Tackle, including fly rods, reels, lines and leaders, are not covered in this course.  There is a separate course for each of these topics.

"Ditty Bag"

The "ditty bag" (old Army term) is the fly fisher's carry-all.  It is a "streamside" companion that holds the necessary gear essential to a fly fishing outing.

Also called: kit bag, duffel bag, gear bag, accessory bag, tackle bag, boat bag, etc.   Many styles are available, and some of the key features to keep in mind when selecting one are:

1.  durability . . . this equipment gets a lot of use & abuse, so a bag made of hard finish nylon, canvas, etc., with sound construction, is preferred;

2.  compartments . . . a compartmentalized bag is recommended for ease of storage, organization and accessibility of items: e.g., reels, fly boxes, camera, glasses, raingear, first aid kit, etc.;

3. waterproof . . . this bag is going to get wet if it goes fishing with you, whether in a boat, on the stream, or on saltwater, so some means of water repellency to help keep your gear dry is preferred;

4. size . . . give some thought to what types of fly fishing you will be doing, and what gear, etc., needs to come along; some bags are "overkill" in size; and, many fly fishers want a bag they can use as "carryon" on commercial aircraft.

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