Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 31 May 2019
So it is final day and tomorrow it starts, long waited river fishing season. Some rivers has been open but I have been waiting official opening. So it is time to check gears and get everything ready. Previous season ended 8 months ago so I have had lot of time to check everything. Luckily there is always last day and last minute. I have 18 sets rods and reels, 10 wading sets, 7 spinning sets and then small stuff, like flies, tippets, leaders, landing nets etc.
Waders and wading shoes are easy ones. I packed them nicely in the end of season and just took them out now and hang them to be ready. Also rods and reels are okay with lines. I cleaned and opened brake when storing them for wintertime. Leaders are okay and tippets are will make when starting fishing. Flies seems to be nicely in the boxes and I know what flies are in boxes and which boxes are what. It sounds like a fairytale. Everything is in order. And it is until I need to pack vest with gears.
Back pocket will have first aid kid like always. Also one first aid kid will be in my dry bag. I have need those twice in my life and I hope there is no need for more. First time was years ago when my guest’s kid played with knife and had wound to finger. Easy fixing. Other time was last summer when I had to keep fish cool before cooking time.
I will also put multitool in the pocket of waders and knife (puukko) will hang on shoulder strap. Fishing licenses are with multitool in same pocket. There is also tippet 0.12 and matches (in plastic bag). Mobile phone will go same pocket so I can take photos easily and it is kind of waterproof place.
Then I had to load vest. Landing net is hanging on neck with magnetic releaser. Tippet materials in two pockets, ones which are smaller than 0.2 in one and more than that in other. Pliers will have they one place. ( I have ones which you can lock so I don’t use any band with them). Line cutter is hanging on left and floatant on right side. Upper right pocket is for multipurpose box. There is some nymphs, dries and streamers. Down pocket will have just dries. On the left side upper pocket is for nymphs and down pocket for streamers. Then I have in my vest upper upper pockets which I fill with just in case flies and some extra tippets and some extra leaders and some just in case stuff. I think that this summer I won’t do that just in case filling. First of all, I have not ever never ever used those so I have been carrying stuff with no reason. And of course both sides will have rubber band for drying flies. (there is FP earlier about that)
So it looks like I’m ready to go. If anything goes like earlier years I will have problems in first day where the gears are but they will find their places fast. It is making my life easier because I know where certain fly are so I don’t have to go thru all the boxes. (in my dreams).
It looks like I’m ready to start fishing season. I think I will set goal to have 70 fishing days out of 90 possible. It seems to be hard goal but my record is 81 days out of 90.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing
Mika from Finland
Ps. fly on photos is glenfiddich, my trout fly for desperate situations…. named after single malt and had something from bottle. Made about 20 years ago. And calf is 2 weeks old.
