The Lanyard is Perfectly Acceptable!!!

The age old question, lanyard or vest? Is one really better than the other or is it a fly fisherman fashion statement? Personally, I’m a lanyard kinda guy. My buddies all use the vest approach. And we still can’t figure out why people use anything that resembles a fanny pack worn high on their chest.

The Lanyard Pros: It can hold just enough fly fishing gear. *It’s right out in plain reach for quick simple access.* No pockets or zippers to fumble with. Easy to wear outside of a jacket.

The Lanyard Cons: It can hold way more than you need. (You’ve seen that person with the fly tying vise dangling from their neck.) Can get in the way of your wader’s kangaroo like pouch. Looks a bit silly sometimes. No pockets or zippers. Can’t hold fly boxes.

The Vest Pros: Has more pockets than you can shake a stick at. Can carry a ton of fly boxes. Looks very fly fisherman. Adds a layer of warmth. *Perfect for holding a landing net, sunflower seeds and a can of beer.*

The Vest Cons: Complex with too many pockets to operate. Adds a layer of warmth. Can get loaded up to feel heavy and bulky. Comes in one color, so you have the same outfit as all the rest.

There you have it the lanyard and the vest both have their pros and cons. And whichever you choose to use you’ll look and feel all the part. Everyone knows it’s not what you do… but how you look doing it. So this fishing season throw on that lanyard or vest and head in with a bit of confidence gained from your inner fashion sense. And if you’re really daring you can go with both the lanyard and the vest as an ensemble.