Northwest Fishing Reports

I was wondering how many of you wear vests?

I bought my first vest this year and love it for fishing on the rivers. It's like wearing a well organized tackle box with all the gear at your finger tips. I use it on the lakes too and just switch out some tackle for what I might need.

I don't see many other fishermen wearing them and get the feeling it might be kind of dorky to use one. Especially after seeing BigD's "Gansta" video....

I picked up a chest pack from OE last year - it worked great for steelhead fishing, didn't have to trudge back to the bank to tie up a different rig. They were all there right at hand. I have looked at vests, but haven't gotten one (yet).

A lot of stuff looks kinda dorky until you pull in a fish - then it goes from dorky to trend setting!:cheers:

Last year I went to my local beach after work to try for coho & pinks in the salt. Here I am in hip waders with a butt pack full of buzz bombs while people are sunbathing and BBQ-ing. This one guy was trying to be funny in front of his girlfriend/date/whatever. Kept asking me questions, then immediatly snikering to her about how I was wasting my time, must not have a life, etc. I ignored him (wasn't there to impress them anyway). He shut up after I caught the 1st fish - a 5-6# coho, and after the 2nd (a pink) I heard the girl say something like geeze, he caught more than you ever do..

I've been wearing vests for all types of fishing for the better part of 50 years, especially on rivers and float tubing. If it looks dorky, so be it. I can live with that when I have the convenience of access to most of what I need at my fingertips. I'll sometimes carry a tackle bag too if I'm boating or bank fishing.

Like Bill Engvall says: "Ughhh... I'm a dorkfish...duh...duh...duh..." :jocolor:

LOL. Yeah, unless you plan on wearing it to the mall, it's not about being stylish. I use a vest for river fishing and it's great. Beats the heck out of trying to keep track of a tackle box. If I am doing light duty fishing where I don't need a large variety of gear and tools (like trout streams), I just use a small fanny pack that can hold a few lures/flies, my wallet/license, and a snack.

i just last year got a new vest and it has 31 pockets so i can pack alot of gear in it u need a good best with at least 10+ pockets

I've always worn a vest, and it's great. Carries all the stuff I need (granted, I fly fish, so a tackle box isn't really practical :D )and allows you to remain mobile on the stream and also prevents theft by other anglers.