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William Joseph Bags

Reviewed by Simon Lewin

In the relatively few years that I’ve been fishing I’ve got through more combinations of waistcoats and bags than I care to remember. Most have been passed onto friends and family who have taken up the sport and I’ve been left waiting for something better to come along. And I think I might have found it.

Based in Utah, William Joseph manufacture a range of ‘soft goods’ that have had probably as much thought put into them (if not more) than plenty of the rods and reels on the market.

The range runs from a simple chest pack through to the hefty Cross Country. The first thing that you’ll notice is build quality and workmanship. All of the bags in the range are made from a heavy duty cordura with quality zips and buckles where required. The oversize zip pulls work a treat - perfect for opening and closing pockets with cold, wet or gloved hands. And each product in the range is designed to serve as many purposes as possible.

The Chest Pack (£48.00)- the smallest of the bags - is designed to be worn, er, on the chest. A single flap - or ‘work station’ folds down to reveal a fly holder plus pockets for leaders etc. This is an ideal bag to keep in the car or to wear in situations where you’re having to do a fair bit of river bank scrambling.

The Emerger (£86.50) is a waist worn pack with stacks of room, again featuring the fold down ‘work station’ and multiple pockets for up to 4 fly boxes. This also comes complete with 2 water carriers and the front section can be detached and used as a chest pack.

But my favourite bag must be The Creel (£74.50). You’ll have seen this style of ‘over the shoulder’ bag before but not designed for fly fisherman. And it’s this bag that I think I’ve been waiting for. The first thing I noticed in use is how well is disperses the weight of a full bag.

The front section of the bag features a fold down pocket with a piece of foam to hold flies. There are also a number of pockets for leaders etc. On the outside of this there’s a mesh fronted pocket (perfect for holding a spool of nylon), 2 zinger coils and a number of tool holders.

There’s a smaller pocket above which looks suspiciously like it’s been designed for a mobile phone, though if you prefer being out of reach it would be perfect for sunglasses too. Two loops allow you to attach a rod and carry hands-free.

At the back is a larger 2 pocket section, ideal for additional fly boxes, waterproof jacket etc. Alternatively you could use this to store water, running a tube through the strap to the front, similar to the Camelbak systems used by cyclists.

There are a number of other bags in the range, including some proper back pack and luggage options.

Now, the cost. These bags aren’t cheap. The range runs from £24.50 to £165.00. I guess that value for money is in the eye of the beholder, and it’s worth remembering that you’re paying for some pretty extensive product design which makes these bags so effective.

The full range is also covered by a lifetime guarantee - you pay the postage back to Utah and in return you get a replacement bag. Simple.

If you’re looking for an alternative to conventional bags and waistcoats I’d recommend that you take a look at the William Joseph bags.

Available in the UK from Lyttles of Dunchurch - www.lyttlesofdunchurch.co.uk