fly boxes / carriers for tube flies?

[cabezon]

Hi folks,

I've just started tying some tube flies. What do you use for carrying them around while on the water?

Steve

[gigharborflyfisher]

I just use a cheap little box with like six tray slots, and a little 10 compartment flip open box for the hooks. No need for anything to fancy for them. I you are looking to do a little nice box, HMH now has tube fly boxes that are pretty dang nice.

[Les Johnson]

I have a couple of nice tube fly boxes that came from Angler Sport Group. However, they aren't the best for salt so I save them for freshwater tubes. My go-to box for saltwater tubes is the Plano 3500; all plastic with adjustable dividers. It doesn't rust, is inexpensive and fits into my vest or shoulder bag.
Les

[klintd]

I use also use the Plano 3500 for my tube flies, very inexpensive and effective.

[segge]

There are 3 that I know of ....

Wheatly makes one ... but you have to NOT have a cone on it or it won't take the tip of the tube which must be jamed into a cutout in the foam insert.

Morrell makes a foam fly box with magnetic closures. The tube fly version has crossbars with metal pins on which you thread your tube. It won't take tube flies tied on really small tubes like the HMH micro tubes. but it works well

I have the two boxes above ... the one I don't have is the Scierra Wire / Slit Foam for Tubes Box. it has long thin wires on one side of the box which you thread multiple tubes on and lock them in place. the other side of the box has foam slits for hooks and non tube flies. It looks to be the "best" ...

BUT ... here is what I USE...

Buy a cheap plastic box with good latches of the configuration you want. Many of the new ones have movable deviders. get some FAT straws (you can find them at cash & carry) or pick up a few at your favorite fast food restaurant .. just look for the clearest color you can get so you can identify the fly better. Then "suck" the fly into the tube ... or push it with a stick or something ... real bushy flies can still fit by slitting 2 straws lengthwise... sliding one over the other ... and offsetting the slits. You can store a ton of flies in very little space. You can pick one out and not have it tangle with all the others. It protects the flies and keeps them from getting wet with occ splashes or rain drops while choosing a tube fly streamside ... I put my wet tubes in my wader pocket and dry them out and re-straw them when they are dry ...

Hope this helps...

Steve

[Jeremy Floyd]

I use ziplock freezer bags (the blue ones) because they are cheap and waterproof. I may go through as many as 4 or 5 bags in a year. Saves me a lot of money.

[cabezon]

Thanks everyone. Because I'm likely to be fishing with a mix of traditional flies and tube flies, I like the idea of a box, such as the Plano's that you've mentioned, just for my tube patterns. And I really like the idea of storing individual flies in straws; that should help preserve the feathers, etc.

Steve

[speyfisher]

You can always shove a hook into the junction tube and then store them in a conventional fly box.

[Wild Steelhead]

Why Didn't I think of That???