Gierach It
If you ever become interested in going minimalist with regard to the gear accessories you take to the stream, start with leaving the sling pack (or fishing vest) at home. That's the first step, and it requires you to rethink what is considered "required gear" for a day of fishing. A few years ago, I read a John Gierach book about him looking for a fishing shirt with enough pockets so he could forgo a fishing vest and pack, it peaked my interest. Once he found the perfect shirt, he only took the minimum tools, a small fly box, and would leave the water bottle in the truck to keep as light as possible. He found he could fully hydrate at the truck and not have to pack the weight of a water bottle, returning to the truck hours later for lunch and rehydrating. I didn't fully appreciate why he did this when I first read his story. However, now that I'm his age when he began this 'go as light as possible approach' to stream fishing, I surely understand now. The ...
