Fly Box That Doesn't Crush Dry Flies

[jhguster23]

Looking for a reasonably priced fly box that doesn't crush the hackle on my dry flies. I have a C&F Designs box which I use mostly for nymphs that is not thick enough to hold dry flies size 14 and bigger without crushing the hackle.

I use a chest pack, so I don't really have the space to carry around a box that is huge. Looking for a fly box that provides a happy medium.

Any ideas?

 

[sundrunk]

I like the older Cortland boxes for my drys? Bill Dewitt

 

[tobewan77]

those orvis boxes with the compartments would work.
http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=97R7&dir_id=758&group_id=17891&cat_id=5135&subcat_id=6030
I have the same problem (C&F box) and i don't like the compartment type boxes either. So if you find another solution please report.

 

[jaybo41]

The website is down right now but I got some cheap boxes from The Fly Stop that have been working great for dries and soft hackles. You can get 2 boxes and they will hold together which is a great way to double the space. I can't recall the price but I believe they were maybe around $7.00.

 

[JackM]

WalMart, KMart, etc. carry small 6 compartment plastic boxes that I use for my dry flies. They are about 3x5 inches. I can keep 4-6 dry flies (depending upon size) in each compartment. Carrying two means you have anywhere from 4-6 dozen dries with you at any time.

I didn't answer on the other thread, but I keep all my dries organized in large "lure boxes" at home and then rotate flies in and out of the small compartment boxes as the hatches change.

 

[ryguyfi]

That is a great way to do it Jack, but for those of us who don't have the experience to know what is hatching and what to bring, we pretty much just "bring everything" and hope to hit a hatch most days. I'm to the point where I know where and when to go for about 4-6 hatches a year and come prepared, but the other days it is pretty much the luck of the draw. So it is tough to be prepared with only a few dozen flies. I bought one of those blue ribbon boxes last year which carries a ton of flies, but yes it smashes the heck out of the hackles. So put me down for the "if you find an answer to this let me know" column.

 

[jayL]

It's not complicated to implement Jack's method. Sulphurs hatch in the spring. Keep em home otherwise. I keep my midges at home in the summer because I don't feel like using them in the summer. I keep my green drakes at home outside of GD time, as well as march browns, isos, etc.

If you know what the above are, you should have an idea of the time of year they are active.

By home, I of course mean "my car", but you get the point.

 

[ryguyfi]

I might impliment something like that, but I still like to "be prepared". I need to tie enough to fill my box back up before it's overcrowded enough to have to leave some at home....


maybe once I get rid of my jeep (gonna be a sad day) I'll have some extra room to keep all my gear in my car all the time.

 

[jayL]

ryguyfi wrote:
I might impliment something like that, but I still like to "be prepared". I need to tie enough to fill my box back up before it's overcrowded enough to have to leave some at home....


maybe once I get rid of my jeep (gonna be a sad day) I'll have some extra room to keep all my gear in my car all the time.

I don't have the room to keep it in there all the time either.

I bought a tupperware bin. I put all of my split shot, fly boxes, indicators, tools, etc in it. It stays in the garage or my tying area. It's absolutely critical that I have it to fish, so it never gets left behind.

When I'm at the stream, I rifle through it and get what I need for the wading jacket/chest pack/whatever. If I forget something, it's in the car. No big deal to go get it.

 

[maxima12]

i find nice stuff at that everything is a dollar store. a 30.00 box to store flies. i dont think so. i keep my flies in my hip pocket, fly float in my pants pocket, couple leaders at hip. rod in hand put on boots, grab basket if trout is for supper. no net, if they get away it has been good. lost biggems at shore. i walk em back. caught biggems, always gave them the chance to leave. no frills, more thrills. the other boy is right. when you get it down. a dozen flies is quite right.

deer hair wings. dark golden ginger hackle, sulphur body and deer tail tail.

ty body heavy, nice clump wings, heavy hackle, 15 strand tail. were fishing the head riffles, fast water, its warm and i want fish. i got some. really not happy to i prick them all.

i have left too many boxes on the roof of my car, bent over in fast water. fell down, had 1 too many and just forgot.

key is you don't have to show off. big is only big in your mind.

i remember back. sitting on shore smoking a cig with 8 paliminos in my basket on the west branch of pine creek above galeton pa.

a fellow on the otherside of the creek said" how you doing" told him i had 8 white ones. he said: "i heard a lot of stories. yours is the best". pulled em out of basket 1 by 1. oh yeah, he never met a guy like me. maybe that man is here on this site. hope so. or it will be only a legend.

maxima

 

[3wt7X]

I've always used the Morell foam boxes. They are cheap, they float and I've never had any problems with my dry fly hackle being crushed. I believe Orvis makes a very similar model. I can easily fit four of them in my chest pack and switch them out as needed.

 

[blueheron]

I'm not seeing any votes for the richardson chest box.
Mine has 3 compartments.First is double sided foam for nymphs and wets and weenies and sjw and holds @ 24 rows with 10 to 20 in a row and the other 2 are 16 compartments and hold @5 to 10 dries in each compartment. I've never counted them but it's gotta be over 500 in a box thats 6x4x3 and is always available and offers a drop down shelf to rig up. Floatant, tippets nippers and stats hang off the sides. I've given up the vest but like to wear a deep pocketed fishing shirt for anything else I might need

 

[maxima12]

is your name dave

 

[JackM]

Here are the $0.99 boxes:

 

[MKern]

Besides my downs I use the cheap ones like Jack.

 

[pcray1231]

blueheron,

I'm a Richardson guy. Just didn't see where we were supposed to vote. The thread is about a guy wanting a fairly small and inexpensive new fly box, I don't see where Richardson's come into play.

 

[jaybo41]

The ones Jack posted are ideal for dry flys, you'll never have to worry about crushed hackle with them. They're pretty much the same as the ones I mentioned in my previous post, but much less expensive. I don't know if the ones Jack posted have a means to be connected, but the ones I referenced do--if that makes a difference to you. Jack's price is tough to beat.

 

[blueheron]

Pcray,
I see a response as a vote. He did mention having a C&F already which is a higher priced box. Not everyone has seen a Richardson box so it seemed like aa acceptable addition to this thread. Sorry if I offended you.

 

[PennKev]

I dunno, the C&F boxes I have work great for my larger (#14 - 12) hackled dries.

Kev

 

[jmh159]

I use the Morell foam boxes that 3wt7x mentioned. I like them boxes because they float and relatively cheap. I've never really noticed my dries being crushed too much as long as you don't overload them.

One time I loaned a fly to my dad and he tucked my box in the side of his chest pack and kept fishing. Later when I needed a fly, and asked for my box back, he started frantically looking everywhere in his chest pack only to notice it had fallen out. At the time all the flies I had were in there. We ended up finding it waaaay downstream snagged on a brush pile. That is why I like the foam boxes.