Peak Design Gear That Changed How I Fish and Shoot Photos

I stopped taking photos when fishing because it got in the way. A well-designed piece of metal led me to a company whose gear makes it easier to balance the two pursuits.

The Peak Design Capture Clip. The MVP of my fly fishing/photography system. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Standing in a river early in the morning — or poling a skiff through a marsh with the sun low in the sky — stepping over small brook trout creek deep in the woods. An alignment happens, pulling my focus away from the fishing. I know it’ll make for a good photo. It's the way the light shifts through mist, a trout’s gill plate so lit up in color it doesn't look real, an image unfolding that's close to sublime — it always feels rare, as if the river and the light conspired to reward me, not with a fish, but with a moment.

Sometimes nature outdoes itself. It is painful when it does, and I don't have my camera with me. Luckily, I had it with this fish. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

My Fly Fishing Comes First

There is a downside to mixing fly fishing with wanting to take photographs: my thorn has been figuring out how to carry a camera so it’s always ready, but not getting in the way of my fishing. When photography gets in the way of my fishing, I always choose the fishing.

You never know when what is in front of you will look like a painting. Have your camera ready. | Photo by Chase McCoy

A Working System That Helps Me Balance Both

I’ve developed a system that allows me to travel with and incorporate my camera gear into my fly fishing, so they can both happen smoothly and efficiently. It's taken a lot of trial and error, adding and subtracting to dial in exactly what I need. But now I'm happy with the results, my fly fishing doesn't suffer, and I can get the shot when I see it.

Be ready when nature hits you with the dramatic lighting. | Photo by Steve Dally

Peak Design Creates Balance

You will notice the obvious. The gear in this article is all from Peak Design. They create some of the best support systems for photography, and their products have had a significant impact on helping me balance fishing and photography.

A Small Piece of Metal That Solves a Big Problem

Funny enough, the biggest fix for keeping my camera out of the way — yet always within reach — comes from a small piece of gear: the Peak Design Capture Clip.

The Capture Clip locks down your camera so it's not swinging from your neck. | Photo by Malia Robinson

Simple and Effective

The Capture Clip setup is simple: it attaches to the shoulder strap of my pack, and a metal base plate attaches to my camera, allowing it to slide right into the clip. It locks in with a satisfying click. The camera sits flat on my chest—out of the way when I’m fishing, but right there to grab when I need it.

No More Excuses for Not Taking the Shot

This means my camera is not loosely hanging from my neck, getting in the way of my casting. Or worse, stuffed deep into a backpack. Stuffing a camera down in a backpack is a photo killer. If it takes that much work to take one shot, you are going to skip a lot of shots.

Security in a Clip

I’ve put the clip through its paces, rough terrain, climbing, hiking, and wading, and I have zero concerns about my camera falling out. Once it’s locked in, it’s in.

Peak Design Outdoor Sling/Hip Pack

The next piece in my system is a small hip pack to carry my camera accessories—with enough room for the camera itself when I want to stow it away. Peak Design makes a Sling/Hip Pack that I use for travel. It’s made from a thin yet strong material that allows for easy folding and packing. It has since become my go-to camera and accessories bag, and not just for travel. It makes for a great EDC pack.

Saltwater fishing, rivers and creeks, the city. I use it in all 3. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

How I Use It

On the river, I use it to hold an extra lens (small), a miniature tripod, batteries, SD cards, and other small accessories. It’s not waterproof, but I rarely wade past my waist, and when I do, I just wear it as a sling.

Around town, I use it when I don’t want my camera hanging from my neck. It comes in different sizes; the 7L fits my Fuji X-T5 and suits my usage.

Peak Design Camera Cube V2

The last piece of my system is the Peak Design Camera Cube V2 Small, which fits inside the Yeti 27-liter Ranchero Backpack perfectly. It’s a padded, protective cube (more like a rectangle) that keeps my camera gear secure when I travel. I slide it to the bottom of the pack, and the weight balances the pack so it doesn't topple when set on the floor. The extra padding shields my camera from the bumps and abuse of plane travel and carrying.

Putting It All Together

These three pieces of Peak Design gear have made it easy to combine fly fishing and photography. From travel to carry to execution, everything works. It’s no longer a fight between the two pursuits. KB- Connect with me and follow Fly Fishing On SI's Facebook page for more of my takes on anything fly fishing.

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"Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" –Flip Pallot

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The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for the purpose of evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.