Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)
Senior Member
Anyone wear one for coarse fishing- they have lots of useful pockets for carrying stuff instead of a bag.
Fly fishing wastecoat
- Thread starter Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)
- Start date
Alan Tyler
Well-known member
Yes, but the only pockets I seem to use are:
-the inner one that hold my licence, club cards and polaroid clip-ons,
-a zip-up one I put my keys in,
-a breast pocket in which are scissors and club key, on a retainer cord,
-and somewhere I've a hand-lens, a hook-sharpener and a whistle, all on cords.
Tissues and mittens in season are carried in the "cargo" pockets.
If you use the cargo pockets to carry actual fishing bits and bobs, the ones on the rod-hand side get in the way of the rod, the other side rattles when you move, and you have you be paranoid about keeping the waistcoat upright while fishing and when you take it off, otherwise your kit will escape and you'll find yourself minus a plummet or disgorger at an embarrassing moment; plus one pocket will have to be dedicated to a laminated card telling you what's in each other pocket, or you'll keep stopping to do a weird one-man Bavarian slapping dance every time you need your phone/ a split shot/a new hook.
-the inner one that hold my licence, club cards and polaroid clip-ons,
-a zip-up one I put my keys in,
-a breast pocket in which are scissors and club key, on a retainer cord,
-and somewhere I've a hand-lens, a hook-sharpener and a whistle, all on cords.
Tissues and mittens in season are carried in the "cargo" pockets.
If you use the cargo pockets to carry actual fishing bits and bobs, the ones on the rod-hand side get in the way of the rod, the other side rattles when you move, and you have you be paranoid about keeping the waistcoat upright while fishing and when you take it off, otherwise your kit will escape and you'll find yourself minus a plummet or disgorger at an embarrassing moment; plus one pocket will have to be dedicated to a laminated card telling you what's in each other pocket, or you'll keep stopping to do a weird one-man Bavarian slapping dance every time you need your phone/ a split shot/a new hook.
Derek Gibson
Well-known member
I've been using fly waistcoats for over thirty years, even though I do very little fly fishing. They are so versatile and adaptable with their many pockets.
I had the wife incorporate two large poacher pockets in each one I've owned to accomodate several outsize lures. I should add, this only applies to the hip length versions. Which, in my style of fishing (lure fishing) it means I only have my rod and landing net to carry.
I have one of those longer length Bob Church/Orvis washed cotton type, I have had it about 16 years and it is still going strong, just enough pockets as to not be over stocked with stuff you don't need!!
I've used fly fishing waistcoats for about 20 years. They are more useful for storing hooks, shot, licences, scales etc than using a fishing jacket or anorak, which often don't have enough pockets. I use it for both fly and coarse fishing.
I got this waistcoat last month, excellent value at around £30:
Daiwa Wilderness Fly Fishing Wading Waistcoat - Manor Farm Fishing
I got this waistcoat last month, excellent value at around £30:
Daiwa Wilderness Fly Fishing Wading Waistcoat - Manor Farm Fishing
John Howard
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I've worn one since the early 70's. I purchased a Belstaff waistcoat and its still going strong the only thing to fail is the velcro patches. In the cooler months I wear a quilted waistcoat bought from the local market. 5/6 yrs old and is getting ready to be replaced.
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I use a John Wilson wanderer waistcoat for my winter fishing and a shaky fly waistcoat for the summer. The masterline Wilson wanderer is the best one i've ever come across. I usually manage to get all my gear in it without the use of a bag. My maggots go in a bag around my neck, net in one hand (or clipped on the back of the waistcoat) and my rod in the other.
S-Kippy
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I hate em....I wear one when I'm fly fishing [because I'm a tart] but never when I'm coarse fishing because
1. Too many pockets...I can never find anything and most of them are too fiddly ar$e small to be of any real use.
2.Too hot in summer....no warmth in winter
3. Too heavy with gear in....with no gear in what's the point ?
4.The pockets catch on things as do the things hanging off the gizmos
I did have a long sort of "countryman" waistcoat with maybe 4 decent sized pockets. That was OK but it stayed behind when I went home one day.
Tigger...all I can say is that you must have neck muscles like a bull if you carry all your gear in the waistcoat.
1. Too many pockets...I can never find anything and most of them are too fiddly ar$e small to be of any real use.
2.Too hot in summer....no warmth in winter
3. Too heavy with gear in....with no gear in what's the point ?
4.The pockets catch on things as do the things hanging off the gizmos
I did have a long sort of "countryman" waistcoat with maybe 4 decent sized pockets. That was OK but it stayed behind when I went home one day.
Tigger...all I can say is that you must have neck muscles like a bull if you carry all your gear in the waistcoat.
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LOL, SK I don't take lots of tackle. In my pockets I have a few packs of hooks, a tube of floats, a spool of line, a few hooklengths, a spool of hooklength line, a pair of scissors, a few small arsley bombs etc and a couple of disgorgers and a towel to wipe off the fish slime hanging off my trouser belt loop. It weighs ****** all really and the Wilson waistcoat spreads the weight evenly across the shoulders
.
S-Kippy
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I'm glad it works for you...I've tried and I can't get it to work for me. I once foolishly tried the old "bag OR waistcoat" thing & loaded everything I needed in a waistcoat. Now admittedly I was fly fishing but after an hour I was 4 inches shorter and could barely stand up.
barbelboi
Well-known member
For ‘mobile’ fishing I prefer to take a plastic bait bucket which fits inside one of these - plenty of pockets on the outside for the basic bits and everything to hand.
Jerry
Jerry
