How Many Flies Of Each Type...size Or Pattern Do You Think You Need To Have In Your Fly Box

[Guest Sundancefisher]

After tying two pretty flies and losing them both during a nice feed...I got to wondering how many flies do people like to have in their box.

 

I know some anal guys will have dozens and dozens of flies in different sizes...but for a one day outing...is 5 enough? 2 definitely is not enough :-(.

 

Any thoughts?

 

If chironomiding...it can be pretty daunting how many flies you need. Color of head, thorax, abdomen, bead or no bead, color of bead, color of thread, type of thread, type of wrap, size of hook, type of hook...wow...no wonder them boxes are full.

 

 

[Swede]

I tie 12 of each size of pattern am tying because am tying for me and my wife. Not sure why because very rarely have we lost more than a few each in a day of fishing. So all vote 6 for one person because am anal lol

[darrinhurst]

I buy and not tie, but when I buy I will typically get 6 of each pattern. Keep six in my chest pack and the rest in the fly box in the rear pocket of said chest pack.

[ironfly]

The key word to me is NEED. I've always said you need at least three; one for the tree (or rock), one for the fish, and one for a friend.

[Guest Sundancefisher]

The key word to me is NEED. I've always said you need at least three; one for the tree (or rock), one for the fish, and one for a friend.

 

I have had many a day of 3 for a tree, 4 for a fish, a couple for who knows where they went...after that fiasco...I am usually asking a friend for a fly.

[Teck71]

At least 6. 2 for the trees, 2 for the fish, and 2 to share for good fish karma

[jdangler]

The smaller they are the more I carry, because the thinner tippet, but only in the ones I have the most confidence with. If they are new fly to me, and just experimenting with then 3-4.

[Wanny]

Looks like the avergae is 6. So are we saying if you have copper johns for instance in sizes 12, 14, 16, 18, in colors copper, purple, and green. Then you would have 6 for each specific color and size..... so 72 flies? Or just 6 for each size, 2 for each color?

 

I try to carry 3 for each specific color and size.

[Guest Sundancefisher]

Looks like the avergae is 6. So are we saying if you have copper johns for instance in sizes 12, 14, 16, 18, in colors copper, purple, and green. Then you would have 6 for each specific color and size..... so 72 flies? Or just 6 for each size, 2 for each color?

 

I try to carry 3 for each specific color and size.

 

...and once the final tally is in everyone must comply or pay be 6 of each as a penalty

[Conor]

Man. I hope you guys don't carry too many patterns. Say you have 12 patterns, 3 sizes, 3 colors- thats 648 flies!

 

I prefer to carry more patterns than 12. I probably carry 6 or so of my favorites in each pattern (maybe 4 patterns in that category), maybe each size, maybe each color. But I have a ton of patterns in my box that I have just one or two of each size, random colors. I guess I'm a bit of a pack rat; you'll never know when you'll need something.

 

I guess I kind of like the idea of paring down to just the basic patterns, but I am not even close to that organized. The pack rat thing, too.

 

This winter I started tying a dozen at a time. Worked well. But I don't load them all at once.

[bowbuster]

usually 6 or more of every fly i tie or buy and all diff colors. depending on the fly and sizes maybe more than 6 but i know that carrying 5-8 flyboxes is just stupid. Im sure theres lots that have issues like myself. id like to break it down to just 2 boxes but since im not in calgary anymore i dont have to worry about that for the time being. Although here i just have a box for each species that i fish for , sometimes 2, but some of the boxes are like the big buggar boxes out there and arent gonna fit in a vest . guess i still have those issues. hmmmmmmmm

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

dry fly i keep 3-5

nymphs 3 in one size and 3 one size up usually

[fishfreak]

i generally keep 3 of each in my box, and replenish regularly. if i'm out of a particular fly, it forces me to try a fly i don't normally use.

 

however, i have more (~6) of my go to flies, which i'll share with others or just lose on trees, rocks, and bad casts.

[Argentis]

I'd like to have 6 of whatever the fish want, but it rarely works out that way. When I have the right fly, I'm usually losing them to fish, rocks, trees, etc. I never seem to lose flies until I start catching fish.

[hydropsyche]

I'm one of those stupid people who carries about a dozen fly boxes with me where ever I go but only 4 or so are "active". The rest sit in my pack and I comb through them when desperate. And sometimes, those desperate flies work and my buddies ask if I have any more. Then, the obscure fly goes into my active boxes for the next time. If they don't produce again, then fall from grace.

 

As I move through my fishing career, the cream rises to the top, but not always. What was cream last year doesn't do a thing for me this year. They go back into the pack but still within reach. I guess that is why I will always have a dozen boxes with me. For those slow days where pattern appears to be more important then presentation.

 

Some guys say all they need is 3 patterns and I'm slowly figuring out which 3. But really, 3 flies takes some of the fun out of fly fishing.

[Gil]

Although I tend to do alot of shuffling around, on average I typically carry:

 

Winter: I carry 3 nymphs patterns all small 16 - 20 ...

Summer I carry ~6 nymph patterns in couple of different sizes (mostly 14s), ~ 8 dry fly patterns of various sizes, ~ 4 streamer patterns.

I like to come up with my own patterns so I'm usually playing with a few experimental patterns, whatever the time of the year. If I find a pattern that working great I usually drop my bottom performer when I go through my carrying boxes...

 

 

I only carry a limited number of any one fly with me, however I keep about 2 years worth of inventory of my favorite flies at home...

 

This is just for the Bow. I have alot of specialty stuff I use once in a while lake fishing etc.

[Ulmo]

half dozen of each, just a couple if its an experimental pattern, i try and keep it simple - light and dark drys, variations of the PT nymph and just a few other seasonal patterns, Sjw and some wooly b's and not too much else, but keeping it simple is tough - all kinds of cool flys that might catch more fish, see? ;-)

[Noud]

When fishing with the single handed rod I usually have 3 nymph patterns with me in different sizes and 2 dry fly patterns in different sizes and colours next to that I will have 3 flymph/spider/calssic wet fly patterns with me. All fit in to a small flybox. When spey fishing I cary one box with streamers. Most of the time 2 streamers of the same size and pattern and about a dozen different patterns in a couple of sizes. And depending on the type of fish I'm after with the speyrod I might also carry my tubefly box which has a lot of flies of which I have only one in the box in each size and weight.

 

I used to carry a lot of flies with me but I caught myself wasting a lot of time trying to choose the fly to use.