Favorite fly boxes

[coug]

That time of year, raining like crazy here so tying and organizing gear for upcoming season. Will not be long now! Looking at maybe getting a new fly box for dry flies and another for nymphs so thought it would be a good discussion. What are your current favorite boxes and why? Protecting hackles is a must for my dry fly boxes.

 

[zjory]

Cliff super days worth is by far the best if you want to carry both in a single box.

 

[goshawk87]

I really like the Orvis-Tacky Collab boxes for nymphs and general use. They also have the dry dropper and one with a side for dries.

 

[sparsegraystubble]

I love the Tacky/Orvis collaboration boxes for nymphs and small leeches or streamers. For hackled dries I still prefer a compartment box so i use the big C&F box that has foam slots on one side and lidded compartments on the other side.

Neither works well for big/junk flies so I also carry a simple foam box with big buggers, stone fly nymphs and the dreaded mop flies.

And all of that leaves room for a little Myrans compartment box for the tiny stuff in my Umpqua chest pack.

I tie and carry way more flies than I use.

Don

 

[osseous]

I love the Tacky/Orvis collaboration boxes for nymphs and small leeches or streamers. For hackled dries I still prefer a compartment box so i use the big C&F box that has foam slots on one side and lidded compartments on the other side.

Neither works well for big/junk flies so I also carry a simple foam box with big buggers, stone fly nymphs and the dreaded mop flies.

And all of that leaves room for a little Myrans compartment box for the tiny stuff in my Umpqua chest pack.

I tie and carry way more flies than I use.

Don

I was with you, right up until you said Mop Flies...

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[sparsegraystubble]

I was with you, right up until you said Mop Flies...

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Fishing for steelhead years ago, I tied and carried egg patterns. They never got wet and finally were culled just because I couldn’t get fired up about using them.

Then in the 90s I tied up a dozen each of red and brown San Juan worms. Same thing with those and they are in a box somewhere.

Then a couple years ago, I read an article about mop flies and tied some up. I have actually caught trout on the chartreuse ones during spring run-off. And, yes, I am somewhat ashamed and very unlikely to fish them again.

In my defense, I have never even been tempted to tie, fish or allow in my box any of the squirmy worm ilk.

Walt’s Worm however is one of my favorite nymphs.

So we have established that I have no standards, just prejudices.

Don

 

[osseous]

I have a box with eggs, SJWs, mops, and, alas- even squirmies. It stays in the back of my vehicle~

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[planettrout]

I prefer compartment fly boxes for dry flies. I will however, mix nymphs and dries together in compartment boxes if they will be used separately or sometimes together on waters that I visit. Here are some examples:

This is a Wheatley compartment / slot box that is offered by Orvis. I picked up three of these from their store in Pasadena, CA. Check their main site for availability. Those are all Caddis patterns I use.

Both of the above boxes are from Myran. Myran boxes are distributed by Umpqua Feather Merchants. Open them sitting on the bank, not in the middle of a swift river:

MYRAN BOX | Umpqua

Above is a DeWitt Box. They will hold the largest dry flies like October Caddis, large foam patterns and #8-#10 dry flies. Although they appear thin, they are very sturdy boxes:

Plastic Compartmented Boxes & Organizer Inserts On DeWitt Plastics, Inc.

This box was offered by Orvis at one time. It has removable slots so that one may adjust sections to their liking. This box (link) is similar and follows the same concept:

15 Slots Adjustable Plastic Fishing Lure Hook Tackle Box Storage Case – Nicerin-Best goods & Free shipping

Finally, that guy Poppy has one of the best selections of Wheatley Fly Boxes I have ever seen...he is just down the road from us...unk:

PT/TB

 

[osseous]

I don't understand the lack of proper compartment (individual door) boxes available today. Seems like an opportunity for somebody to come out with something. I carry the C&F, but they're awfully thick. Tacky only makes single sided boxes, unless you go the Orvis route. The Umpqua are super heavy and the slits are a little wonky...

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[johan851]

I really like the Orvis-Tacky Collab boxes for nymphs and general use. They also have the dry dropper and one with a side for dries.

These are great boxes, as are the other options from Tacky.

If you like the two sided boxes, you can also (carefully!) combine two of your Tacky boxes into one: Our Tacky Hack – VEDAVOO I did this with an original and big bug box to make one just like the Orvis prior to the collab coming out.

The dry fly box, which I also have, does a nice job protecting hackles.

 

[osseous]

These are great boxes, as are the other options from Tacky.

If you like the two sided boxes, you can also (carefully!) combine two of your Tacky boxes into one: Our Tacky Hack – VEDAVOO I did this with an original and big bug box to make one just like the Orvis prior to the collab coming out.

The dry fly box, which I also have, does a nice job protecting hackles.

This did not work with the two identical Tacky boxes I own. The magnets repelled each other.

I have no desire to fiddle with each dry fly to place it just so, to ensure that neither the hackles, nor the tails are being damaged. Compartment boxes require no such precision of placement, and hold a lot more flies at the same time.

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[JoJer]

I haven't been in my gear at all this year, but I've hauled it around some and, man, I need to thin out some of the gear in that thing. It must weight 15 pounds. It wasn't that long ago that I did this with my last vest. Then I got a Simms vest as a gift and it has more pockets than a herd of kangaroos. I haven't filled all the pockets, but it really needs some lightening.

 

[r reese]

I'm go more traditional on box's. Wheatley aluminum slotted foam

 

[coug]

Great collection! Great shout out for the Red Shed, I know the place very well!

 

[sparsegraystubble]

I am trying an inexpensive plastic box from a local fly store. It is clear plastic and has two sides, each with 10 individually covered plastic lids that latch shut. The two halves lock together with the lids facing each other and a molded plastic catch keeping them together.

I’m not sure if the catches will wear out easily and make it a problem. But the owner of the shop uses them for guiding and says he has not had a problem in a couple years of using them.

They hold a heck of a lot of dry flies for just a bit more than $10. If it holds up it almost seems too good to be true.

Don

 

[johan851]

I am trying an inexpensive plastic box from a local fly store. It is clear plastic and has two sides, each with 10 individually covered plastic lids that latch shut. The two halves lock together with the lids facing each other and a molded plastic catch keeping them together.

I’m not sure if the catches will wear out easily and make it a problem. But the owner of the shop uses them for guiding and says he has not had a problem in a couple years of using them.

They hold a heck of a lot of dry flies for just a bit more than $10. If it holds up it almost seems too good to be true.

Don

I've got a couple of those. They are very functional and you don't have to fiddle with lining hooks up into grooves, as osseous pointed out with the Tacky boxes. I recently discovered a couple of those in a box of stuff and I did think they were nifty enough to keep. Especially if you're putting a quick fly mix together for a trip where you know what you're going to be using.

My bias towards the Tacky boxes is (1) they're pretty and (2) they fit perfectly into a pocket in my hip pack.

 

[trout stalker]

This year I am using Tacky fly boxes. Was using CF Design and in the past Richard Wheatley. The memory in the foam on CF Design was geeting bad. As for the Wheatley's the only complaint is the price of the window boxes.

 

[jeffnc]

You cannot beat this, at least for nymphs. This thing with the swingleaf is only $10, 5" x 3.5", and holds 408 flies!
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