How Many Flies Do You Carry?

[Conor]

I liked the other poll about number of patterns. Got me wondering how many flies I carry on an average day.

 

This spring I got a new dry fly box, and I unloaded the old one to get rid of the junk and re-organize (by the way, a small cube ice tray worked great for this job). I was shocked to find I had 2-300 flies in the box.

 

I usually carry a dry box, a caddis box, a nymph box and a streamer box. That is on a random in-season day, not when I'm out chasing hatches or winter nymphing etc.

 

I'll bet I'm in the >500 category. Silly.

 

I'll give a rough count before I vote. I recommend you do too. You'll be surprised how quickly they add up.

[bowbuster]

about 500 gazillion billion and end up using 3. but ya never know, i mean, what if? just in case right?

[monger]

Since I started getting serious about lake fishing....I have serious issues...and it's getting worse

[126barnes]

A Hundy or so when I fishing for Salmon, A million or so when I’m chasing trout. I'll agree on the stillwater fishing, I've added 3 more boxes of chronies, leaches & Damsels/Dragons for this summer.

[Pipestoneflyguy]

On lake days I carry a bunch of various boxes like most folks do (I suspect) - its just easy to do so with all the compartments and pockets on the pontoon or belly boat, so why not.

 

Spring river days I raid all the streamer, Nymph wet and dry boxes to do one combo box considering predictable hatches and past succesfull flies at that time and place.

 

Once surface action starts I carry a comprehensive dry box with a couple streamers, nymphs and wets just in case no risers.

 

In terms of what is in my tying room - well I would say I have issues

[darrinhurst]

I honestly have no idea and never really thought about it. I was going to say a couple dozen, but then remembered that I JUST ordered about 100 flies from reelflies.ca and realized that I was much closer to the couple hundred.....

[duanec]

usually far too many or not nearly enough. there is no middle ground.

[bigalcal]

Lots..........except for the one I need!!

[Keith]

about 500 gazillion billion and end up using 3. but ya never know, i mean, what if? just in case right?

 

I work out the same way. I carry around a couple thousand flies but I end up using the same 10 patterns for basically 90% of my fishing.

[proflytyer]

thank you for reminding me i a major problem...

 

Kyle

[ironfly]

It depends. If I'm going to a spot I know well, AND I know what's on the menu, I might take as few as a couple dozen flies.

 

After I'd been fly fishing for a few years I noticed that when things weren't working and I'd tried a half-dozen different patterns, I could become paralysed by too much selection. All of the likely candidates had been refused, so I was left with a hundred different patterns and no way to know which would work. I can remember times I probably spent close to an hour choosing my next fly. I decided that the way of the minimalist was for me, and I've been a lot happier since.

 

I'll never believe anyone who tells me there's only one fly they'll take.

[maxwell]

last year or so I havnt bin bringing much with me! a tin full of a few dozen dries or nymphs or maybe ten streamers! but if I'm heading out to a spot to fish a little of eerything I could say 1000 or more! when pike or bulltrout fishing maybe 20! in my boat when I drift probably a few thousand! and when I guide maybe a few hundred! all over the chart I no! it just all depends on what I'm out to do!

[birchy]

One box of nymphs, one box of dries, one box of streamers. Probably 3 dozen total.. I try to KISS.

[Crowsnest]

Lots..........except for the one I need!!

 

 

I remember on a few occasions fishing with my brother, and he's hammerin them and I'm not. I sheepishly and reluctantly pull a Normand McLean - "What are they bitin on?" I ask him. The answer has been: an old and ugly looking fly he's had in his fly box that he tied himself years ago and resembles nothing else he or I have, and here's the kicker, he only has 1.

 

Frick.

:$*%&:

 

oh, and recently my daughter had to bring a qty of 100 of 1 item to school, I gave her my chironomid box and there were over 100 of them (not much compared to serious chirony ffishers, I'm just sayin that's how many I had). In hindsight, giving a 6 year old girl 100 sharp and pointy fish hooks to bring to school with other curious and grabby 6 year olds, probably wasn't my brightest idea. Luckily no one got impaled and I didn't get any nasty letters from the principal.

 

whew !!!!