I have a quick question; How do you manage your boxes? Do you set up with one box for each different types, such as, nymphs, emergers and midges, then another box have your wets, another box have your dries, and carry five boxes or set up one or two boxes with a variety of all and only carry one or two boxes?
I'm newer to this sport and I'm finding that I might miss a hatch if I leave certain flies behind. Quick story. A couple of weeks ago, I said to myself, I'm just going to nymph....so, I left my wets, dries, terrestrials behind. Well, I experienced fish rising everywhere for what looked like a stone fly hatch. No problem, I reached for boxes that weren't in my pocket. But, as I gain more flies, I have so many boxes it's hard to carry them all. Any advise?
Joerugs:
As you will find out eventually, having the same flies in several boxes so you always have them, means you have to replenish two, three or more boxes when you run low.
Inevitably, you will steal flies from box two for box three in a pinch, rather than buying or tying replacements resulting in all of your boxes being low at some point on those flies you always need.
For that reason, I suggest you avoid that pitfall…
The simplest way to manage your boxes is to carry less of each fly & size, buy smaller/shallower fly boxes, organize them by type of fly and/or season and carry what you need at a specific time plus an additional box with stuff you want with you all the time.
For example:
First make up an “always need” box or boxes with caddis, Blue Winged Olives, midges, maybe some terrestrials, attractor nymphs, junk flies, streamers and other flies you never want be without. Carry that/those box(es) all the time.
In my world, this would probably represent two boxes.
Then make up a couple of seasonal boxes with specific flies to match specific insects and only carry those at the appropriate time of the year. When that time of the year is over, take them out of your vest/pack/pocket/pouch and replenish them at your leisure for next year.
If you want to reduce the total number of boxes carried even further, create some overlap (two or three flies) in the seasonal boxes for early or late hatches so you don’t have to carry two extra boxes between seasons. For example, make sure you have a few Sulphurs in your summer box to get you past late June or July if you encounter any stragglers.
In my world, this would be one box per season.
Total number of boxes carried: Three
The trick as I mentioned earlier is to reduce the number of flies you carry, (I carry about three of each pattern/size). Store extras in cheap fly boxes back at your car. Check your fly boxes before you head out and replenish as needed or IF you run out while fishing (which has NEVER happened to me), go back to the car, have a beer and get some more.
Of course the simplest thing is to go minimalist and carry one box, but as you are new to fly fishing, it will take you a while to discover (if you ever discover) how to dumb it down to a couple of flies.
Have fun & good luck!!
