How Many ????

Bruno

Bruno

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Messages
2,364
Now that I have been tying flies for a few years now, I really took a look at the number of boxes I am filling. Here is what I got so far.

1. Dry fy box
2. Nymph box
3. bugger box
4. Steelhead / salmon box
5. terrestrial box
6. A Garbage can - box

I was wondering what the average guy/ gal carries to the stream. Years ago one box would cover me for a day. Now I got six. I also fill a couple of buddies boxes as well. The way I am going now I may need to get a couple of bigger boxes. Am I OCD ?????
 
I carry three small clear plastic boxes in my vest. I load them up prior to going on the stream with a selection I think should work for that day. A larger collection resides back in the truck.

I've read too many accounts where people dropped thier fly box into the stream and lost a years worth of flies. I've also taken a couple of swims over the years and the less that weighs me down the better. Also less that needs to be dried out afterward.
 
I have:

1. dry fly box
2. nymph box
3. streamer box
4. wild trout box(Only box I carry when I fish brookies)
5. Steelhead/egg/globug box
6. Bass box
7. Striper box
8. Midge box (It's only half full)

I normally carry all of the boxes, except the striper box, in my truck and then just put the ones I feel I'm going to use that particular day in my vest. Normally I'll carry the first 3 boxes I listed, but if there is no real chance of any dry fly activity I'll just carry 2. However when I'm mountain trout fishing I carry one box and wear no vest. My goal there is to go as lightweight and least bulky as possible. In addition to my 8 fly boxes I also carry in my truck during the peak of the season 2 storage containers with all of my extra flies.
 
I once carried 6 fairly organized boxes, but these days they have all become garbage cans. I just put the fly in whatever box I'm getting the next fly out of and I seem to be able to remember. One of my plans for this winter is to reorganize them, but we'll see if I get it done. :lol:

Boyer
 
I carry 2 boxes for trout - 1 is a large C&F box w/ slotted foam on 1 side and compartments on the other. The other is a small clear plastic 12 compartment box. I carry the small box only, some tippet and forceps for summer/brookie fishing. It contains some terrestrials, caddis, parachute adams, pt's & grhe's. I also have a bass/pike/muskie box, saltwater box & steelhead box, but only carry them for those situations.
 
I carry four boxes, but they are all only palm-sized or smaller. Two of them are two sided ripple/flat foam

Box a: nymphs, globugs, green weenies, san juans, etc (ripple) nymphs (flat)
Box b: Mayflies and attractor dries (ripple) nymphs and streamers (flat)

I also have a small 12 compartment orvis box. This holds all terrestrials and caddis dries.

Finally, a very small orvis ripple foam box that I use for go-to flies for that day and as a drying compartment.

None of it stays in order for longer than two or three trips.
 
one large nymph/streamer box
One meduim dry/wet caddis box
one medium dry box
one small pupa/midge box
one small misc box and
one small terrestrial/egg box
all in a chest/waist pack...
 
Since I started fly fishing I carry two boxes
1. Medium foam ripple/flat box- dry flies
2. Small foam ripple/flat-nymphs and streamers
 
1. Dry fly
2. Terrestrial
3. Midge
4. Streamers
5. Nymphs
6. Beadhead nymphs
7. 2 small ones for eggs
 
I carry one C&F box while fishing. I used to carry multiple boxes but all I did was cart them around, only using a few flies from them. So I consolidated down to the one box and it works very well.

I keep a limited supply of flies in my truck for additions or replacements.

I used to use a vest but now a chest pack.
 
Probably twince that many, I don't keep track. Everytime I try to narrow it down I get to a stream and I've left something back home or in the truck that I didn't expect to need.
 
For Trout always carried in a large Chest pack:

Mayfly dry box
Caddisfly box
Stonefly / Terrestrial box
Maylfly nymph / Emerger / Spinner / Midges (4 sided swing leaf box)
Streamer / Bugger / Misc & Junk fly box (4 sided swing leaf box)

Steelhead box carried in trout chest pack when SH fishing

For Bass and Panfish always carried in a small chest pack:

Popper / Slider box / Surface Fly box
Streamer / Bugger / Nymph box
Panfish Poppers / Small dries / Small nymph box
 
During the priem time of the season. I carry my 4-5 tray down's box.
(If I'm fishing a highly pressured stream, I often carry a small plastic box in a side pouch and try to keep these flies a secret).

During small stream fishing, I carry one small box that has some dries, and heavy nymphs.

During Winter I carry a small fly box with nymphs or a compact chest pack with a box of numph and streamers stuck in the fly patch inside.
 
around 30.just like to have some flies when im fishin
 
A downs four compartment chest pack that gets all jumbled up as the season progresses. Also three or four small boxes in my vest. I don't know why I need all of these.

For brookie streams, just a couple small boxes in my vest pockets.
 
sandy
that is why you and I have poor circulation problems !!!!!!
 
Dear Bruno,

If I said far more than I need but never as many as I want I'm sure some people here would understand that?

I could have 50 boxes with me and the one I really want will always be in the truck. :-D

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
For trout:
I carry two or three. Midge, dry fly/caddis, and nymph/streamers. I always carry the midge box. I've lined some old Perrine boxes with ripple foam, and sometimes I'll just carry the drys on one side aand nymphs on the other

For warm water
Three boxes. Floating flies, subsurface flies, and experimental flies. When I'm transitioning between trout and warm water on the Wissahickon. I'll carry one trout box with me.

Salt Water.
One large box and a large fly wallet if I'm hoofing it. As many as three if I'm fishing from a boat or riding the beach in somebody's vehicle.
 
I fish only dry flies for trout, and still carry 5 - 8 compartment boxes for larger flies, and 4 smaller ones for midges and terrestials.
I also add and remove flies according to the season.
In april, I carry all my blue quill, quill gordon, hendrickson, and grannoms.
Early may, I remove them, and put in march brown, gray fox, and sulpher
The last 2 weeks of may, my vest is really loaded by adding green, brown, and slate drakes.
But by mid june, I remove all those hatches that are done, and go to my summer mode - lots of slate drakes, tricos, and terrestials.
One fly that is always in my vest are BWO's - in sizes from #14 down to #28. I've caught fish on them all 12 months
I also have several large "master" boxes that I keep in the truck with most of my fly inventory, just in case I run into something hatching that I hadn't really planned on.

One other thing - for dry flies, use just the regular old compartmented fly boxes. If you put them in ripple foam bottom boxes, the hackle will bow up after a while
 
I usually carry 5 boxes in my vest. I know I won't use them all, but I am afraid of being on the stream and not having something I want with me. My fishing time is always limited, so it takes too much time to take flies in and out, so I just carrry them all. I carry:

1. Streamer box
2. Nymph and wet fly box
3. Standard dry fly box
4. Box with Caddis Dry Fly and Mayfly Spinner patterns
5. A small box for ants, tricos, midges
 
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