What are your favorite unusual fishing accessories?

[Encoded]

Curious if anyone has accessories they love for fishing, or that are super helpful/convenient but are not what would be considered part of a normal load out. I don't really have anything unusual, but the tethered cell phone leash that clips to my waters is great.

Anyone?

 

[hooker-of-men]

I'm gonna say mushrooms.

 

[TimMurphy]

I'm gonna say mushrooms.

Good answer, edibles also work! 🙂

 

[poopdeck]

Not sure what a normal load out is but I find my magnetic rod holders are super helpful. I never seen anybody else use them so I would guess that makes them unusual too.

 

[Skook]

I've been using a homemade gadget for years that was given to me by one of my dad's life-long friends. To my knowledge, it was his own invention, but I don't know for sure. Regardless, he crafted all kinds of neat accessories for hunting and fishing.

It's just two alligator clips joined by a short piece of strong bead chain screwed onto the end of either clip. The length of bead chain is approximately one and one-half to two inches. One of the metal clips is bare for good grip, and the other has heat-shrink tubing covering the jaws to protect tippet material.

Both clips are attached to either the edge of my vest, shirt placket, or waders. When it's time to change flies, I place the tippet end of my leader in the jaws covered with heat-shrink tubing while the other clip stays attached to my apparel, and this frees up both hands to do other things while the tippet is securely held in place directly in front of me. It might sound somewhat hokey, but it works amazingly well for its intended purpose.

The next time you're at the dentist, ask if you can have one of those bead chain/clips they use to hold the splatter bib around your neck. Shorten the chain, add some heat-shrink tubing to one of the alligator clips, and rock on.

Edited to add: A picture (or two) is worth a thousand words. Oh, the bead chain is probably three inches long.

 

[wildtrout2]

A GoPro. 😉

 

[Streammagic237]

Wile very simple I have found that buying the heavy 100 percent cotton rags from the paint store very handy . They are great for messy hands and drying cold wet hands even emergency tp. They also serve as a great fire starters in cold months , light and burn fast . I always keep 2 or 3 in a gallon ziplock in my bag .

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Good answer, edibles also work! 🙂

You dang hippies and your dope!!!

 

[CinnamonJoe]

The plastic toothpick that comes with the Victorinox Swiss army knives: pure medicine/antidote for undoing wind knots in your leader.

Joe

 

[dryflyguy]

A leader gauge
Any of yinz other guys use one?

I tie my own leaders
And when I have a break off, it can be hard for me to tell what diameter the section(s) that need replaced are.

 

[salmo]

I'm gonna say mushrooms.

Ok? Magic or Porcini?

 

[hooker-of-men]

Ok? Magic or Porcini?

Yes 🤷‍♂️

 

[Esoxbum]

The plastic toothpick that comes with the Victorinox Swiss army knives: pure medicine/antidote for undoing wind knots in your leader.

Joe

I have a little tool on a zinger I believe is called a/the “rocky mountain line pick.” It’s just a little block of plastic that pulls a part in the middle, one half sheathing the 2nd ‘pick’ half. Looks similar to a dental pick.

 

[Esoxbum]

I have a little tool on a zinger I believe is called a/the “rocky mountain line pick.” It’s just a little block of plastic that pulls a part in the middle, one half sheathing the 2nd ‘pick’ half. Looks similar to a dental pick.

I think I use that more than my rod/reel😂

 

[Esoxbum]

A leader gauge
Any of yinz other guys use one?

I tie my own leaders
And when I have a break off, it can be hard for me to tell what diameter the section(s) that need replaced are.

Just started tying my own for big streamers. Im constantly getting my sections mixed up. Even if I don’t, if I question myself for split second its all over. I bought tippet rings just to be able to tell which end is which

 

[Esoxbum]

I have a little tool on a zinger I believe is called a/the “rocky mountain line pick.” It’s just a little block of plastic that pulls a part in the middle, one half sheathing the 2nd ‘pick’ half. Looks similar to a dental pick.

 

[wildtrout2]

I'm gonna say mushrooms.

Just choose them wisely, folks might start talking.

 

[Bamboozle]

The plastic toothpick that comes with the Victorinox Swiss army knives: pure medicine/antidote for undoing wind knots in your leader.

Joe

I don't know if I posted this before in reply, if you are familiar with this guy or this link, but watch this video and the rest of Felix's tricks:

 

[salmo]

Just choose them wisely, folks might start talking.

Oh, behave!

 

[Bamboozle]

I have more than a few one-off unusual gadgets for fishing and for the most part, I designed and faricated them all or in the case of a few, I had them made for me.

These include a leader dispenser with an attached tippet guage and a battery powered spool motor for refilling that holds 6 spools of tippet material in a plastic box measuring 4.25" x 3.25" x .75", a bench top line winder that loads or reverses any kind of fishing line on any kind of reel, a flashlight holder that attaches to the magnifier on my hat brim that can be pivoted up or down, but especially down into my Richardson Box.

I've also designed & made holders for everything from fly floatant, walkie talkies to soap, modified my Richardson Box so I can swap trays, made a magnetic rod holder with a collapsible pouch that cradles & protects my reel and rod butt while having the ability to swivel 180+ degrees so I can use it to safely string up my rod.

I've also designed and fabricated removable compartmentalized inserts for my Chapman over-the-shoulder fishing bag and designed other Chapman bespoke gear, designed a custom Wood River bag for conventional bass fishing that Peter Ross the owner fabricated for me and I designed and built a removable extension for a collapsible McLean long handled net that makes it a bank or boat angler's dream at 21 inches, 48 inches or 64 inches long.

However my based on when I got it and how extremely UNUSUAL it was at THAT time...

I'd say a zinger tops the list despite me not having a thing to do with the idea.

This is what MY first zinger looked like except they were ONLY known as "retractors" back then:

Orvis offered them WITH & without Old Pal nippers. My first was obtained without nippers from a sporting goods shop in Boston called "Stoddard's and I still have it on display.

At the time, I wasn't a fly fisherman however, I knew I HAD to have it because I knew it was a game changer. I attached my Old Pal nippers to it, and IT to my Ideal vest and I never looked back despite going through more than a few versions & brands along the way.

I didn't fly fish so I seldom ran across well heeled fly fishermen on FFO water which may explain the ignorance, but almost everybody who saw it said, What's that thing hanging from your vest?"

All I know is I have never been without and never will be without zingers since those days...