Flyfishing Accessories: The Best and the Worst

[MACFLY]

Over the years I have acquired more than my fair share of flyfishing equipment. At one point, I think I had 8 flyrods, 3 pairs of waders, 3 vests, a bazillion flies, and a number of gadgets that promised to make life easier. One year a mini lamp that could attach to the bill of your hat was the must have accessory at Al Caucci's flyfishing shop. This winter I have the ominous task of cleaning the basement and getting ready to have it finished in the spring. Invariably this will include a room for all my "stuff" (yes this is an obvious reference to the late great George Carlin). So Im trying to rank my favorite flyfishing accesories from best to worst. Im still working on this but I have already decided the worst thing I ever purchased was the Ketchum Release hook release tool that came out a few years ago. As for the best tool, thats a much tougher decision. I purchased the flip focals ( they also attach to the bill if your hat) about 6 years ago. At the time, I didnt get a whole lot of use out of them but in the last couple of years they have become a critical part of my outfit due to the vision starting to go (sucks getting old). I would also have to rank my simms snip tool right up there at the top. It is functional and sits out of the way when not in use. So Im wondering what anyone else has purchased over the years that they look back on and say "what was I thinking" or "Man Im glad I made that purchase". Perhaps we can come up with a top 10 list.

 

[onemorecast]

...but I have already decided the worst thing I ever purchased was the Ketchum Release hook release tool that came out a few years ago.

Although some say they love those, I've never ever used mine and it just hung there getting in my way. I think it's laying on the floor or my truck somewhere. Pretty useless for me.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but here's a start...

Useless:

1. The pen-shaped knot tying tool I bought. My fingers work fine unless they're frostbitten then it's time to go.
2. The 5 or 6 different small fly boxes I bought with the intention of being able to stuff in my San Juan chest pack. None of them fit along with the other very few things I carry and I refused to carry a bigger pack.

Useful:

1. My Fishpond San Juan chest pack. Can't live without it.
2. The Cliff's Days Worth fly box that does indeed fit in the pack and holds a TON of flies if a large portion of them are midge sized.
3. LL Bean hat with lighted brim. The lights aren't very bright (kind of like two fireflies taped to your forehead), but it comes in handy searching through dark places. I keep one on the back of my front door and any time I need a hands-free light, I just slap it on. For night fishing, I now wear a headlamp (which is fantastic but unfortunately can't untangle a fly line).
   
4. Hand warmers for my coat pockets. I can't seem to keep gloves on my hands when I fish, and fingerless gloves suck, so it's nice to be able to stick my hands in my pockets to get the blood circulating. Sure beats my old method of tucking them in my arm pits. That looks real lady-like.
   

 

[Bamboozle]

None of mine are really fishing gadgets per se but stuff that make fishing a happier experience. I really don't go in for gadgets other than a pair of nippers and hemostats which are hardly earth shaking so with that in mind here's a few of mine:

• 1. Walkie Talkies - They have saved my butt more than once when fishing with friends.

• 2. Handheld GPS - It has saved my butt more than once when fishing alone.

• 3. Princeton Tec Eos II super bright mini LED headlamp that has got me out of woods at dark more than once.

• 4. A decent Swiss army knife that includes a saw blade and scissors.

• 5. Small 3oz flask - It has saved my butt more than anything!

After that the rest is just superfluous stuff I can live without most of the time.

 

[MACFLY]

None of mine are really fishing gadgets per se but stuff that make fishing a happier experience. I really don't go in for gadgets other than a pair of nippers and hemostats which are hardly earth shaking so with that in mind here's a few of mine:

• 1. Walkie Talkies - They have saved my butt more than once when fishing with friends.

• 2. Handheld GPS - It has saved my butt more than once when fishing alone.

• 3. Princeton Tec Eos II super bright mini LED headlamp that has got me out of woods at dark more than once.

• 4. A decent Swiss army knife that includes a saw blade and scissors.

• 5. Small 3oz flask - It has saved my butt more than anything!

After that the rest is just superfluous stuff I can live without most of the time.

I was with you until Number 5 Sir. What prey tell would be in that 3oz flask? Lighter fluid?

 

[Bamboozle]

Yup, single malt lighter fluid!

