Fly Boxes

[Wildfisher]

I'm mainly talking river here

No matter what I buy it's never right. Big boxes are useless for river fishing when you want to travel light with no bag – just a loaded fly vest. Small boxes require great self discipline  in what and how many flies you decide to carry. Last season I settled on one small box of spiders, on box of heavies and two small boxes of dries. These fit into the vest OK. The dries always seem crushed and out of sorts though – yes – I pack far too many in and never use 90% of them!

I'm still not happy. Four "small"  boxes – I lost one last year- all my F flies and had to tie up another batch in a big rush before I headed up to the Crask in May.

What is the ideal solution in your opinion?

I think ideally I have to get down to one box that will hold a selection of all the river flies I need and fit into my fly vest.

Any recommendations for something functional and not too expensive?

[Clan Ford]

Fred,

I just use the one box - its a big waterproof C & F box.  Slits one side for my nymphs, spiders and wets (around room for 200 flies) and individual compartments on the other for dries, indicators and even more nymphs (as many flies as I can cramb in)!   These are by far the best boxes I've used, not sure if they really are bomb proof but I've dropped and drowned mine enough times to know they can take a fair hammering.  Its the waterproof bit that I particullarly like as I have ruined many sets of flies by giving the box a dunk in the past.  Unfortunately its one of the more expensive boxes (Approx ?30) but considering the amount of flies I carry around I think its worth it as it keeps my flies in better condition than any others (lets face it the hooks are pretty important when it comes to catching).

Norm

[haresear]

I normally take 3 C&F boxes with me on a river. Two with dries and one of the waterproof ones with nymphs and a few wets and even a few lures at times.

On a loch, I also add in a Wheatley with foam rather than clips which holds my loch wet flies.

Here is a shot of the flies I'm taking to NZ. The three on the left are my day boxes and the others are my stock boxes and stay in the car.

[haresear]

loads of cracking looking flies there Alex. Have you had any joy over here with they big foam chernbyl ants and the likes?

I had a good day on wee  Loch Awe (Assynt) in a Mayfly hatch, Col. I've tried them on rivers when nobody was looking, but only really on days when nothing was happening, so I haven't really given them a fair shot yet. Maybe when the Mach Browns appear they would raise a big fish.

Breac, remember I don't carry all these with me :shock:. Most are spares in case I run short of a killing pattern or lose a fly box or two. I'm good at that. I now keep them on lanyards made from pole elastic.

Alex

[stickleback]

A couple of years ago I plonked for a large C&F which I like but is pretty bulky.  Last season I also got one of these newish slitted/compartment 'mini system' Lureflash boxes - at ?7 splendid value IMHO and it focusses your mind on fly selection !  Perhaps not as large as you'd like but they come with neck straps - you could have one round your neck and keep another in your pocket ?  http://www.yga.yorks.com/acatalog/Fly_Boxes.html
Pity the larger Theseus one at the top of the page doen't seem to have a dual slit foam and compartment version nor a neck strap.  Also no P&P to pay with YGA.

Scierra are also doing a large, C&F type, box around the ?20 mark, with quite a few variants
http://www.fishingmegastore.com/acatalog/Scierra_Boxes.html

[Wildfisher]

Thanks for the tips lads

Just found a nice one on ebay - ?18 "buy it now".  Looks perfect for a day river box

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/C-F-Design-CF1306-Fly-Box_W0QQitemZ320203073618QQihZ011QQcategoryZ36160QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

have ordered one

[Harpo]

I was on the same quest as well and have ordered onea box...oh ebay is to easy...buy it now, pay through Paypal...then forget about it until it comes through the post 

[Wildfisher]

Well, I got one of the CF boxes. Not cheap but excellent. This one  has nymphs, indicators and other odds and ends like spare tippet rings.  There are  5 sections left for some dries. Have ordered another the same for  my dries, spiders and a few other wets. They will fit into my fly fishing vest  easily and are very light weight. Thanks to Norm et al for putting me on to these boxes. They  are the best I have seen to date.

[attachimg=1]

[haresear]

Fred,

I noticed the Fish Pimp indicators. They will eventually fly off if you use the silicon rubber stoppers. If you substitute a piece of cocktail stick, they will stay on.

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Thanks Alex, I'll do that