[mgibbs]

Throughout the course of a day’s fishing I may go from deep nymphing to dry or dry dropper to streamers. So I will use different leader setups. Over the last couple of years I’ve come up with a modular leader system. I nail knot a ~2’ piece of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon terminated in a 2.5 mm tippet ring to the end of my lines. To this I tie stored leaders with a 3 or 4 turn clinch knot. I store the leaders on rigging foams or old tippet spools. All butts and mids are Maxima Chameleon.

I end up using less tippet that way, but still carry 0x-6x on the tippet holder for easy access.

 

[steelhdr80]

+1 on the modular leader - I'm fishing a nymph rig 95% of the time using a Cortland .022 nymph double taper, 15lb maxima butt, stepped down 10lb to which I can switch between a level nymphing leader or tapered for dry fly... also pretied on rigging foam. I suppose one could carry less leader and tippet material, but what if...

 

[Housatonicanglers1]

Got tired of stuffing all my pockets with stuff (and subsequently loosing most of it) so I bought a Fishpond vest when out west (feel like a golfer wearing plaid pants). Now I am trying to figure out the best set it up for maximum efficiency. My biggest issue is the leader spools. I have three brands so they don’t all snap together.

When I was fishing with the vest, I would fairly often ensnare my fly line in the leader spools.

Anyone want to share their set up?
Pics and the “why” you set up the way you did would help.

Feel free to PM if you are not wanting to publicly admit your a Vest-ite.

Jared - have you thought about using a hip pack or a chest harness?
I have both and prefer to use those over a vest because they are less cumbersome and less likely to loose things. Also because most of your equipment is stored inside there is less likelihood for your fly line to get caught up on anything on your vest. I spent 6 years guiding and switched from a vest to a hip/fanny pack pretty quickly. Simms/Fishpond make great options for these.

 

[Jared D]

Jared - have you thought about using a hip pack or a chest harness?
I have both and prefer to use those over a vest because they are less cumbersome and less likely to loose things. Also because most of your equipment is stored inside there is less likelihood for your fly line to get caught up on anything on your vest. I spent 6 years guiding and switched from a vest to a hip/fanny pack pretty quickly. Simms/Fishpond make great options for these.

I tried using fanny pack for trout but with all the stuff, I found it inefficient. I then went to a sling back pack but found it too easy to lose stuff within the various pockets and after a day of fishing, my right shoulder would be irritated by the weight and all the sliding the bag forward and back.

I decided vest simply because I can set it up and IF I stay consistent, I can always know exactly where to go for everything. It also spreads any weight out evenly.

But if it doesn't work out the way I want, I will try a chest harness.

 

[SaltGuy]

I want this to be me.

I am pretty confident in my redfish/ snook/ speckled sea trout fishing- so I can easily do a limited number of things with me foray (although, I usually don't).
With freshwater trout- I cant figure out the bugs- so no confidence... and thus I prepare for every conceivable situation.

I agree. For many years Gary Merriman, the former owner of the Fish Hawk in Atlanta, said he would only carry a dozen flies or so, some tippet, floatant, and nippers in his shirt pocket. Didn’t stop him from catching lots of trout and not looking like he took half of his store along for the trip. I have fished this way for many, many years and it’s very liberating. But, as others have stated, to each his own.

Prior to that I took a Fish Pond chest pack like the one shown in the photo and rigged it to slide onto my wading belt. I could push it around to the back to be out of the way and that worked pretty well too.

 

[Jared D]

I agree. For many years Gary Merriman, the former owner of the Fish Hawk in Atlanta, said he would only carry a dozen flies or so, some tippet, floatant, and nippers in his shirt pocket. Didn’t stop him from catching lots of trout and not looking like he took half of his store along for the trip. I have fished this way for many, many years and it’s very liberating. But, as others have stated, to each his own.

Prior to that I took a Fish Pond chest pack like the one shown in the photo and rigged it to slide onto my wading belt. I could push it around to the back to be out of the way and that worked pretty well too.

View attachment 275013

I agree with this but trout and their bugs are still pretty foreign to me. I am learning and will get there, but right now, I struggle to know when to put on a hares ear vs copper John vs prince nymph.
Many times I finally get a size 20 spinner on only for them to key in on something else and I am forced to find new patterns to mimic.

Right now, I trout fish in Maine, the lower SE App mountains, and the west. I am in too many places to really learn one.

It is all about confidence.
Yesterday I fished a NE FL flood tide (I was actually on the bow as my buddy poled me)… I had my pliers, one rod, and two fly patterns, each with a spare.

For trout, it all comes right now.

 

[21166]

I agree with this but trout and their bugs are still pretty foreign to me. I am learning and will get there, but right now, I struggle to know when to put on a hares ear vs copper John vs prince nymph.
Many times I finally get a size 20 spinner on only for them to key in on something else and I am forced to find new patterns to mimic.

Right now, I trout fish in Maine, the lower SE App mountains, and the west. I am in too many places to really learn one.

It is all about confidence.
Yesterday I fished a NE FL flood tide (I was actually on the bow as my buddy poled me)… I had my pliers, one rod, and two fly patterns, each with a spare.

For trout, it all comes right now.

There are many different hatches that come off during the year. But as I heard several years ago, "Ninety percent of a trout's diet is brown and about 1/8inch long" If I don't see any obvious hatch, my first fly will usually be a #16 pheasant tail. Unless they are fresh stocked fish, then I'll start with junk food, eggs, Y2K, etc.