:dizzy:

 

[coolkyle]

My favorite items are:
Airflo tactical trout WF4F
Orvis vest/backpack
Cabelas neoprene waders (in their 4th season and no leaks yet)
Loon Aquel floatant
10lb Maxima Chameleon
Least favorite:
Frog's Fanny floatant dust
Loon zingers
My net (it's been empty for a while....)
Lanyards (don't own one, but they look hideous and I hate them)
Cabela's gravel guards
Egg sucking leeches

 

[Fly Guy]

I'd say the that one of the greatest thing I bought was the nail knot tying tool. It makes it so easy to tie knots and I've even tied flies on my tippet with it.

 

[Corndog]

Great thread hi-jack Mac.

I have to start off by :hysterica cause you and Jess admitted to buying those stupid Ketchum Release Tools. Their sales pitch served it's purpose, to catch fisherpersons.

I would say my most commonly used tool that I wouldn't want to be without is my snips. My dentist said he'll kick my ass if I ever use my teeth to cut line again.

A close second would be my C&F midge boxes with threaders.

Another item that hasn't been mentioned yet that I carry all the time is a small 2"x1"diameter glass bottle (you can get them at Hobbytown) for putting flys and nymphs I catch to take home and tie. I've enjoyed many hours of looking at a bug under a magnifing glass as I try to tie it. I have accumulated quite a few bottles with specimens in them.

Cdog

 

[Catskill]

I have more crap than you could imagine. I'll have to say that the most absolute useless "Utility" I've ever purchased was the "Ketchum Release". What a piece of crap.

Another loser... The Orvis thermometer enclosed in the metal tube. On one hot day that metal got so hot that it broke the glass inside. Lesson learned... Carry a thermometer, make sure that if it's one of those tube ones, it isn't metal.

My SIMMS "Waterproof" jacket. Another heap of crap. That was a 5 years ago, I sure hope they improved these things by now.

Now some of the more useful things I carry around with me.

1. A drift boat is always nice to have.
2. The nail knot tool (already mentioned above) is a must have.
3. Fishpond bag with tons of useful items in it that I never look at.

I thought my high beem head lamp would have been usefull but it wasn't.

My pontoon boat was very usefull. I'm not sure if I have a use for it anymore though... It's a Scadden, anyone wanna buy it?

Hmmmmmmmm. What else? Sharkskin flyline... I'm not sure how usefull it is but it's a line and it's different.

I used to bring a digital camera with me to take photos of fish. Now I bring it with me to take photos of everything.

I guess that's it really...

 

[MACFLY]

Great thread hi-jack Mac.

I have to start off by :hysterica cause you and Jess admitted to buying those stupid Ketchum Release Tools. Their sales pitch served it's purpose, to catch fisherpersons.

I would say my most commonly used tool that I wouldn't want to be without is my snips. My dentist said he'll kick my ass if I ever use my teeth to cut line again.

A close second would be my C&F midge boxes with threaders.

Another item that hasn't been mentioned yet that I carry all the time is a small 2"x1"diameter glass bottle (you can get them at Hobbytown) for putting flys and nymphs I catch to take home and tie. I've enjoyed many hours of looking at a bug under a magnifing glass as I try to tie it. I have accumulated quite a few bottles with specimens in them.

Cdog

Well now....once you reach your sexual maturity you wont find these things a laughing matter. After all my purchase was all in the name of preserving the little fishy's innocence. I mean once you are touched by a human no other self respecting trout will want anything to do with you. Pretty soon your hanging out with the bottom feeders...I mean real suckers and dirty cats and all

PS any similarities between this thread and others is pure coincidence. I mean I looked to see if someone had done this already and didnt see anything. As for your bug collection, well Im a little concerned about you now CDOG

 

[Corndog]

Well now....once you reach your sexual maturity you wont find these things a laughing matter. After all my purchase was all in the name of preserving the little fishy's innocence. I mean once you are touched by a human no other self respecting trout will want anything to do with you. Pretty soon your hanging out with the bottom feeders...I mean real suckers and dirty cats and all

PS any similarities between this thread and others is pure coincidence. I mean I looked to see if someone had done this already and didnt see anything. As for your bug collection, well Im a little concerned about you now CDOG

So instead you slide your little tool down it's throat and shake it's little head off. :rofl:

Hey Mac, Leave my little bugs out of this! :boxing:

I was thinking about what I would take if I only took the bare minimum fishing...that would be one rod and reel w/flyline and 9' 4X leader, one C&F fly box, and one spool of 5X tippet. That would be traveling light, mabye a total weight of one pound. Don't really need waders, vest, chest pack, and all my other gear to catch fish. Now if I was really daring, I would leave my fly box at home and only take one BHFBPT.

