Five Ways to Carry Your Fishing Gear

Having trouble keeping your fishing gear organized and mobile? Get tips from an expert angler on how to carry your fishing gear (so you can fish more often!).

Anglers who fish from their own boats generally have few problems carrying and storing fishing gear; they simply put their tackle boxes and belongings in their boat. But for those of us who fish on foot, carrying gear requires some forethought, both on what to carry and how. 

In rural areas, small waters offer some of the best fishing.

Farm ponds dot the countryside, often getting little pressure while bass and bluegill grow to impressive sizes. Creeks and rivers can offer unique opportunities for panfish, bass and catfish, while cold mountain streams host a population of brook, brown,or rainbow trout.

Each of these pursuits requires different tackle. Throw in a youngster who wants to tag along, and now you have an interesting challenge in what food and gear you need, as well as the best way to carry it.

I’ve found five different approaches, each having advantages based on how you plan to fish, the number of people at your party and the length of your stay.

1. Buckets

For small-pond fishing, especially with youngsters, I tend to use fishing buckets. These have evolved into something more than you would expect if you haven’t looked at them lately.

Mine is made by Yeti. It has a heavy-duty handle and an external harness with pockets. The smaller items that I need more frequently fit in the external pockets. These may include pliers, a small box of flies or lures and snacks. Inside, I may pack lunch, water bottles, larger tackle boxes and bait.

It’s a simple exercise to swap out contents based on the number of anglers or the change in fishing approach. 

Another approach with buckets is to use that same camo bucket that you take to the dove field.

These are usually lined with Styrofoam insulation, so if you plan to keep fish, you can pack the bottom with ice. Mine even has a tray inside to hold tackle and snacks above the ice. These buckets also have swivel lids that provide seating while you fish.

Related reading: Tips for Fishing with Kids: A Fisherman's Advice

2. Vests

The old standby for fly fishing has been the vest.

Fly anglers tend to carry hundreds of flies and a multitude of gadgets just in case they ever need them. Vests are versatile in that they have many pockets for fly boxes, as well as loops for attaching tools and a net. 

The good thing about vests is that over time, you tend to memorize precisely what is in each pocket. Also, you can buy them with vented backs so they are comfortable in warmer weather.

A vest is a good option when you want all your gear to remain within reach, especially when you are covering a lot of ground. 

3. Slings

In recent years, more anglers are switching from vests to sling packs. Depending upon the style you choose, you can haul about the same amount of gear and can attach tools and a net much like you would on a vest.

Particularly, if you are trying to reduce the amount of stuff you carry, a smaller pack will force you to do that.

I’m one of those anglers who carries as much as my pack allows, so for smaller streams, a sling pack can force some discipline and lighten my load.

I’ve also found that if I’m wading all day, a sling pack is more comfortable than a vest. Maybe that’s because it’s lighter since I left a few boxes of flies at home.

Related reading: Tips to Simplify Your Fishing So You'll Fish More Often

4. Backpacks

When I fish with a guide or go on someone’s boat, I tend to carry a totally different assortment of gear. I may be packing meals and drinks, rain gear, and a limited amount of tackle.

On guided trips, I’ll be bringing along a camera, often a notepad, as well as a box of flies, a spare reel spool and items specifically for the trip. For flexibility in a boat, these backpacks are hard to beat.

I’ve also found that moisture tends to find you in a boat, so the pack I use is at least water-resistant. I don’t need it to submerge and be waterproof, but it’s nice to have one that can take a wave or rain shower and still keep the contents dry.

Also, since it’s flexible, I can roll it up to fit in a storage compartment if needed.

5. Lanyards

The last tool I use for carrying gear is a lanyard. This is perfect for the quick trip when I run over to a small pond for an hour of fishing and just want enough gear to be able to change flies, trim leaders, or remove fish.

On my lanyard, I attach nippers for cutting line, forceps for hook removal, a tippet to lengthen my leader and a fly box with a dozen or so flies. Anglers who want to carry the minimum amount of tackle may find this a useful approach for any type of fishing.

The other use of the lanyard is that it’s handy for fishing small ponds and streams when you might wander away from the rest of your gear.

For instance, if I go to the pond with a couple of youngsters, one may be sitting on my tackle bucket while the other one is on the opposite side with a fish to remove. It’s nice to have everything I need on me without walking around the pond for gear.

Final Thoughts

For most anglers, one or two of these tackle approaches will cover your needs. I’ve found that I use all five and keep them stocked.

All I have to do to get ready for a trip now is to simply pick the one that matches my fishing plans, grab it, and go.

The way I figure, the less time I spend getting ready, the more time I have to fish.