The Best Way to Organize a Fly-Fishing Vest
- 1). Place only essential lures, equipment and fishing accessories into piles on a table organized by size. For example, dry flies and wet flies for that day's fishing trip can be clipped into separate fly boxes. Place the fly boxes in the upper breast pockets on the fishing vest, as these items will be used constantly on the water. Keeping the flies within easy reach makes it possible to switch out a fly on the line to meet changing fishing conditions or to replace a fly quickly if one is lost to a snag or a fish that got away.
- 2). Pack a pocketknife or line clippers in one of the zippered pockets found on many fishing vests at chest level, next to the smaller pockets for the fly boxes. A knife or clippers will be needed whenever the lure is changed, to trim knots or to aid in removing the hook from a caught fish. The zippered side pocket can be opened while holding a fly box in the same hand, which is convenient on the water where there is no place to set down the fishing rod. Alternatively, line clippers can be attached to an outside pocket with a retractable reel coiled with elastic line. Pull out the clippers to use, then release them to draw the tool back up to the reel clipped to the vest.
- 3). Stash spare leaders and an extra spool of fishing line in the larger pocket below the breast pocket opposite the hand that holds the rod. For example, a left-handed angler would place spare leaders and line in the right pocket below the fly box. That way, the line is organized so the angler is not constantly switching the rod between hands.
- 4). Pack the smallest pockets with individual items such as a tube of sunscreen or lip balm. Place more frequently used items in the pockets opposite the rod hand.
- 5). Attach car keys to a foam, floating keyring and store in a side pocket, since these pockets are used infrequently.
- 6). Place a fishing license, trout permit and other documents in a sealed plastic bag or license holder and stow these materials in an inside vest pocket where they will be safe and less susceptible to water damage, yet can be retrieved quickly if a game warden stops by.
- 7). Pack a snack or lunch in the zippered pocket in the back of the vest where it's out of the way until you're ready to get out of the water for a break.
- 8). Place as few items as possible in each pocket. A fully loaded pocket makes it harder to locate a specific item, since it's not always possible in the middle of a trout stream, with slippery rocks, to peer inside a vest pocket while fumbling around for a single accessory. Also, pulling one item out of a stuffed pocket could pull other tackle with it, so a lure or bait could fall in the water and become lost.