Cdog

 

[frogge]

Hey,
I'm a natural minimalist and thus its taken me some time to accumulate alot of worthless gadjets. I spend more time tying flies than fishing, so most of my misses are near my tying desk. Number one were cheap hooks I got from Hook and Hackle. Several broke at the eye losing me fish. At my catch rate I can't afford that. Second is a wing cutter. I don't fish alot of dries and don't put cut wings on the ones I do fish. The hits department is full of usefull stuff. The gadjet that holds hackle pliers above the vice to assist parachutes is a winner. C+F threaders( I don't have the box, just bought some threaders). I have two knot tieing tools and use the pen like one all the time. The other I use to tie leaders and thus don't carry it everywhere. I have the hat clip on magnifiers and find them very usefull(do increase the dork factor however). I'd like to invest in a magnetic net holder, but fear that it will make it into category one. Toodles,Frogge.

 

[MACFLY]

So instead you slide your little tool down it's throat and shake it's little head off. :rofl:

Hey Mac, Leave my little bugs out of this! :boxing:

I was thinking about what I would take if I only took the bare minimum fishing...that would be one rod and reel w/flyline and 9' 4X leader, one C&F fly box, and one spool of 5X tippet. That would be traveling light, mabye a total weight of one pound. Don't really need waders, vest, chest pack, and all my other gear to catch fish. Now if I was really daring, I would leave my fly box at home and only take one BHFBPT.

Cdog

Hey you said your bugs were little not me....Now as for daring. Daring is taking nothing but your skivvies and a knife..Of course that could also get you arrested but then thats half the fun. As for releasing fish, I have perfected the art of the long release

 

[afishinado]

Good thread!

Useless:

Ketchum release tool. From reading the other posts in this thread, I guess most of us C&R fisherman got snookered on that tool.

Soft Weight. Does not stay on the tippet – worthless.


Can’t Do without:

Orvis Vest/Pack. I wore a vest for years, and always carried a lot of stuff with me on the stream. I thought a sore back was part of the cost of business at the end of the day when fishing, until I started to wear the vest pack. Note: I like the VPs that have storage pockets on each side rather than upfront. The one’s upfront don’t allow you to see down to your feet, a no-no for wading or hiking.

LL Bean Pac-Lite wading jacket. Light enough fold up and keep with me at all times in my backpack. Has kept me warm and dry many times on the stream, when others are scurrying for cover.

Tungsten Tacky Weight. Stays where it’s put and small amounts can be added or subtracted to my tippet to fine tune my drift. It has replaced micro shot, which is impossible to adjust and hard to remove.

Loon’s Strike Putty – A pinch or smear or two or three along my leader makes it more visible when nymphing to detect strikes and detect drag.

Furled Leader – I make my own. With a supple furled leader, I can lay out a fly with it if I need to, execute a slack cast, or mend in some slack to adjust my drift or depth. A big improvement over the stiff butt mono leaders I used to tie, which tend to drag the fly and curled up when stored on the reel.

Mucilin Green – I work it into the furled leader butt before I begin to fish, and it floats it all day allowing better drifts and easier mending. The container sucks though, it is sure to leak in your pocket, so I keep it in a plastic bag to prevent a mess.

 

[jscott]

worthless:
- fly box with metal hook slots instead of foam
- Seagur's Gmax flourocarbon (breaks constantly)
- wading boots without studs (once i bought ones with studs)
- dubbing wax in a small flat tin cuz it gets on my fingers then i can't get the dubbing off my fingers. Loons high tack twax in stick form is better.
- waders without belt loops for your wading belt (i hate the belt riding up to my niples when i bend over, kneel, unhook a fish)


fantastic:
- chest pack/backpack combo (i bought generic CL FISHIN from ebay for 34$ its exactly the same as the Fishpond and fantastic). can't beat having the backpack part during salmon/steelie fishing in the cold.
- forceps. i know they are standard but i use them every time i unhook a hook and my fingers and the fish thank me
- i wish i had a midge hook threader. i can't thread my midges while fishing, so hard on the 22/24/26's.
- good pair of polarized glasses with high quality lenses and ones that fit your head so they don't slide around.
- a small flashlight/headlamp for the last 15min of fishing at night when they fish are boiling and you need to put a new fly on!

