fly boxes

[jbm78]

just wondering what you guys recomend for fly boxes im tired of carrying 4 or 5 boxes in my vest thank you guys. Thanks for all the help guys im fairly new to this forum and you guys are alot of help thank you very much

[Benny]

I really do have to say that it's a good idea to have a few boxes most times, unless your fishing tiny creeks where all you need is midges and small nymphs and a few drys.

1. Nymph, emerger, and midge box, cause well all know nymphs catch more fish

2. Dry fly box, just incase that hatch starts to come off, cause surface action is cool

3. Streamer box, most streamers are big and you need to make sure you have a large enough box for all those big meaty patterns

C&F Design makes some really sweet boxes. I have this one in the photo below and it holds a <oops> of flies. I have mostly nymphs and midges in mine with a few dry flies on a couple of rows as well.

[Rob909]

I have that same C&F box that Benny shows above, and I agree with him that they are nice boxes.

I have nymphs and dries in that box and that is the one that I carry most often. Then I have a seperate streamer box. I try not to carry too many as well.

I have found that I can work mostly out of that one nymph/dry combo box. So I think you are on the right track with consolidating your flies.


Rob

[Eric]

I carry the above box for nymphs and the regular c&f box for midges and another c&f box for drys.
Eric

[midger]

For fishing the local streams to small, nonselective trout, I go light and generally only carry two small boxes. A foam Morrell that is 3 inches by 4 inches and a aluminum Okuma that is 2.5 by 3.5 with 6 individual closing sections for dry flies. I carry a mix of flies in the boxes that have covered all the "hatches" I have found locally--mainly ant patterns and small stimulators.

Here's the Morrell:



Outside:



Here's the Okuma:



Outside:



The nice thing about the Morrell is it weighs practically nothing and if dropped in the stream floats like a cork--you just have to be fast enough to catch up with it as it charges downstream.

The Okuma holds a lot of small dries. I carry adams, ants, some small humpies, royal wulffs, and some stimulators. These boxes take a beating. Note the big dent in mine. Doesn't affect functionality at all.

Now for destinations where I need wider variety, I keep boxes broken into fly types. I have morrells filled with nothing but caddis, ones filled with nothing but baetis, streamer boxes, nymph boxes, etc. I keep many, many flies in boxes in my car when traveling, and create boxes at location to mimic what I find on the water any given day. For example, the Lower O in February--better have lots of baetis/BWO/zebra midge; March/April--lots of caddis. Streamers are also good to carry on that river all the time.

Have fun organizing the flies. I'd say 5000-10000 ought to do it.

[209er]

Do any of you who own the c&f boxes have a problem with them closing correctly? I splurged a few years ago and bought one while at the Missouri and since day one I always have to close it twice to line up. These aren't cheap but geez closing one should be a no brainer. Midger, the sizes of flies in your boxes looks like mine with the exception of those that have those shiney and white bead things. I have none, yet! I know, I know. Oh wait, I lied, I think I have one in my saltwater box. 09er

[Benny]

Here are a couple of photos of my box.


Note how little dries


You might notice that the pheasant tails are huge part of my fly box, I wonder why

[209er]

Holy crap! Benny, are you always so organized or am I a slob? Nevermind, no need to answer. I open mine and stuff falls out. 09er

[beachbum]

Nice boxes! Mike and Benny, I would gladly fish a few of those flies those for you!

A couple years ago, I shed my vest, and got a chestpack. This year, I got a smaller chestpack, with a zip down fly bench. I load that for the particular water I am fishing. I usually carry one smaller fly box, for the specific hatch, or situation, that I am fishing. This is my BWO box.



p.s. wooden boxes float.

[BradW]

I go strictly with waterproof boxes, after a few swimming lessons on the Kern. I like the smaller new SA or Flambeau (blue ribbon) boxes that will easily fit in my vest. They hold a boat load of flies as well.

Brad

[duckdog]

i have a bunch of c&f boxes , and really like them. they hold alot of fly's and hold them well. i have 2 of the small boxes w/ the midge threader's , 3 of the small flip page , a couple of the mid size , 3 of the large. that's just for the bwo's ,pmd's,caddis, and nymph's. i use some old scientific anglers foam row boxes for streamers, leeches, and hopper's. i have an old orvis box that i use for really small trico spinner's and duns because it is a shallow compartment box and those small fly's are easy to get to with my big dorky fingers.
if you want to limmit the no. of boxes that are in your vest, get a few of those small flip page c& f's, each one holds a few hundred fly's
i tend to go in the opposite camp when it come's to what i take on stream . it pretty much all come's. this in part because i am a pack-rat, but just as importantly , a paranoid pack-rat.not paranoid about being w/o the right fly, but about coming back to my truck and finding that it's been broken into. all of the fly boxes and reel's that i really am not going to use go into a day pack along with lunch and water. i started doing this a few year's ago and found that i don't even notice wearing the pack. some day's i'll even take the vest off and put that in there and just carry a small box in my shirt pocket.
bottom line, you want a box that hold's fly's well, allow's you to get at your fly's , that is the right style for the type of fly that you plan on putting in it[ you don't want to put dry's in a box that doesn't allow room for the hackle, or will crush the wings ], and if it float's that's a real plus. while we're on the oopp's factor, it's a good idea to carry a good magnet in your vest. drop the last size 22 bwo that you have on the ground while fish are popping all around you and you will be glad that you have that magnet.

[briansII]

I use the same boxes as Benny. I have been able to trim the amount I carry, by 1/2. I almost feel naked now, but this is what I carry now.



With all the spare room in my vest now, I can finally fit that kitchen sink!

briansII

[Benny]

*! Now that's a lot of flies

[Eric]

Brian those sure are some full boxs.
Eric

[Hatch71]

BriansII ..... Dude those Streamers Rock!!! My favorite... Go for the big ones!!!! Chris