After a cursory search online, I was able to determine that Yeti did indeed make a larger version of their Water Bottle Pouch/Sling so I ordered one. I was wanting one that would hold the Sawyer Squeeze water bottle since I use that the most when fishing. Plus it would get it out of the backpack and be more accessible.
I added a bit of shock cord since the pouch was a little big for the Sawyer bottle.I think this option will be perfect for river fishing.
I know everyone complains about the prices of Yeti goods, but when actually comparing similar items, it’s just about on par with everything else. The quality on every Yeti item we have purchased has been outstanding and I feel it was money well spent. I have no affiliation with them and have purchased everything with my own money…I’m just saying that their stuff is pretty damn good. And again, I’m not selling anything, just showing what we use. Fish can’t read so find what works for you and go with it. Take care and Happy Easter.
Today the wife and I were on a mission. We were trying to find 2-piece Medium Power Bass Spinning rods and weren’t having much luck. We hit Bass Pro and Academy in Tulsa to no avail. The rods they had were either 1-piece or super cheap rods. We like to purchase stuff somewhere in the middle. We ended up heading home empty handed to get some chores done around the property.
Fast forward a couple of hours and I mentioned that I was hungry and sought her opinion on grabbing something to eat. We decided to head over to the next little town to eat. After that, as we were driving to the highway, I offered to drive over to Dick’s Sporting Goods. We both kind of laughed since we’d never had much luck buying fishing gear there. But we said what the heck and drove to it.
We did manage to find an Okuma 2-piece Medium power rod and as we were walking to the checkout stand…we stopped at the Yeti area to see what was new. I told her that she should get the Yeti Sidekick to go on her Panga 28 since it adds room to hold regular use stuff like soft plastics. She snatched one up. As she was checking it out I noticed something on the bottom shelf of the display and asked her to hand it to me. It turned out to be the Water Bottle Pouch/Sling for their 18oz Rambler. I looked it over and we decided to each get one. We have been trying out various methods to attach a water bottle to the side of the Panga 28 but never really liked any of the options.
These are very well made and seem to be really practical. They’re easy to put on and take off and don’t flop around all over the place. Now on to the pictures…
We think these will work out really well and plan to test them out thoroughly. I need to do some research and see if they come in a bigger size. That would be nice for the Sawyer Squeeze Filter Bottles we use a lot.
On a side note: I tried to talk her out of getting a Yeti Panga 28. Instead I suggested she get the Yeti Hopper Backflip cooler so she could carry the ice cold beer while we were fishing but she was having none of it. Can’t blame a guy for trying! Catch you on the next one…
This is another backpack I use from time to time when fishing a river or stream. It is waterproof and has a roll-top closure, but what is unique about this pack is that it has a secure closure toggle system. This keeps it from unrolling.
Securing Tabs.Toggles and bungees attached to the roll-top buckles.
Another nice feature that I use is the water bottle pockets on the sides. They are almost full length and easily hold one liter bottles.
One liter bottle stowed.Pockets on both sides.
The harness system is minimalist. There isn’t any padding on the back, other than the sit pad. Just pack carefully.
Also, on the back is a pocket for a removable sit pad.
Sit pad fully removed.
Yet another nice feature is a removable Wet OR Dry bag. It has a built in roll-top pocket with a clear face for your phone or passport or whatever.
Dry bag to separate gear…or you could stow wet items inside as well to keep other items in the pack dry.
I like this pack since it is simple and relatively low-profile. Quality is great and I haven’t found any flaws or issues with it. Prices are all over the map but if you search online, you should be able to find them for around $80 US.
Just thought I’d share another option I use when fishing…
Received a package from Digitaka yesterday. In talking with my wife, I asked why she didn’t use her trout spoons more. Her response was that she was afraid to lose them because she only had a few. So I ordered some more spoons. Problem solved.
I also ordered a couple of packages of plastic lures to try out. It’s nice to have various options in case a maker goes belly up or they are sold out.
2 inch ringed paddle tails.2 inch ringed curly tails.
I’m not even going to attempt to explain or understand the names. Catch you on the next one…
Something I wanted to try for the 2022 fishing season was the NiteIze Runoff Pouch. There were times when we hit the river/stream with only a few jigheads and a package or two of plastics. This little pouch will fit the bill. Waterproof TruZip zipper and IP67 rated to 1 meter should suffice for us.