~J

 

[Corndog]

Hey you said your bugs were little not me....Now as for daring. Daring is taking nothing but your skivvies and a knife..Of course that could also get you arrested but then thats half the fun. As for releasing fish, I have perfected the art of the long release

My skivvies fishing days have ended since that day I caught my corndog on a briar on the BFB. :cryin:

Cdog

 

[MACFLY]

My skivvies fishing days have ended since that day I caught my corndog on a briar on the BFB. :cryin:

Cdog

That must have scarred you for life. Anyway I think I donated my ketchum release tool to the new guy who wanted to get into flyfishing a while back. I wonder what happened to him? I better go check Ebay:rofl:

I just recalled another of my least favorite flyfishing accesories. My Abel fish pliers and knife. Actually I like the knife but never found a good use for the pliers. Man I used to spend a lot of money flyfishing toys.... Now I spend it on Toys for my daughter...every day something else comes from the UPS guy. My wife keeps saying "Oh I forgot to tell you about that" There is no recession in Macfly's house. Well at least not until January

 

[jklett]

Most useful: hook hone or file, forceps or needlenose pliers, and fingernail clippers. Those three things along with some flies, tippet and sometimes split-shot are all I really use every time I'm fishing.

Least useful: nail knot tool(I could probably tie a dozen nail knots by hand by the time I figure out how to use it).

 

[Burtbords149]

Most useful

Vest-Thank you Lee Wulff for the invention of the fishing vest. I don't what I would do without tons of sh!t on the stream.

Waders-bring me where hippers or waist highs just can't. Without chest highs I always find myself the tiniest bit limited in wading, even though I shouldn't be wading deep. Helps on bigger rivers like the Beaverkill to make those just out of reach casts.

Magnetic Net Release-the most useful thing I bought last year. I find myself netting a lot more fish which is better for my landed fish rate and more importantly better for the fish.

Frogs Fanny-does a great job of drying off my dries, give a little squeeze on any absorbent material and the water pops right out in droplets.

Useless

That Ketchum release-never used it when I spin fished as a youngster and how can you use it fly fishing, especially dry fly fishing, it ruins the flies.

Knot tying tool-I rather use my fingers and not depend on a tool if I can, it also doesn't tie an improved clinch, it uses up too much tippet per knot.

 

[MACFLY]

Most useful

Vest-Thank you Lee Wulff for the invention of the fishing vest. I don't what I would do without tons of sh!t on the stream.

Waders-bring me where hippers or waist highs just can't. Without chest highs I always find myself the tiniest bit limited in wading, even though I shouldn't be wading deep. Helps on bigger rivers like the Beaverkill to make those just out of reach casts.

Magnetic Net Release-the most useful thing I bought last year. I find myself netting a lot more fish which is better for my landed fish rate and more importantly better for the fish.

Frogs Fanny-does a great job of drying off my dries, give a little squeeze on any absorbent material and the water pops right out in droplets.

Useless

That Ketchum release-never used it when I spin fished as a youngster and how can you use it fly fishing, especially dry fly fishing, it ruins the flies.

Knot tying tool-I rather use my fingers and not depend on a tool if I can, it also doesn't tie an improved clinch, it uses up too much tippet per knot.

Great Call on the magnetic net release. I would agree this is one of the most useful gadgets you can have. The only drawback is that when going through heavily wooded areas to or from the stream you have to make sure it doesnt disconnect of its own accord or you can take it off and carry the net until you get to where you are fishing.

 

[Pete]

Considering the "tales of woe", I've read here and elsewhere regarding leaking waders ("pinholes" seem almost acceptable).

My Red Ball Master bootfoot chest high waders. Bought in the late '70s, haven't leaked yet....

