Choosing a Fishing Vest Guide: Tips, Gear, Pockets


Back before there were fishing vests, old timers had to fill their pockets and carry everything else in small bags over their shoulders.  Legendary Lee Wulff had a better idea designing the first fishing vest.

Sewing by hand he invented the legendary Royal Wulff vest. Even though decades have gone by fishing vest still look the same today.

Nowadays vests are such a common sight on streams across the country that it would be hard to imagine a time without them. With a gazillion different pockets to stuff all those weird fishing doo-dads you’ve acquired throughout the years.

Getting Your First Fishing Vest

When we picture fishing vests most of us picture pockets.  Big pockets, little pockets, inside, outside and everywhere in between.  

You can’t carry a tackle box out into the middle of the river.  So your vest quickly turns into your make shift tackle box to accomodate the myriad of items you need quick access to.

You need to know where everything is without second guessing yourself.  There’s no “lets wade back to shore I need to fumble through my bag”, fishing vests give you immediate access to all your gear.

Everything You Need

We know that you probably have loads of random gear that you’ve acquired over the years. Bringing everything under the kitchen sink might be fine when fishing by boat, but that just doesn’t work out on the river. We recommend that you take as little as you can, waders need to travel light.

The Perfect Fishing Vest
  • Two Large Outer Pockets: You need to have two oversized outer pockets to hold your boxes of lures or flies. The pockets need to open and fasten from the top so you don’t lose your box. Side opening pockets are never a good idea. One day you’ll forget to close them, bend over and your box of flies will go pouring in the water.
  • Four Small Inner Pockets: Personally I like my inner pockets to have velcro clasps rather than a zipper. This is where I like to put my split-shot, leaders ETC. Anything that you need quick and easy access to.
  • Four Small Outer Pockets: Your outer pockets are going to hold all those odds and ends that you could need throughout the day. Make sure you keep a spare car key in one of these zipper pockets. The rest of your pockets will probably be filled up with floatants, extra flies and all those random tools you can’t live without.
  • Back Pouch: Your back pouch is going to be hard to reach so only store things that you’ll need on shore. This is where I store my lunch, raingear and a water bottle.
  • Metal Ring Latch: Do yourself a favor and buy a retractable carabiner to hold your clippers, forceps hemostat ETC(these are the ones I use). You’ll have quick access to your gear and you won’t have to worry about dropping tools in the water.
Other Gear to Carry
  1. Sunscreen and Insect Repellent
  2. Clippers
  3. Thermometer
  4. Forceps
  5. RainGear
  6. Spare Keys
  7. Waterproof Phone Case
  8. Flashlight
  9. First Aid Kit

A Few of The Best Fishing Vests

1. Autumn Ridge Traders Fly Fishing Vest: Extremely comfortable vest with a lot of room in the chest and stomach. It’s water resistant and drys almost instantly. With 16 different pockets you’ll have plenty of room to store all your gear.

Remove the tough outer shell to expose the soft mesh underbelly. Just unzip and roll her down for better ventilation on those hot summer days. Available in 5 different color options just about anybody can find a style that fits their needs.

2. Kylebooker Mesh Fly Vest: This bad boy has more little pockets and compartments than you can count. With its sturdy mesh back and open design it’s light and breezy on those warm summer days. With everything right at your fingertips what more could you ask for.

Zippers, velcro, buckles oh my. This vest has so many handy compartments and straps that it’s almost overwhelming. If you can’t haul all your gear in this vest you’re doing it wrong. I also love how every single zipper has an additional pull to make opening pockets easier on those unusually chilly days.

3. Rothco Uncle Milty Vest: Rothco’s Uncle Milty vest is one of the most popular vests on the market and for good reason. Pockets on the inside, pockets on the outside, pockets everywhere. For a no-nonsense vest you really can’t go wrong with Uncle Milty.

For some reason I just can’t get over how nice this vest actually is. There’s just something about it’s simplicity that calls to me. The pockets are all symmetrical and uncluttered giving you easy access to all your gear. Made out of a thick polyester you won’t get a drafty breeze, but it’s extremely durable.

4. MaxCatch Fly Fishing Vest: The MaxCatch vest is like a typical fly fishing vest that’s been shot up with all the steroids. I can guarantee this vest will hold literally everything you could possibly want to take.

It’s a vest with the versatility of a backpack. The only downside is all that all those extra pockets will add a little bit of heft. You’ll be able to carry more fly boxes than you could possibly want. The large mesh back pocket allows you to carry additional gear.

Take a look at the way this vest is designed it has thick padded shoulder straps, a wide sturdy body and lots of pockets. It’s basically a backpack designed with a suspension system to evenly spread the weight across your body.

Fishing Vest Buyers Guide

How Many Pockets Do You Need?

There really is no easy answer to how many pockets you’re going to need. What you require on your vest well the pain on how much gear you want to carry.

Most beginner-novice fisherman won’t need more than 10 to 12 pockets on their vest.  You’ll need a couple oversized pockets for your fly box and a few others for other odds and ends(sunglasses, fishing license, leaders, floatants, desiccants etc.)

The average sized vest will work for most of you. Expert fisherman on the other hand will need to carry a little bit more. Just remember that way to many pockets is never a good thing either. Too many pockets in one area will quickly wear out the fabric and really destroy your lumbar region.

You want to have a wide variety of pockets on both the inside and outside of your vest. Dedicated waterproof interior pockets for your wallet, cell phone and fishing licenses are always a plus.

If you’ve already accumulated some gear throughout the years set it on your table and count how many large items you have. This is how many pockets you should strive for.

Alternatives to Vests

Not everybody likes using an actual fishing vest. Some of us actually prefer gear bags like this one that can be worn around the waist. Actually had to make the switch after a recent wrist surgery. Wasn’t my first choice, but it’s better than staying off the water.

