Your "loadout"

I TRY and only use gas pumps and readers that are contactless and once chip readers became more common, I started deliberately erasing the mag stripe on my cards with a neodymium magnet.

So far the ONLY place it has been an issue is at some parking meters in some towns like Carlisle that only has mag stripe reading credit cards readers on their meters...

So I have some quarters in the car for places like that. 😉

The other thing I do with all of my credit cards is to memorize & black out the CVV number & expiration date for POP purchases.

So far, it has NEVER been an issue.
 
I don't own a debit card because I know better than to use one for purchases and can manage my finances just fine with a credit card, meaning spending what I can pay easily in full each month.

If I need cash, I go to the bank.
 
I use my debit card 90% of the time when I use a card, but I try to pay cash as often as possible. Online, gas, restaurants wherever.
In probably 20 years I think I have had 2 incidents. The bank rectified them immediately.

Credit card companies are responsible for anywhere between 3-10% of the cost of goods due to fees places on vendors for using them. I give them minimal business. The absolutely hammer businesses for using them, especially the rewards cards. They don't pay for those rewards, the hit on vendors are higher with them and any smart business takes it out on the consumer.
 
So I've been watching this one for a bit and I'll give you a different perspective than most. Some of the well respected names that have already responded have already made fun of me over this topic but as a new guy asking the question, let's make sure you have a all the info you need to make and informed decision.

My jam is mostly small streams. A typical (ideal) day fishing for me involves a hike in on public land that could be anywhere between a 4 to 9 mile out-and-back, by myself, with no cell service, on a moderately steep stream where rhodo is likely, and a game land road (or game path) "near by". That's the basis for this:

I've been all over the map on what/how to carry, from a lanyard to a sling, to a backpack and some combination thereof. I've recently settled either a lumbar pack or a backpack, with the biggest deciding factor being whether or not I want to pack in a spare rod. My driving M.O. is I'm alone, and I'm willing to pay a weight penalty if, after 4 miles in, I break a rod, or a boot BOA, or or the weather turns, or I get banged up, or I see something I want to invest time to take a quality pic of . . . and without hiking back out. You get the point.

So, I'm attaching my day pack inventory AS A REFERENCE. I'm not saying this is you. I'm not saying everything on the list comes with me when I leave the parking lot. This is my loadout and depending on the specifics of the situation, I'll offload several items in the parking lot before starting my trip. Sunny day: rain jacket comes out. Cool spring: might not wear the snake gaiters. Not expecting a scenic stopping point along the way, the flask of bourbon may not make the pack. Fished the stream 10 times already: might not take the tripod and ND filter. You get it.

Bottom line: the attached list includes everything that's in my pack when I arrive in the parking lot and I hope it prompts you to CONSIDER carrying a few things you may not have thought about previously.

I'll take the ribbing that's coming. In the past it moved the needle a bit and I only found myself in a situation wishing I didn't leave something behind b/c someone here convinced me I was carrying too much. You do you.

Now, the answer to the question "how much of that stuff have you actually used on the stream?" doesn't much matter 🙂 It's like snake gaiters . . . might not need 'em but sure like the confidence moving thru the ferns they give me when I have them on.

One image for a Fishpond Thunderhead 10L Lumbar and one image for a Fishpond Firehole 26L Backpack.

JEFF'S DAY PACK INVENTORY_Page_1.jpgJEFF'S DAY PACK INVENTORY_Page_2.jpg
 
I’m a bit late to this, but here goes.

I have a Riverstick wading staff, my second one. My first one was a bit longer than I needed, so I sold it to a guy on here, and ordered a slightly shorter one. As many other owners have already said, yes, they are great staffs, but a bit heavy if you’re going to do a lot of hiking in conjunction with your fishing, IMO.

Asking Humphrey what his thoughts are about making a titanium staff would be a good idea, but possibly pretty pricey.

@[WR] I appreciate your position about the risks of fishing in the west, and I also think people would be better served by carrying pepper spray rather than a gun in most instances. However, after being a member of the Washington and the PNW fly fishing forums for a number of years, and having a Washington State resident as my best fishing partner for many years, I think I might prefer to carry a handgun rather than bear spray if I planned to go fishing in Washington State…for better protection against 2 legged wild animals. 😀
 
jeffroey said:
So I've been watching this one for a bit and I'll give you a different perspective than most. Some of the well respected names that have already responded have already made fun of me over this topic but as a new guy asking the question, let's make sure you have a all the info you need to make and informed decision.