Single belt loop.Just the basics.With room to spare.
I think this might work really well. It’s thin and unobtrusive. This waterproof zipper is a lot easier than the TiZip on the Yeti Panga and Patagonia Stormfront slingpack. I may just make a little 1/2 inch webbing belt for it instead of using the single belt loop on the back. I think that would keep it from sliding around better.
An issue we had last year was waterlogged packages of plastics and some corrosion on the jigheads. This will alleviate that. I prefer to keep my most used lures such as these readily accessible.
Can’t wait for Spring to fully test this idea out…
I purchased this pack several years ago to use when fishing streams. You can find it on their website http://www.zimmerbuilt.com under “Tenkara Gear.”
Specifications:
-VX-21 fabric
-Capacity: 1300 cu in.
-Height: 19.5 in tall
-Width: 11 in at the top and 10 in at the bottom
-Depth: 6.5 in
-2 external Tenkara rod holders with shock cord retainers up top.
Dual Daisy Chains with Shock Cord.Simple shoulder straps with sternum strap.Single zipper, top-loading design.
This is a very well made pack and runs $95.00 on his web store. This is the lightest pack I own for fishing, coming in at 8.75 ounces. Perfect for carrying a rainjacket, water bottle and lunch, as well as some fishing lures or small tackle pouches/boxes. The back is unpadded so I added a piece of half inch closed cell foam to protect my back from sharp objects. It is not waterproof or submersible but rather highly water resistant. I can attest to fishing in light rain for 6 hours and everything stayed dry.
I don’t do Tenkara fishing and have never used the rod holders on the side. Instead, I break my rods down (4-5 piece) and store them inside.
I like to have several options of gear to choose from so I can tailor my needs to the trip.
I don’t like my fishing to be overly complicated. Our preference is to break things down into modular components to be incorporated into a bigger System. Furthermore, we prefer to travel light and be efficient with the goals we have set.
Just one example of the concept.
Our Fishing System:
–Footwear: wading boots or shoes, neoprene socks, gravel guards etc.
–Water Filtration: Hiker Pro, Sawyers or Squeeze bottle
–Navigation: map, compass, GPS or none
–Packs: sling, shoulder, waist or backpack or just pockets
–Rods and Reels: proper choices for intended species
–First Aid Kit: small and light…not performing surgery!
When wading streams and walking over rocks and boulders all day, every extra pound carried can equal pain. We try hard to carry no more than 10 pounds and preferably less. There is always a balancing act in our gear between weight and durability. As an example, I tend to carry the Yeti Panga 28 backpack more often. With two straps the weight distribution is better than a sling pack. Yes it is heavier but is by far the most durable pack I own. In the future I will showcase a few other pack options that I have and use.
By traveling light we can move faster and go farther. Not that we are “speed fishing” or anything, but rather, we are not overburdened when hopping across boulders or trying to maintain our balance when crossing current.
Your comfort has to be factored into the System as well. Tennis shoes are a lot lighter than wading boots, however, how will your feet feel at the end of the day? I know from experience that my feet feel trashed after wearing sneakers all day while stream fishing. The beefier yet heavier wading boot has a lot more support and protection. But when factoring comfort into the equation, I’ll deal with the extra weight penalty. Besides, I’m not getting any younger!
And by implementing a modular approach into the system, it is easy to switch between packs to further reduce weight or increase convenience. With thought and planning you can custom tailor your gear to each outing or you can settle on one system and stick with it.
I am not creating anything new here, rather, I am just sharing what we use and the thought process behind our system.
The above photo displays the various methods we use to filter our water while out fishing. Obviously we don’t carry them all at once but rather tailor them to each trip. It depends on how many people are along, what packs we are using and how long the trip will last.
We tend to use this option the most. Scoop up water, screw the filter/cap back on and squeeze.These are a great option because they’re cheap and effective.
The Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer Mini filters are compact and screw onto most water bottles. I have used the Squeeze in a homemade gravity filter for large groups. They can be connected to water bladders as well. Some people prefer carrying water bottles but I don’t like toting the extra weight. I tend to reuse plastic water bottles for a long time so one is enough for me. We’ve used the Sawyer filters for years and have never had an issue. And being able to backflush them extends their lifespan.
We use these when base camping.The Katadyn Hiker Pro.
