Yeti’s Simplest Piece of Gear Is Also Its Best for Fly Fishing

I like quality gear, but not a lot of it at once. This is a small battle I fight every time I prep to go fishing. What I actually need versus what I want to bring along.

Keep It Simple, Keep It Quality

I’m drawn to gear that’s simple in design, well-built, and performs at a high level. If it makes my fishing easier or more efficient, I'll find a place for it in my fly fishing rotation.

What Gear Do They Use?

I recently spent a week at The Ridge lodge in Alaska, the place of fly-fishing dreams, with wild rainbow trout and char as long as your arm. As expected, I took interest in the gear the guides used. The equipment they rely on gets banged around, dropped, dragged, and abused daily — and this goes on for four months straight.

A fly angler measuring an Arctic char on a Fishpond net. — An Arctic char that measured more than 30" | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

A guide's gear has to perform day in and day out; it’s a set of tools their livelihood depends on.

Time Tested Equipment

The lodge had three guides, and each had their own favorite rod, reel, pliers, jacket, and other essentials. Every piece of gear they carried had been proven over time and earned their trust through use.

A guide's locker with his jacket, firearm, fly fishing reel, hat, sunglasses, and line cutters. — Some of what I carried while guiding. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Alaska Separates the Good Gear from the Bad

Back in the early 2000s, during my first year guiding in Alaska, I decided to treat myself to a wading jacket. At that time, I had never owned a proper one.

Catalog Fishing

I don’t remember if online shopping was a thing then, but I do remember getting those big Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s catalogs. I could spend hours flipping through them, looking at all the fishing gear.

A fly fishing guide tying on a fly for his client while standing in the water of a shallow river. — A good looking jacket, that didn't last a week in Alaska. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

My First Wading Jacket

One of those catalogs had a line of clothing called “Guide Tough,” and wading jackets were part of the lineup. It was cheaper than Simms or Orvis, so I bought one. When it arrived, it looked the part — pockets, neoprene cuffs, zingers for nippers. I thought I was set.

You Call This "Tough" Gear?

I got to the lodge, set up my locker, and went to work. - One week. One week! And the “Guide Tough” jacket started falling apart. The neoprene ripped. In a downpour, the jacket soaked through. The material was anything but tough.

"Guide Tough?"

I learned fast: more often than not, "Guide Tough" is a marketing scheme made up in a boardroom by folks who care more about logos than longevity.

Today's Gear

Back to present-day Alaska, while each guide at The Ridge had his own system and brand preferences, I did notice one piece of gear that all three guides carried with them on the river. I call it the Yeti Pouch. I know it has a more official name, but really, it's a pouch.

A guide holds onto a raft with his clients in it on a creek in Alaska. — The Yeti SideKick is waterproof, roomy, and keeps storage simple. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Function Over Bells and Whistles

This caught my attention. With all the fancy hip packs, sling bags, backpacks, and vests on the market, the one piece of gear every guide at the lodge agreed on was a simple pouch made by Yeti. The guides wear it on their waist, swing it forward to grab what they need, then slide it back out of the way.

Gear Built With Only What You Need and None of the Fat

After a week of watching, I understand why the Yeti pouch earned its place. Every day, it proved itself reliable. It’s a tough piece of gear — simple, with no BS or false pretenses.

A fly fishing guide sitting on a raft pulled up to shore with a Yeti Sidekick bag tying on a fly. — Most guides like to keep their gear choices simple and functional. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Making the Cut

I have a trip coming up to South Africa. Because of the weight limitations on the flight to Johannesburg, I'm having to be more selective about the gear I bring. It's a matter of paring down to only what is needed— the Yeti pouch made the cut. KB

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