Downsizing - Junk We Don't Need!

[jifigz]

Hey, ya'll. I hope everyone is having a great Monday. If ya'll remember, I posted a thread last year about giving up on my Tacky boxes. They are really nice boxes, but they are just too dang heavy. And then I made that comment about people's nets being so long, and Tim Murphy replied that he has given up on carrying a net sometime ago. It got me thinking about all the crap we carry that we don't need. I am looking to get back to how I was in my early days of fly fishing: less stuff. I am making progress, but I still have a ways to go.

What is some stupid junk that you carry that you feel you could easily part with? I'll start. I am going to give up on my tippet spool holder soon...at least I think I am. Why do I need to carry around some fancy spool holder weighing me down. It cost money, and it was unnecessary. All I really need is a spool of 4x, 5x, and 6x, and maybe a spool of sighter material. Those can easily fit into my sling pack or chest pack. What junk could you shed?

 

[sixfootfenwick]

*Tenkara USA enters the chat*

 

[JeffP]

The 2 full cans of beer weigh me down but beer is a necessity. Lucky my buddy carries everything. Jerky, stream thermometer, water, etc. He is MacGyver. Seriously you bring up a good point. After fishing all day you get that ache in your back right below your lats. There are days I carry my vest back to camp.

 

[Forestfishin]

Agree with the tippet holder. Usually use 4x or 5x but carry 6x too just in case. I keep them on a piece of paracord tied to my pack. I tie my own leaders and have a few spares as well as some longer manufactured ones just in case but those weigh next to nothing.

Biggest thing I could drop would be water on the 10-12 hour excursions but can’t bring myself to try one of those water purifiers. Usually take 96oz for a long day but that load does get lighter the longer I’m out.

 

[Bamboozle]

When I wore a vest it was ridiculous what I used to carry. When I decided I was done with a vest eons ago, I dumped all of my stuff out on the floor, decided what I NEEDED versus what was carried "in case.

As a result I stopped carrying a ton of stuff, made things I wanted to carry smaller & more compact, found smaller alternatives or relegated junk to as needed basis. For example, I will ONLY carry rain gear IF I am sure it is going to rain and a net is hardly ever with me.

I also gave up a camera, stuff for collecting and identifying insects and a bunch of "spare/extra stuff" that I almost never needed that now stays in a gear bag in the back of my car.

When I fish small streams, I carry a single fly box that is either 6" X 3.5". Many, many years ago when I wore a vest I created a tippet dispenser that held 10 spools in a 6" x 3.5" plastic fly box. When I dumped the vest I made a downsized version of that tippet dispenser that holds 6 spools in a compartment box 4.25" x 3.25" x .75".

I have another box the same size and in it is paste floatant, yarn for indicators, strike putty and soft lead.

When I fish Tenkara style, I carry a small shoulder bag about 4-1/2" x 5" with a single or 3-5/8" x 2-3/8" fly box inside and modified version of my tippet dispenser that holds two spools of tippet, strike indicators, putty & soft lead.

I also never ever tote food which makes me thirsty and as a result I never carry water either.

 

[Tabasco-Joe]

Compared to my waders, wading boots, jacket, and water supply, the small items in my vest just don't amount to much.

 

[DomR]

I think about this when I look at my vest from time to time. Then I think about all the cardio benefits of wading with the extra weight. The vest wins out.

 

[wildtrout2]

Nothing. I learned quite a while back to carry only the things I actually "need" to have with me on the stream. Binoculars ain't one of them. 😉

 

[dudemanspecial]

How much stuff I carry is completely dependent on how I1 am approaching the day. 1 or 2 hrs, yeah just a box of flies and a spool of 5x will suffice. All day extravaganza on Penns? Im taking the kitchen sink.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

The 2 full cans of beer weigh me down but beer is a necessity. Lucky my buddy carries everything. Jerky, stream thermometer, water, etc. He is MacGyver. Seriously you bring up a good point. After fishing all day you get that ache in your back right below your lats. There are days I carry my vest back to camp.

I have a buddy like that, so basically I can travel lighter when we're together! He even has a 1/4 role of two-ply toilet paper, maybe a garden spade for digging a hole, in there somewhere....

I used to leave a net home, but I had too many instances where I wished I had it with me, less about the hero shot than how to land this here pig quickly and humanely.... I do have a few nets that I usually swap out based on the water and size of fish. Maybe I should just get one of those long-handled jawns and be good 😉

My biggest issue and cause of lower back pain is laziness. I tend to carry too much tungsten and am not disciplined enough to swap out seasonally appropriate boxes often enough. As @DomR noted, it's a good workout though.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I can't recall shedding any load for a couple decades - other than what I forget or lose. The only things I can recall recently adding is a rod-holder on my wading belt (2 years ago) and a bungee-spring-open wading stick (last year). Bug dope, sunscreen, line cleaner, food, water, backup rods/reels, etc. stay in the car so that doesn't count.

 

[dwa111]

you can always go the other way 🙂