep durability in mind in choosing a fly vest. It is perhaps with respect to durability that more expensive fly vests from leading manufacturers distinguish themselves from the less expensive vests. They may have their own brand names for the fabrics, bu those fabrics tend to be synthetics which not only last, but also dry very quickly. Look for zippers that are heavy duty and of tough and long lasting nylon construction.
Next consider comfort, especially if, like me, you’re going to pack a lot into your vest. Better vests will be well designed to distribute weight across the shoulders and will be reinforced around the neck as well. After using a series of fabric vests for a number of years, the last time I went looking I opted for a mesh vest. I reasoned that I could always add layers under my vest in colder parts of the year, but in fishing through hot summers, finding ways to keep beat the heat meant mesh made sense.
A bandolier style chest pack (click on image to enlarge).
On the other hand, if you lean more toward the minimalist end of the vest and vest alternative spectrum you may want to consider a chest pack and other pack systems including bandolier style packs. Many of these pack systems still provide you with lots of storage for fly boxes, but, in addition contain features such as actual back pack spaces that allow you to comfortably carry items such as your lunch, jacket and rain gear. They are ideal if you’re hiking in some distance to your hot spot. Many of the pack systems also have built in water containers to help you keep hydrated.. Another great feature that you find in most of the pack systems are fold down foam fly “platforms” that allow you to store your flies and access them with incredible ease. Bandolier style fly packs are designed to swivel from back to front over your shoulder thereby allowing you to access what is in the back part of the bandolier without removing the pack system.
Leading manufacturers of pack systems have also made sure to provide for durability and comfort. As with modern vests, pack systems are constructed of strong, synthetic fibres and incorporate heavy duty zippers as well. They’re comfortable because they tend to incorporate wide, foam padded shoulder straps and because the synthetic materials of which the packs are constructed dry out quickly.
Moving even farther down the spectrum to the real minimalist end, if you’re inclined toward carrying only one or two fly boxes in your shirt’s pockets, then a fly fishing lanyard may also be worth considering. In fact, a lanyard can be used in conjunction with vests and vest alternatives as well. A lanyard is a looped cord that is hung around the neck to which are attached clips of various sorts from which are hung forceps, dry fly floatant, line clippers, zingers, and other similar equipment that you want to keep handy.
