Posted on July 30 2018
A boat bag to a guide is like a middle school kid with drama, there isn’t one without the other. When guiding, I have found that it is extremely important to have a boat bag that you like and fits your guiding style. The Simms Dry Creek Boat Bag fits my guiding tendencies and keeps my gear dry whether I am practically diving into the river to stay in a honey hole, or taking a day off with my fellow guides and going through wave trains on the river.
What I like:
Reaching into my bag has become second nature to me I do it so often. The front buckle on the bag allows me to keep it closed, while being able to quickly open it to change a clients fly or tie on a new one, because they lost the 12th fly of the hour. Being able to keep the bag closed keeps my gear mostly dry in a hard rain, or going through a rapid. This bag is also big enough to keep items that will entertain those that are not particularly interested in the fishing, or keep clients minds off the fishing when the fish aren’t biting. I can easily load it down with any flies I need for the day, an extra layer, binoculars, first aid kit, all my stream side tools, notebooks, and even a frisbee. It’s sturdy shape allows me to keep it beside me guiding and not have to worry about crushing it when sliding across the top to get out the boat or use it to leverage a monster bull trout into the boat. The two drying pads on the top of the bag are vital for keeping your fly boxes rust free.
What I would like to see:
I like to keep my boat right beside me in the raft and am constantly looking for a place to put a tippet spool on the top of the bag. Having to either lean down to cut tippet from the spool on the side, or open the bag to find my tippet spool from the inside, wastes precious seconds. When a hole is coming fast and your client just broke off with no place to anchor, those seconds could mean the difference between a fish and no fish. Not to mention that when leaning down you have to move your eyes from the river, which could spell disaster.
Who is it for:
If you like to bring the kitchen sink with you on a float trip, the Dry Creek Boat Bag from Simms is a great option. The large interior compartment come with two movable dividers so an angler can customize this bag to his or her needs.