What's "the Best" Way To Arrange Your Flies!

[ÜberFly]

Is there one "best way"?! I'm sure I'll get a mirad of suggestions and opinions, but here it goes...

 

By bug species (i.e., caddis [pupa, nymph, adult], mayflies, etc.);

 

By fish species, i.e. bully box, trout box, pike box, etc;

 

General - dry box, streamer box, nymph box, (or in Don Anderson's case, a suite case of chironomids, ), etc.

 

or by season, still water, small stream, large stream, etc.

 

One caveat, of course, it obviously depends on how many flies one actually has, naturally...

 

Ok... go!!

 

P

[Conor]

No pro, but I keep a my drys by hatch season in small boxes (midges/bwo, drakes/pmd/etc, caddis, stones), nymphs in one box organized by type (cassis one side, other side various), a streamer box, a stillwater box, a bully box, a pike box, etc.

 

I'm not super please with my organization, and I like this thread idea. Please share your method to madness.

[Birddog]

Ive got stuff allover the place and then spen time rearranging, then stop by a fly shop and by more flys only to find out ive got the same flysin one of my boxes, so i TRY TO SORT OUT MY NYMPHS, DRYS, STRAMERS AND LEETCHES.

[Muffin]

I think this is a great topic, probably end up coming to personal preference but I am curious to see the results.

 

Like Birddog, I run a nymph, dry, and streamers box. Basically can carry it all. I have to reduce my streamers though as they take up so much space so have a spare box and swap them in and out for the season.

 

Got a lot of streamers from fishing the north platte in Wyoming so a little heavy on them compared to the other flies. All though that is rapidly changing. Also a heads up I noticed Wholesale sports in Calgary just off deerfoot and Glenmore was selling 12 flies for $8 if people were looking.

[JONJON]

wholesale flys are cheap for a reason.....took me lots to figure this out.. the lure of cheap got me for a while... now westwinds gets my money... youll notice the difference...j

[Muffin]

Oh really, is that just based on the quality of the fly?

 

I know I have caught some fish on the wholesale flies.

[JONJON]

Yes, i think they are made in kenya.... there okay, but you get what you pay for...the westwinds fly are a little more cash but great quality and better selection.. Icky flys rock too... oneday the white jamaician fly's will rock too....

 

[CDone]

I stock my boxes depending on destination and how much gear I want to ''haul' around. I keep one box of each dedicated to dries, nymphs, streamers, chronies, damsel/dragonfly, scud/shrimp, saltwater salmon/sea run cuttthroat and steelhead. I always have 4 or 5 empty boxes that I can fill on a moments notice with what I think is necessary. I 'load' my boxes from a chest of drawers (nut and bolt organizer) that I'm constantly filling with flies.

If I'm fishing the Bow I usually carry 3 or 4 boxes, if I'm off on a small creek and only carrying my chest pack I try to limit myself to 2 of the small C&F 'leafed' fly boxes loaded with an assortment of caddis dries/emergers/pupae, mayfly dries/emergers/nymphs, hopper/stonefly dries, and streamers.

 

Colin

[fishfreak]

I have the following:

- dry fly box grouped by species, then size

- nymph box (attached to chest pack) grouped by species then size

- streamer/big nymph box

- film can full of SJW's - never leave home without it

- several miscellaneous boxes/cans of flies from Icky/Wholesale that I haven't put in my other fly boxes yet

 

I also carry a small piece of cardboard with a few triple nymph rigs wrapped around it (thanks Toolman for the time-saving tip!)

 

I now have a hiking box (mainly dries and small nymphs), which I also use for fishing downtown during lunch hours, and a spare box of assorted flies for friends who might need it.

 

On the topic of where I get my flies, I get them from Icky, Wholesale, or I tie them myself. I prefer to spend up to a buck a fly, as I tend to lose lots to trees, bushes, weeds, rocks, and fish. I would cry if I lost 10 flies that were $3 each.... ouch!

[agbff]

I have a cup holder in my truck that works super good. Wear a hat and throw the tasty fries up there on your way out

[maxwell]

altiods tins are becoming my favorite fly box!!! anyone got any metal tins they wana get rid of?!

[SilverDoctor]

Love em for storing flies I've tied over the winter, wish there was a source. I also really like cigar boxes, lots of character.

 

altiods tins are becoming my favorite fly box!!! anyone got any metal tins they wana get rid of?!