Chest fly boxes like this Allen Creek Chest Vest are another great option. Chest Packs take all the weight off your lumbar region which makes fishing just a little more comfortable. I’ve honestly never been a huge fan of fishing belts and shoulder packs, but that’s just me.

Other Common Features

There are a few other features that you should look out for when shopping for vests. D-Rings can be used to attach a wading staff etc. , fleece patch for drying flies, Velcro Rod Holding Tabs and buckle straps for carrying travel tubes.

Vest Styles

Vests come in varying lengths. From the really short “shortie models” designed for deep water, to extended vests that go all the way down your butt. Just remember that longer vests have room for more pockets.

You can tell a lot about a vest by first looking at the armholes. Well designed models all have armholes that run deep so they don’t restrict your cast.

You also need to remember that you’re going to be carrying a lot of gear. There needs to be some semblance of symmetry so that weight is evenly distributed. Otherwise you’ll end up with fabric rubbing into your neck(that reminds me look for a padded neckline).

Material

Choosing the right material may seem like it would be easy, but it’s actually kind of a big deal. Whatever you choose will determine how comfortable the vest is on those hot summer days.

Make sure you take the time to try on a few different styles at the store to see what you like. All the local sporting good stores around me have a myriad of options, all of which are ridiculously expensive. So find something you like and by a similar style on Amazon.

Personally I prefer a lot of mesh in my vests. These are designed for warm weather, but you can always throw on another layer on those colder days. Normally made out of synthetic fabrics mesh is extremely durable.

You’ll have a few more flies snag on the fabric, but that’s going to happen with cotton and polyester as well.

Durability

Material choice and durability really go hand in hand. Cotton and Polyester blends are almost always going to be more durable than mesh.

It’s just the nature of the beast. Mesh jackets offer less support between each seem. Yes they are durable enough to last you a few seasons, but they will inevitably rip.

Most of the time mesh vests rip right where the mesh fabric meets the shoulders. All the stress of the weight pulling down requires a lot of support. Reinforcing these seems with a needle and thread is never a bad idea, or you could just wait until you get a slight tear and patch in a quick fix.

Color

Obviously you don’t want a bright colored vest unless you’re going double duty for deer season. Bright vests are going to alert fish of your presence across that bright blue sky.

Do yourself a favor and stick to those dull and dreary color schemes. Go with those dull monochromatic tans, greens, grays, black, camo etc.

By far green and tan is the most popular choice and appropriate for just about everybody. You’ll blend into the trees behind you, likewise grays and blues blend in with the open sky.

Sizing

If you have any questions about which size you need go with one size larger. Fly fishing requires a lot of arm movement so you don’t want to be constrained in a tight vest.

Always opt in favor of roominess. On those chilly days you’re going to need enough room to fit a light jack or sweater underneath. On those hot days you’ll have enough room to let a breeze in.

In a cotton vest you need to plan for shrinkage. Your vest is going to get wet and it’s going to shrink. Even if the vest is pre-washed it’s going to shrink the first time it gets tossed in the drier.

You aren’t in a fashion show walking the cat walk. There’s no need for your vest to be perfectly fitted.

Comfort

Comfort really is a matter of personal preference. It’s by far the most important factor, yet it varies from one person to the next. If there’s one thing you need to look for is good back support.

Vests that have most of their weight in the lower third are a recipe for pain. You want a couple big pockets down there, but the rest should be evenly spread across your body. Don’t spend all day in waist deep water with what feels like a monkey on your back.

Check for thick shoulder straps that spread the weight evenly across your back. I’ve worn a lot of different vests over the years and the comfortable ones all have one thing in common. They had wide arcing straps that cover the majority of your shoulders.

If the straps are thin you definitely need a little bit of padding to keep you sane throughout the day. Otherwise they’ll just dig into your shoulders every time you cast.

What About Fishing Vest Life Jacket Combos?

Throughout the years a lot of guys have asked me about these inflatable fishing vests(Check This Out). They work basically like a standard life jacket except they to be blown up with a CO2 cartridge or by mouth.

They’re far more comfortable than a traditional life jacket and they have storage pockets for all your gear. Great for fishing in a boat or kayak, but an absolute pain in the butt for fly fishing.

There’s just not enough pockets to hold all your gear, and the inflatable bladder or foam always seems to get in the way. Just go with a standard fishing vest and swim a few more laps in your pool if your really that worried. You don’t have any business walking through rough rapids anyway.

Waders

It doesn’t matter where you are in the country early spring and late fall will be cold. Maybe not if you live in Texas or Arizone, but I’m sure you catch my drift. For a good chunk of the year you’ll have to work to keep your body heat up.

Pairing a light jacket with some hearty waders is the only way to stay warm in frigid water. Check out my guide on buying fly fishing waders.

I use the same camo Frog Togg Waders that I bring out during the duck season. They’re a bit pricey but well worth the price.

Jackets and Sweaters

Jackets are a whole other story. It took years to finally find a setup that I actually liked. It’s so hard to find a jacket that’s warm, but doesn’t constrict your movement.

Again I ended up going with a Frogg Togg Product(you’d think I was a spokesperson. Unless you’re cool with spending a few hundred bucks, the Firebelly Rain Jacket is the nicest fishing jacket on the market.

After spraying on a coat of DWR it’s absolutely waterproof. Nickwax Spray-On Waterproofing is the only stuff I’ve ever found that truly works. A couple sprays across the seems and water better not seep in.

When you don’t quite need a jacket yet it’s still kinda chilly go with a water resistant sweater. For the past couple years I’ve been wearing this jacket made by Columbia. It’s just warm enough for those crisp days when the weather drops down into the 50’s and completely waterproof(the perfect combo).

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