daypack indecision - its causes and cures

I'm going on a tenkara road trip 

and I'm angsting over what to pack for two days by the water, far from home. This isn't wilderness fishing you understand, but there is sure to be many miles of walking between any contact with 'civilization'. So staying happy and comfortable and not leaving anything vital out of the day pack is pretty crucial to a successful trip. On the other hand I love traveling light and have a hatred of carrying unnecessary gear. 

I remember reading Ted Simon's cult classic "Jupiter's Travels" where the author deliberates over this very same issue. Now, unlike Ted, I'm not preparing to ride a Triumph motorcylce around the globe but he does come up with a system for packing that could be really helpful - organising his luggage like the rooms of his house. It's a great way to make sure the essentials come with and the less than useful stays back at home.

So here's my travelling kit organised the Ted Simon way, all intended to fit in my new Esoteric sling pack - your list will be different to mine I'm sure, but the general principal fits:      

essential non-fishing gear

kitchen
energy bars x 4
nuts (in small ziplok bag)
apple
ziplok bag (for all the above)
water bottle 100cl


bathroom
sunscreen
mossi repellent 
plasters 
antiseptic wipes
hand gel
toilet paper
ziplok bag x 2 (clear - one for the above, one for waste)

office
fishing licence
fishing permit
driving licence
beat map (if one exists)
bank cards (x 2 kept in different locations)
cash (coins for parking + notes)

studio
camera
sports cam & housing
smart phone
car charging leads

wardrobe
lucky hat
polaroids
lightweight waterproof jacket  


and the fishing cupboard

rods 
Enshou ll 3.6 (for finesse)
Hellbender plus spare tip (for bigger fish)

Lines 
(for stealth & finesse)
Fujino midi, Fujino soft, Nissin level in 2 weight     
 
(for windy conditions and big flies)
Sunline sniper 4  weight, titanium line with indicator beads

Tippets 
Fluoro 4X, 5X, 6X, 7X, wire traces for jack pike (yes pike!) 

Flies
one box each of classic kebari patterns, traditional western flies, perch & pike streamers

Hardware
net, snips, haemostats (two sizes), tape measure, scales, a few split shot, hook hone

Other
tippet mud, floatant, lanyard (my net I wear on my belt)

  ...written down this list sounds like loads but the whole shooting match is light enough that I don't feel overly encumbered testing it all out. And even better, it all fits nicely into my sling pack. Time will tell whether it still feels this comfortable after two days of hiking & fishing.. (I'll be posting up a warts and all review of the sling pack from Esoteric Tackle when I come out the other end)..

Good to go!