Fly Fishing Chest Pack
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I had a long weekend off from work–every year teachers in our state are given a couple of days off in October to attend conferences and fulfill professional development requirements–, and, having already taken care of those during the summer, I took some time to finish one of the long-gestating projects I spent all summer creating and revising–a full-featured, backpackable fly fishing vest.
Now that my base weight is as low as it is and my fitness significantly improved, I find that I am either hiking 20-23 miles a day or doing something else along the way (sometimes both). Nearly always, that something else is fishing. Last winter, I built a fishing chest pack out of 500D Cordura which, while basic and a bit sloppy, has served me well. It was based off an old school, khaki fishing pack that a fishing buddy let me borrow for the summer before. I liked the basic concept, but it was overly complex and utilized some rather heavy, less than helpful materials. So I knew when I built mine that it would be a first draft, and I spent the summer critiquing its strengths and weaknesses and planning for version two, due out at the end of the season.
Version two, which you see below you was made out of VX-07 from DIY Gear Supply and weighs–without any straps, fly patches, or other accoutrements at a gram or two over 3 ounces (I forgot to measure exactly once I finished and started filling it up). The approximate dimensions are 14"L x 7"W x 1.5"D.
Each chamber is separate, so the pockets move independently of one another. I have it set up so that, using the slick clips, the top can either attach to the daisy chains on the shoulder straps of my HMG Porter or use the neck strap currently attached. You can see those below.
The daisy chains on the two side pockets also make it very adaptable for a variety of tools (I don't use many, but it is always nice to have options). The tippet holder is blatantly stolen from Rising's product called Mickey's Tippet Leash–looking at it online, I realized that I could make it myself in five minutes for at least half the weight. The fly patch will hold used flies for drying, and I created a dock (is that the right word?) for my forceps on the other side. It's not pictured, but the backside also has three slim pockets for fishing license, spare leaders, etc. Being only one pocket deep, it has a very tight profile from the side, and it shouldn't get in the way
Astute eyes will recognize that I owe a significant design debt to Chris Zimmer as well. Even though my stitching is not nearly as precise as his (there's a reason I avoided close-ups), I had his Tenkara strap pack next to me during the entire construction process. Overall, I'm really please how it turned out. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to test it out soon. Our weather has remained surprisingly warm and the fishing excellent, so I might get out this weekend. Of course, it will take a few months of use to really figure out what can be improved for version three. I bought a yard of VX-07, and I have a lot left to do something with
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