The variety of bags you can use for fly fishing is staggering. In general, there are fanny-packs, chest-packs, back-packs, sling-packs, rod bags, all-gear bags, wader-bags and others. If the industry wasn’t already complicated enough from a beginner’s standpoint, it sure is with regard to “bags.” So, what happened to just having pockets? It seems that pockets and bags are against each other. And loops—can you have enough loops on your clothes or waders? Where does it all end? Well, we’re going to break it down and maybe even dispel a myth or two with this article that explores what you might really need and why.
The Ancient Days: Pockets Were Enough
Back when fly fishing was still simple—meaning before the internet, before graphite rods, before an “influencer” could tell you that you’re doing it wrong—anglers had pockets. Big, deep, vaguely canvas-smelling pockets. They stuffed in a tin of flies, some tippet that looked like it came from a sewing kit, and maybe a sandwich wrapped in wax paper. Did it get wet? Absolutely. Was there mayo on the mayflies? Probably. Did they catch fish? Yep, plenty. Today, if you walk onto a trout stream with just your shirt pockets filled, someone will assume you’re either Amish or dangerously underprepared for the apocalypse.
The Rise of the Bag Industry
It started innocently enough. Someone said, “What if I put all this stuff in a small pack instead of my shirt pocket?” Enter the fly fishing fanny pack. A brilliant invention until someone leaned over to net a fish and the zipper opened, sending $300 worth of flies into the drink. Somewhere, a trout in the 1980s still brags about eating an entire Orvis catalog in size 16 Adams. From there, the evolution was inevitable: chest packs (great for blocking your view of your own feet), backpacks (because you clearly need a three-day supply of Clif bars for a two-hour wade), sling packs (for those who want to look like tactical commandos of the creek), and specialized bags for literally every object in the sport. Rod bags, wader bags, reel cases, leader wallets—it’s a wonder we’re not required to check a full set of matching luggage before stepping into the river. And don’t get me started on water-proof phone bags – geez.
The Pocket vs. Bag Cold War
There’s a strange cultural divide in fly fishing now. You’re either a Pocket Person or a Bag Person.
Pocket People take pride in their minimalism. They like to say things like, “I only need three flies, a spool of tippet, and my lucky hat.” They stuff everything into their vest pockets until they resemble a tactical Michelin Man and then complain about how heavy their vest is.
Bag People arrive at the river looking like they’re leading a mule train. They sling packs on their packs, clip packs to their packs, and use carabiners as if they’re scaling Everest. They spend the first 20 minutes of any fishing trip searching for where they put the forceps.
Neither side is wrong, but both secretly judge the other. Admittedly I’m in the middle – I suppose it’s called cross-dressing.
Loops: The Silent Menace
And then there are loops. Fly fishing companies have decided that loops are the solution to everything. Need to hang hemostats? Loop. Need to carry a water bottle? Loop. Want to bring along a folding chair, a small umbrella, and a Weber grill? Don’t worry—there’s a loop for that. Waders now come with more attachment points than a NASA space suit. The modern angler can leave the fly shop with nothing more than a pair of waders and emerge looking like a Swiss Army Knife with legs. It’s a miracle people don’t get snagged in airport revolving doors or sucked into a nearby MRI machine.
Breaking Down the Bags
Let’s take a quick look at the main suspects in the Bag Wars:
Fanny Packs
For those who like their flies stored close to their kidneys. They’re great until you try to sit down, at which point they become an instant flotation device.
Chest Packs
Like wearing a shoebox on your sternum. Convenient, but you’ll spend the day feeling like you’re in a never-ending CPR training course.
Backpacks
Useful if your fishing trip doubles as a Himalayan expedition. Bonus: you can carry a full cooler of LaCroix if you’re really committed.
Sling Packs
Marketed as “ergonomic” but mostly just ensure you smack yourself in the head every time you swing them around for access. And did you ever wonder why they only seem to make left-sides ones?
Rod Bags
Because nothing says “serious angler” like unrolling your rod from a bag that looks like a pool cue case.
Wader Bags
These are essentially plus-sized gym bags with mesh (and lots of loops). A necessary evil, because wet waders smell like something that died in 1997.
What Do You Really Need?
The truth is, you don’t need all that gear. What you actually need is organization. Pockets, a pack, or a sling—it doesn’t matter. The only rule is this: if you can’t grab your fly floatant in under 30 seconds, the trout will sense your panic and laugh at you. For most anglers, simple wins: one fly box, a couple spools of tippet, nippers, forceps, floatant. Done. Everything else is just marketing trying to convince you that success requires a titanium magnetic net release—oh, and watch out, those rare earth magnets aren’t exactly pacemaker-friendly.
The Myth of the “One Bag Solution”
Every year a company releases the “ultimate fly fishing bag.” It’s always described as the bag that “does it all.” Spoiler: it never does. If you think your bag is the one to rule them all, congratulations—you’ve simply achieved a state of denial that marketing executives dream about. No matter how many compartments, expandable zippers, or hydration systems it has, the truth is simple: you’ll still forget which pocket you stuffed your strike indicators into. And just for the record, I’ve owned over twelve bags in the last eighteen months… and in the words of Bono, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”.
The Real Reason We Keep Buying Bags
Bags aren’t about utility. They’re about hope. Every new bag is a promise: This time, I’ll be organized. This time, I’ll know exactly where everything is. This time, I’ll catch more fish because I’ll spend less time digging around for my nippers. Of course, that promise usually lasts until your third cast, when you realize you forgot to pack leaders altogether or that “featured” loop seems to reach out and grab each backhaul. But hey—the bag looked great in the parking lot.
Where Does It All End?
Maybe the future is integration. Imagine smart waders with built-in storage, climate control, and GPS tracking for your dropped forceps. Add that to a location-tagging system that marks the spot of your last Tiger Trout and I’m in! Or a bag that automatically organizes your flies by hatch chart and presents them on a conveyor belt like a sushi restaurant. Or maybe the end is actually a beginning—when anglers collectively remember that a pocket is just fine. That trout doesn’t care if your gear came out of a $300 sling pack or your grandpa’s chamois shirt. That simplicity, not storage, might be the secret to catching more fish.
Fly fishing will always be a dance between tradition and over-engineering. Bags, pockets, loops, and gadgets—they’re part of the fun, part of the comedy, and part of the tragedy when your $80 fly box takes a swim. So, what should you do? Whatever makes you smile. If you love sling packs, sling away. If you prefer a pocket and some duct tape, go for it. Just remember this: the trout do not care about your bag. They care about whether that tiny speck of fur and feather looks like food. Everything else is just baggage.