What are your favorite unusual fishing accessories?

[Esoxbum]

I've considered this, and if you've ever seen someone in a panic rip off their waders while speed-waddling back to the parking lot, than we may have crossed paths.

I may have to invest in these... remembering to toss a couple into each of my packs may lead to an ugly scene though.

I discovered (this spring) that moss works surprisingly well !

 

[Skook]

FWIW - I been carrying unscented Wet Wipes for years in my tackle box and other gear bags for cleaning up after fishing in general.

If you fish bait or have handled fish, the wipes work GREAT for removing "worm dirt" or fish slime from your hands and even from tools like hemostats, disgorgers or scissors when the day is done.

Interestingly enough, the "Dude Wipes" are cheaper than the unscented Wet Ones on a few sites so I may have to switch brands.

Yeah. I carry a quart-sized ZipLoc bag with neatly folded and separated "select-a-size" paper towels (about half size of a full paper towel), Dude Wipes or Klean Freak Wipes singles, and Wet Ones antibacterial singles for hand cleaning. The singles packets stay wet longer in the pack, especially compared to an opened multi-pack.

The Klean Freak Wipes seem to be more popular in the backpacking community and are billed as 100% biodegradable. I usually order a few items from this website around Black Friday when they offer a 15% discount, and I add some Klean Freak Wipes to my order so I can feel better about my impact on the environment, lol.

Litesmith

I find that regular TP just isn't optimal for work in the outdoors.

 

[Bamboozle]

Yeah. I carry a quart-sized ZipLoc bag with neatly folded and separated "select-a-size" paper towels (about half size of a full paper towel), Dude Wipes or Klean Freak Wipes, and Wet Ones antibacterial singles for hand cleaning. The singles packets stay wet longer in the pack, especially if a multi-pack is opened.

The Klean Freak Wipes seem to be more popular in the backpacking community and are billed as 100% biodegradable. I usually order a few items from this website around Black Friday when they offer a 15% discount, and I add some Klean Freak Wipes to my order so I can feel better about my impact on the environment, lol.

Litesmith

I find that regular TP just isn't built for the outdoors.

As long as you carry paper towels like me, think about also carrying some soap leaves.

They are cheaper, biodegradable, have no single use throwaway packaging, never dry out, do double duty for washing off suspected poison ivy urushiol; just add creek water and use your paper towels to dry off OR...

Carry a few of these.

 

[salmo]

A big ole stack of napkins in the glovebox can absolutely save the day. There are other options, but socks are getting to be expensive...

Wait. Are you the Dude or the Dookie?

 

[TheDuke44]

Wait. Are you the Dude or the Dookie?

Who says I can't be both? Ultimately, I'm just full of s**t.

 

[salmo]

Who says I can't be both? Ultimately, I'm just full of s**t.

I didn’t know that you were a fellow barrister?

 

[shakey]

I don’t do this personally,but I have met a few anglers that carry a crochet hook in their vests for knot tying.
It makes sense to me to get the stubborn tippet through a loop,but, I would probably be the world’s worts at crochet 🤣

 

[Bamboozle]

I don’t do this personally,but I have met a few anglers that carry a crochet hook in their vests for knot tying.
It makes sense to me to get the stubborn tippet through a loop,but, I would probably be the world’s worts at crochet 🤣

I've been carrying around a really small size crochet hook, like around .06 mm for getting knots out of the thread furled leaders I like to use.

The crochet hooks have saved the day on more than a few occasions.

As far as getting a tag through a loop, while a bit more expensive, a Diawa Sokkou Knot Tying Tool works WAY better, or you could use one of these:

 

[shakey]

I don’t do this personally,but I have met a few anglers that carry a crochet hook in their vests for knot tying.
It makes sense to me to get the stubborn tippet through a loop,but, I would probably be the world’s worts at crochet 🤣

Also the world's worst at spelling

 

[PaScoGi]

I fish in cold weather. When my nymph gets stuck and I can't use the upstream approach and get it loose with just my rod, I use a cow insemination glove to keep my gloves and sleeve from getting wet. It keeps me dry and has saved me a lot of flies and avoiding breaking off. Of course in the summer or warm spring days I don't have to use them because a wet sleeve don't bother me. But when the air temps are in the 30s, a wet wool glove and sleeve makes for a long day. So keeping dry when I need to reach into the water to get my stuck fly is critical. I buy them on Amazon but I'm pretty sure most Tractor Supply stores sell them.

 

[Encoded]

I fish in cold weather. When my nymph gets stuck and I can't use the upstream approach and get it loose with just my rod, I use a cow insemination glove to keep my gloves and sleeve from getting wet. It keeps me dry and has saved me a lot of flies and avoiding breaking off. Of course in the summer or warm spring days I don't have to use them because a wet sleeve don't bother me. But when the air temps are in the 30s, a wet wool glove and sleeve makes for a long day. So keeping dry when I need to reach into the water to get my stuck fly is critical. I buy them on Amazon but I'm pretty sure most Tractor Supply stores sell them.

ok i think you win 😉

 

[Cougarbaby]

I'm gonna say mushrooms.

While fishing??? Ok I guess

 

[wildtrout2]

While fishing??? Ok I guess

Just makes the colors on the trout stand out more.😆

 

[laurelhighlander]

Fish whistle in pen or joint form

 

[gfenlikestolosepasswords]

Cigar arm band.

This is both the stupidest thing I've ever seen and the most amazing thing at the exact same time.

I don't know what to think.

 

[dryflyguy]

This is both the stupidest thing I've ever seen and the most amazing thing at the exact same time.

I don't know what to think.

Just remember to not fall with a stogey on your arm I guess…

 

[5footfenwick]

Tums for sure and always French's yellow mustard.

I never leave home without yellow mustard. A quick slug and cramps are gone. Completely gone! It’s amazing how good it works.

I have a small bottle in every vest, backpack and tackle box I own. It’s a real life saver on those long days when a side stitch or calf cramp sneaks in to ruin the day. Or biceps cramp or forearm or hand cramp.

The last time I fished without it I got a hand cramp so bad it lasted until I got home. I snapped a quick photo at the house before eating some mustard.

30 seconds later it was gone for good!

~5footfenwick

 

[CRB]

I usually carry a small first aid kit.

 

[dryflyguy]

Tums for sure and always French's yellow mustard.

I never leave home without yellow mustard. A quick slug and cramps are gone. Completely gone! It’s amazing how good it works.

I have a small bottle in every vest, backpack and tackle box I own. It’s a real life saver on those long days when a side stitch or calf cramp sneaks in to ruin the day. Or biceps cramp or forearm or hand cramp.

The last time I fished without it I got a hand cramp so bad it lasted until I got home. I snapped a quick photo at the house before eating some mustard.
View attachment 1641253642
30 seconds later it was gone for good!

~5footfenwick

interesting
does it work for leg cramps?

 

[jeffroey]

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.
View attachment 1641253065View attachment 1641253066

Cool concept and application but the second pic . . . Is that a banjo lurking? That would be on my non-standard kit list. I love my fly banjo.