 

[Corndog]

jscott & frogge,

Get the C&F midge threader box. They only run around 40 bucks. Probably less than what you spend on gas on a fishing trip. Especially to the SR jscott. It will be one the best investments in fishing gear you'll ever make. Mine is about 5 years old and still looks new. I'm expecting it to last my lifetime. Ramsey Outdoors has them and if you need it I can send you a $5-$10 off coupon depending on how much you spend.

frogge,

Get the magnetic net release as well. Another great invention. Get the one from BassPro. It's the strongest one I've found. I've bought them from Orvis, LLBean, and Cabellas and none of them would hold my net in brush. This one will not come loose when walking through brush.

Magnetic Net Release

Cdog

 

[MACFLY]

jscott & frogge,

Get the C&F midge threader box. They only run around 40 bucks. Probably less than what you spend on gas on a fishing trip. Especially to the SR jscott. It will be one the best investments in fishing gear you'll ever make. Mine is about 5 years old and still looks new. I'm expecting it to last my lifetime. Ramsey Outdoors has them and if you need it I can send you a $5-$10 off coupon depending on how much you spend.

frogge,

Get the magnetic net release as well. Another great invention. Get the one from BassPro. It's the strongest one I've found. I've bought them from Orvis, LLBean, and Cabellas and none of them were strong enough for me. This one will no come loose when walking through brush.

Magnetic Net Release

Cdog

sure now you tell me. What is this magnet? Is it like the ones they use to dock the space shuttle to the space station.

 

[Corndog]

sure now you tell me. What is this magnet? Is it like the ones they use to dock the space shuttle to the space station.

NASA doesn't have this technology yet. My son bought it for me about 6 years ago from a fly shop near Rochester NY. When I went to buy the releases for each of my 2 boys I bought them from the places mentioned above and they just weren't as good. 2 fell apart within a year and the other wasn't very strong. So I did some searching for the one I have and BassPro was the only place I could find it.

Cdog

 

[MACFLY]

NASA doesn't have this technology yet. My son bought it for me about 6 years ago from a fly shop near Rochester NY. When I went to buy the releases for each of my 2 boys I bought them from the places mentioned above and they just weren't as good. 2 fell apart within a year and the other wasn't very strong. So I did some searching for the one I have and BassPro was the only place I could find it.

Cdog

Im gonna have to get one of those. I lost a great net a few years back. The one I have now seems decent but I havent had to bushwhack too much and I cant stand the idea of losing another net. i think I am honing in on the top ten must have items. Lets see what else shakes out today and tomorrow and then I will provide a brief synopsis.

 

[Drossi]

Most Useful:

Good Polarized glasses
Forceps
Magnetic Net release
Ketchem release (for biggers wets and streamers)
Vest (I feel naked with the chest pack)
Hook sharpening stone
long time fishing buddies

Useless:
knot tying tool (works nice threading the fly otherwise ...)
Ketchem release (small flies and almost all dries)
cheap sunglasses
whiny, know it all, experts tagging along

 

[onemorecast]

Get the magnetic net release as well. Another great invention. Get the one from BassPro. It's the strongest one I've found. I've bought them from Orvis, LLBean, and Cabellas and none of them would hold my net in brush. This one will not come loose when walking through brush.

Magnetic Net Release

Cdog

I bought that same magnet but with a different style shock cord. That magnet never lets go - in fact, I've had bushes grab my net only to have them send it flying back at me a foot or two later. I've also been stuck to my truck after taking the net off a few times.

 

[Corndog]

I bought that same magnet but with a different style shock cord. That magnet never lets go - in fact, I've had bushes grab my net only to have them send it flying back at me a foot or two later. I've also been stuck to my truck after taking the net off a few times.

Now that's funny! :rofl:

Cdog

 

[Bamboozle]

Here's two others I thought of:

• 1. Loon UV Knot Sense and the little UV light to cure it. I actually carry it with all the time. If you wear studded felt or Aquastealth and fish in rocky streams; it will only be a matter of time before you step on your fly line with a stud. I have repaired a couple of fly line coating cuts with Knot Sense as well as a few other things stream side. Real handy stuff! You can also use it to glue your Ketchum Release tool to a log so you can "release" it into the current so some other fool will end up with it!

• 2. A zip lock bag with about 6 paper towels in it. Sometimes a fella just has to do what he has to do and defoliation don't always cut it.

 

[emerger]

useless:
strike indicator putty -- never stays on the line

NYC and the DRBC

Best:
Thingamabobbers
Action Optics sunglasses
Rio tippet material
Mayfly lanyards