The Hiker Pro has been our workhorse. It’s simple and fast. The cost is reasonable for what you get. I like the fact that is has quick disconnect fittings. This allows me to hook it directly to a bladder and fill it up.
An original Katadyn/PUR filter.
This filter is HEAVY! It uses a silver impregnated ceramic filter and guarantees that it removes viruses. A big plus if you travel where water supplies are super sketchy. It’s Swiss made with machined aluminum fittings. It is also VERY SLOW and your arms will get a workout.
When space is at a premium, these are a nice bit of kit.
This is not an exhaustive review of the multitude of filters that are available. I’m just sharing what we have, use and carry on a regular basis. I can vouch for each of these models since we’ve had them for multiple years. The only downside to any of these filters is you do NOT want them to freeze. If it’s really cold, I keep them in a jacket pocket or even in my sleeping bag during the night. After each trip we also back flush them and let them dry completely before storing.
We had such good luck with the Owner Cultiva JH-85 jigheads that we knew we were definitely going to order more for 2022. Same went for Eurotackle Micro Finesse B-vibe 2 inch soft lures. I can’t recommend the B-vibes enough! We also will being trying the 1/8 oz Tungsten jigheads from Eurotackle as well.
We are off to a good start for 2022 in spite of “supply chain” issues.
I thought I would share this Manufacturer’s List. Lots of interesting stuff all in one place. No affiliation whatsoever on my part: For Informational Purposes Only.
Right out of the gate I will state that I don’t NEED any new rods or reels. These are purely WANTS/WISHES…(this statement WILL come back to haunt me!) And I am not saying that I will purchase any of these items, I’m just curious about them. I’m sure my wife is biting her fingernails and worrying because she knows I tend to “gear up” during the winter months in preparation for the upcoming season. But these are a few items that have piqued my curiosity…
Daiwa 2021 Presso LT reel
First up is the new Daiwa Presso LT reel. This is the “update” to the Daiwa 2017 Presso LTD series. Unfortunately this reel is no longer made in Japan but has been outsourced to China. I like the idea of the monocoque body and I really like the color scheme of this reel. It seems to be a bit more muted compared to the Presso LTD 1025 that I own. Bearing count (12+1) is the same so it should be smooth. The 2021 Presso LT 1000S-P weighs 145grams(5.1oz) while the Presso LTD 1025 weighs in at 155grams(5.47oz). A 10gram difference. Probably too minor to really notice.
Tenryu Rayz Integral RZI50UL-4
I have a “thing” for multi-piece rods since it suits our style of fishing. I was curious about the next level of these style rods and looked to Tenryu for an option. I own a Tenryu Lunakia 610 and know that they make high quality rods. This Rayz Integral is definitely a contender.
Timon TCC-S62L
I know nothing about Timon rods but this one interested me especially at this price point. I have yet to buy a bad JDM rod. A rod worth considering.
Smith Multiyouse TRMK-504UL
I hear great things about Smith rods so I thought I’d take a look at their offerings. Again, this is obviously a multi-piece rod and seems quite interesting.
NOTE: This is where my wife needs to stop reading this blog post!
If I win the lottery or if money were no object…I would seriously entertain buying this rod. I like the looks. I really like the components, especially the rod guides.
Daiwa Presso LTD SGA SMT 62L. Pie In The Sky!
As I’ve said MANY times before, I am curious by nature. And after owning several mid-tier JDM rods, I am wondering what the next level up would be like. But it’s really hard to justify an expenditure of that size. Safer to just drool…
I took a chance buying these jig heads and soft plastic lures last year. As it turns out, we used them almost exclusively for the entire 2021 fishing season.
The jig heads are from http://www.digitaka.com and are the Owner Cultiva JH-85 Nagare Dama and the JH-86 Cross Head. The weights we used were 2.2grams up to 3.0grams. They have two tie points on them depending on how you want to present them. Keep in mind that the target species was our native smallmouth bass and they don’t reach near the size of the Northern strain smallmouth bass. These hooks were fine for the Neosho strain smallmouth.
For soft plastics we opted for the Eurotackle Micro Finesse B-vibe 2 inch paddle tail swimbait.
Our colors of choice were Green Pumpkin, Bluegill Pro and Black. These were very productive for us and we plan on continuing their use for 2022.
As we tweak our gear and lure selections, we tend to carry less tackle. We continually strive for efficiency to keep from being overburdened and to maximize our time on the water. Food for thought…
Velox Seeker 