My jam is mostly small streams. A typical (ideal) day fishing for me involves a hike in on public land that could be anywhere between a 4 to 9 mile out-and-back, by myself, with no cell service, on a moderately steep stream where rhodo is likely, and a game land road (or game path) "near by". That's the basis for this:

I've been all over the map on what/how to carry, from a lanyard to a sling, to a backpack and some combination thereof. I've recently settled either a lumbar pack or a backpack, with the biggest deciding factor being whether or not I want to pack in a spare rod. My driving M.O. is I'm alone, and I'm willing to pay a weight penalty if, after 4 miles in, I break a rod, or a boot BOA, or or the weather turns, or I get banged up, or I see something I want to invest time to take a quality pic of . . . and without hiking back out. You get the point.

So, I'm attaching my day pack inventory AS A REFERENCE. I'm not saying this is you. I'm not saying everything on the list comes with me when I leave the parking lot. This is my loadout and depending on the specifics of the situation, I'll offload several items in the parking lot before starting my trip. Sunny day: rain jacket comes out. Cool spring: might not wear the snake gaiters. Not expecting a scenic stopping point along the way, the flask of bourbon may not make the pack. Fished the stream 10 times already: might not take the tripod and ND filter. You get it.

Bottom line: the attached list includes everything that's in my pack when I arrive in the parking lot and I hope it prompts you to CONSIDER carrying a few things you may not have thought about previously.

I'll take the ribbing that's coming. In the past it moved the needle a bit and I only found myself in a situation wishing I didn't leave something behind b/c someone here convinced me I was carrying too much. You do you.

Now, the answer to the question "how much of that stuff have you actually used on the stream?" doesn't much matter 🙂 It's like snake gaiters . . . might not need 'em but sure like the confidence moving thru the ferns they give me when I have them on.

One image for a Fishpond Thunderhead 10L Lumbar and one image for a Fishpond Firehole 26L Backpack.

View attachment 1641243768View attachment 1641243769
Click to expand...

From a fellow small stream guy, seems perfectly normal to me. 😉
 
@jeffroey
Those are some good honest weights with a lot of utility. I take it you do a lot of photography while out. Your lists also reminded me I need to add a few things, like tape. And that I need to start carrying my whistle again.

Thanks for sharing.
 
pratt said:
your list looks pretty good to me - a couple of things that I would add:
- fly desiccant (especially if you fish CDC dry flies)
- a few extra leaders
- small flashlight/headlamp
- toilet paper (you never know)
Click to expand...
And if you ate hiking in quite a ways to fish you may want a bottle drinking water, some snacks, a small packable rain jacket, and a wading staff
 
[WR] said:
@jeffroey
Those are some good honest weights with a lot of utility. I take it you do a lot of photography while out. Your lists also reminded me I need to add a few things, like tape. And that I need to start carrying my whistle again.

Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...
I like fooling around with long exposures when the mood hits me. Not a pro by any stretch and haven't done more than invest in a clip-on Neutral Density (ND) filter, a portable tri-pod and a remote shutter. Worth the weight IMO.

20250620_161540-EDIT.jpg20231009_125213.jpg20250620_155734-EDIT.jpg
 
mt_flyfisher said:
I’m a bit late to this, but here goes.

I have a Riverstick wading staff, my second one. My first one was a bit longer than I needed, so I sold it to a guy on here, and ordered a slightly shorter one. As many other owners have already said, yes, they are great staffs, but a bit heavy if you’re going to do a lot of hiking in conjunction with your fishing, IMO.

Asking Humphrey what his thoughts are about making a titanium staff would be a good idea, but possibly pretty pricey.

@[WR] I appreciate your position about the risks of fishing in the west, and I also think people would be better served by carrying pepper spray rather than a gun in most instances. However, after being a member of the Washington and the PNW fly fishing forums for a number of years, and having a Washington State resident as my best fishing partner for many years, I think I might prefer to carry a handgun rather than bear spray if I planned to go fishing in Washington State…for better protection against 2 legged wild animals. 😀
Click to expand...
Yeah, you got to be selective. And prudent. And, I am. I let the situation dictate the equipment.
 
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