The Evolution of the Pack

I started fly fishing as humbly as almost everyone.  I got my orders to head to Little Rock, Arkansas - Home of Fly Fishing.  However, I had no guidance when I first started buying equipment.  I'll post the whole E-Bay ritual I went through when I lived in Pensacola, FL, in another post of how to get into this "sport" cheaply.  So, when I started, I needed a vest - I started the E-Bay search, and I came along a very inexpensive Berkley Fly Fishing Vest...See below.

 

Berkley Fly Fishing Vest

 



I got this thing, and I started practicing in my yard with a St. Croix Triumph 5 weight rod I got on...E-Bay...Again another story.  Anyway, it didn't take long to figure my father-in-law or my dad would come out to see me, so I wanted some gear for them so they wouldn't have to bring or buy it.  My father-in-law is a fly fisherman, but my dad is a fish from a boat kind of guy.  I was determined to get him fishing...Again, another story. 

Back to the story...after playing with this vest, I deemed it necessary to find one of a little better quality.  Mind you, I think I paid $13 as a winning bid for this one, and for the money...It's a pretty good item.  It wasn't long in searching, and I found my treasure - A Woodfield Fly Fishing Vest.  The winning bid on a slightly used vest was me, and I paid a handsome $15 for this vest.  When I go it, it smelt like...Earl.  After a few washings, it was like new.  It had a great weight to it, so I knew it would last a while.  You sense these things pretty quick with hunting and fishing gear.  Here is the Wood Field Vest below.

Woodfield Fly Fishing Vest

After arriving in Little Rock, I started fishing with some cheapo flies (a pack of 12 flies for Eastern US) I bought in Pensacola.  I couldn't catch a thing here, so when my wife's friend from college sent me an invite to go to a local fly shop opening, I was standing there on opening day.  I met the owner, and he seemed like a super stand up dude.  He was a good dude for about a year, then he took a turn for the worst.  I'd gladly love to talk about this, but I don't want to get sued for slander.  Find me on the river, and I'll talk all about it - Fully.  Well, this fly shop owner did his job.  He showed me all of his high dollar equipment - $600 Sage Rod, $500 Sage Reel, $80 fly line, $120 Sage chest pack, $500 Simms waders.  WOW, beautiful stuff, but I'm not made of moeny!  That was 4X more than my first car - 1968 Volkswagon Bug.  So, I tried to be like "Mike" without the cost of "Mike"!

When I bought a lot of the equipment like Mike, I realized the vest wasn't going to handle all of this stuff.  I certainly wasn't going to the truck ever 2-3 hours to get more items needed.  Therefore, I started searching all companies, and I picked something I liked.  I found an Orvis Micro Safe Passage - I found one on a Forum that had a Classified section.  I chatted with the guy a while and told him why I wanted it.  I offered the guy $50, and he sent it to me shipping included from Connecticut.  Surprise, it came with a ton of stuff - pliers, clippers, tippet, 10 leaders or so, and 2 Orvis flat packs of small, tiny flies.  I almost feel I would have sent him some extra money.  God bless these kind older gentlemen. 

Orvis Micro Safe Passage

 



After using this for a while, I started tying my own flies...Yes, not a cheap sport.  Anyway, I had so much poop that this front pack was causing issues with my crushed back - Read: USAF C-130 Navigator with 20 years of bouncing off runways, the cockpit, and being flung down stairs with threat reactions.  So, I started looking for something to sling on my back.  I found two.  The Patagonia Atom Sling Pack and the Orvis Guide Pack came out just as the Patagonia arrived. 

I flat love these packs.  I constantly got the vest and the front pack in the water...Drowned a few phones and a camera.  The packs were perfect.  The Patagonia was a little smaller, and I use that for guests.  The Orvis pack is phenomenal.  I can pack a all my flies - about 4 large cases and 8 small cases, leaders, lead, tools, water bottle, camera, rain jacket, stocking cap, fishing gloves...Heck, I can probably put in the kitchen sink.  It flips to the backside of my back and improves my posture - Perfect.  I love these sling packs.  Both have been extremely durable, but I don't think I have to tell you about Patagonia's warranty - Lifetime is usually a good thing.  I have fished two solid years on the Orvis Guide Pack, and it doesn't show wear at all - Superb pack.  The Orvis Pack was paid for by the wife for my birthday.  So, that was the only thing paid for at retail.  I'm a CHEAP guy...You have to be with the hobbies I have.  Save your money - Go straight to the Sling Pack!  I will say that I have found 3-4 people that flat can't stand them.  I don't get it, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Anyway, that is the Evolution of the Fishing Packs.  Hope that helps some people select something in the future

RobF

Arkansas Fly Fishing