Things You Need in Your Fly-Fishing Vest

A fly-fishing vest holds lots of gear in accessible pockets. Anglers carry different boxes and accessories they might need on a fishing trip, and the vest keeps it all handy. It's important to find the balance between carrying a wide of supplies on a fishing trip without overloading the vest. Fly anglers should always have several items in their vests.

  1. Tools and Accessories

    • Fly anglers carry and store tools on the vest. Nippers and forceps are the most common tools, so store them either in a small pocket or on a zinger that clips onto the outside of the vest. The location on the outside of the vest makes the tools easily accessible throughout the day. Knot-tying tools, leader straighteners and fillet knives are usually stored inside of the vest and used as necessary. In addition to the standard tools, stock your fly vest with split shot, line dressing and fly floatant.

    Fly Boxes

    • The fly vest contains large pockets specifically designed to hold fly boxes. Fly boxes are manufactured in a variety of sizes and styles to hold hundreds of flies. The typical vest has two large chest pockets for regular-use fly boxes and several large zippered pockets that safely store extra boxes. Many vests also have a large pocket on the back for large streamer fly boxes.

    Line

    • Fly anglers add, remove and change line from the reel on a regular basis. They carry leaders in a variety of lengths and weights inside of the vest. Store spools of tippet either in the vest or attached to a tippet spool holder on the outside of the vest. Many anglers also store shooting heads and extra reel spools with different line types. Floating and sinking lines are used in fly-fishing, and anglers often organize the lines in wallets that fit inside of a vest.

    Safety

    • Store safety and comfort gear inside of your fly-fishing vest. Anglers travel long distances from help, so keep a basic first aid kit in the large vest pockets. The vest also provides space for a lightweight rain jacket, bottle of water and food. Anglers store most of the bulk gear in the large back pocket on fly-fishing vests but use the empty space on the front of the vest for snacks and drinks. Many anglers also carry a GPS unit, but it is not a necessity.