Sunday, July 19, 2015

Essential Gear for summer activities

No kidding around, it's hot and fishing in this weather can be dangerous.  Don't forget to hydrate.   This isn't new information.  But carrying a bunch of water in a cooler and stopping has always been my challenge.  It's easy to pack what you need in a kayak but taking a break from fishing or paddling is where I usually slack off.  Plus, if you're wading and walk away from the kayak...what do you do?  Carry a bottle in your shorts or clip it to your belt.  Both are better than planning to walk back when you want a drink....that could be too late.  Another option:







The last few years, I've been using my Camelbak for fishing, wading, and kayaking.  I love it and consider it essential gear for anything and everything I do outside.  The CamelBak has been around for years, but if you're not familiar.  It's basically a backpack with a 2 liter reservoir and a 2 foot straw.  I strap it to my kayak's seat and wrap the straw around the chair.  I can drink while fishing or paddling.  It's out of the way but there when I need it.  Very convenient.



When I stop to wade, I take it off the seat and wear it.  It's got a few pockets if you want to pack snacks or fishing stuff  (like your fishing license, sunscreen, phone, etc).  My fly line never snags on it and it's not heavy.  The biggest advantage is where you carry the water and having ready access to it.  You can pound the pads with a baitcaster or keep a fly in the drift while you're hydrating and never look away or put the rod down.  Fish more and be more productive, while you avoid dying from heat stroke...AWESOME!





Be really cool to see a kayak manufacturer come up with something similar for their kayak seats. Until that happens, this alternative can help you avoid getting dehydrated while your fishing/kayaking.  The water is literally sitting on your shoulder...so fish and drink on!  Stay hydrated my friends.

**Other models have lots of pockets, bigger reservoirs, and can carry a lot more gear.  I prefer the lighter set-up.  I've owned this one for about 10 years and had to replace the reservoir twice.  I consider that pretty durable.  http://www.camelbak.com/

***Store the reservoir in the freezer to cut down on mold that might grow (can be hard to clean)

8 comments:

  1. I learned a very valuable lesson many years ago while hiking and fishing in Yellowstone National Park. Almost, almost, didn't make it out safely.

    Carrying a CamelBak is a fine idea. Thanks for sharing a very valuable tip and how to manage the system.

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    1. Thx Mel, another great example of how important carrying a supply of water is on any fishing trip. I saw a story on the news yesterday about a letter carrier in Monroe, that was feeling "fine", went to grab a bottle of gatorade....got dizzy and lost his balance. Happens very quick! Luckily, the homeowner had been a EMT at some point and responded.

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  2. Hydration has become even more important for me since my heart surgery. As luck would have it, I had a Camelbak that I never used, so I gave it away. Time to go shopping.

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    1. I can certainly understand why. Check Walmart for other brands. The reservoir I'm using now, was purchased from WM (not CB). I'd bet you could find a way to just place it in a backpack that you may already have. Hope it works out for you!

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  3. Hydration is definitely critical in this Arkansas heat. I have been carrying bottles in a small cooler but the camel pack looks like a better solution. Have you tried freezing water in the pack? I talked to one angler that did that and he said he had cold water all day.

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    1. You're right Matt, with temps in the upper 90's and heat indexes reaching nearly 110, water is the first thing I pack. I still carry frozen water in my cooler (when kayak fishing) for refilling. When I remember, I'll freeze water in it. I usually forget. When that happens, the cap is large enough to pack with ice. My 2004 model, won't keep any ice over 4 hours. But always stays cool! Thanks for the comment.

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  4. Drew
    Got to get one of those rubber nets, not a fan of trying to pluck my fly out of my fabric net, especially when you have the trout in the net too. Good tools of the trade--thanks for sharing

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    1. Definitely helps with snags, in the net and my hand or leg. Plus they don't retain the smell that fabric nets are famous for! I won't go back to fabric.

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