[Salmo_g]

I was attempting to organize my trout dry flies a few days ago, when I decided I'm dissatisfied with my random assortment of dry fly boxes. They are all characterized by having separate small compartments to sort sizes and patterns, which seems like a good thing. But in practice, when I open one, especially one of the large ones, it's easy to tilt and dump a bunch of flies out, or even a light breeze can lift a bunch of size 16 or 18 parachute Adams out, making them gone with the wind.

I'm wondering if something similar to a wet fly box, with each fly stuck in foam, and in rows, might be more practical in terms of security and organization by size and pattern. What kind of boxes do you guys keep your dry flies in?

 

[meh.meh.meh.meh.meh.]

It's trendy, but I love my tacky fly box. The Big Bug box holds plenty of flies, big and small

 

[phuck this]

Scientific anglers has a 2 sided clear box with micro slits that I use, onside dries one side nymphs. Works great, they have several sizes including this one that will fit in a shirt pocket.

 

[GelJockey]

I use a non-compartmentalized fly box for my dries. I went from riffle styrofoam and flat styrofoam to to the closed cell foam ones with slits (similar to the one in photo @bk paige shared). I am also considering tacky boxes as well.
I also do like fly boxes with clear or somewhat clear lids.

 

[nomlasder]

I went all in with SA also, with several boxes. I like the clear covers so I can spot the contents quickly.

 

[MRKbass]

I like the clear 2 sided with thin slits in foam and for nymphs, I am really liking these cheapo cabelas flat ones for my sling pack. It's about 3/8" thick has dividers and I can put 100 plus bugs in there easily

 

[Big Rob]

The 2-sided box shown by bk paige up above....those are great, and inexpensive.
I just picked up 3 on ebay for about $10.....shipped in about 2 weeks right from downtown China

 

[Tom House]

I usually carry a bunch of small divided boxes of whatever I think I might need that day. Both rectangular and round. Those plus one double sided plastic compartment box shaped like a turtle plus one completely impractical Wheatley with compartments on one side and flat foam on the other. The foam side works well for compara style and parachutes. Flies with hackle tied around the hook not so much.

Not the most efficient approach but that's what I do.


TC

 

[Freestone]

Ditto what @Tim Cottage said. I have a ton of boxes of all kinds but I usually resort to pre-loading the cheap shirt pocket-sized divided plastic boxes and the good free fly round containers. I may bring a 'turtle box' and a real box or two but usually I just use what is in the cheap pre-loaded boxes. I do the same for big foam dries but they are sorted by size and/or color into round containers or non-divided shirt pocket-sized boxes.

I find that with the small boxes, I rarely lose any to the wind as they are easy to protect and I rarely drop a box as they are so easy to hang on to. I sometimes feel stupid or cheap knowing that I have lots of fancy boxes at home but I keep finding myself using the small cheap or free plastic boxes.

 

[quilbilly]

I use a C and F box, compartments on one sidr, foam slits in the other.
What I figure I'll be using goes in the slits, back ups stay in the compartments.
Agree that wind is an issue with compartments and small drys, but having back ups is important to me, so this works for me. Also use a foam slits on both sides box for hoppers, and big stones, waterproof and it floats....also important for me.

 

[Stonefish]

I was attempting to organize my trout dry flies a few days ago, when I decided I'm dissatisfied with my random assortment of dry fly boxes. They are all characterized by having separate small compartments to sort sizes and patterns, which seems like a good thing. But in practice, when I open one, especially one of the large ones, it's easy to tilt and dump a bunch of flies out, or even a light breeze can lift a bunch of size 16 or 18 parachute Adams out, making them gone with the wind.

I'm wondering if something similar to a wet fly box, with each fly stuck in foam, and in rows, might be more practical in terms of security and organization by size and pattern. What kind of boxes do you guys keep your dry flies in?

Pictures of all of your flies would be helpful to determine box size required.....
All kidding aside Sg.
If you are so inclined, you can make your own nice sized one sided boxes for about $3.50 each in materials if you visit Hobby Lobby.
SF

 

[quilbilly]

Pics.....

Lol.....

 

[Bones]

Swing leaf boxes are nice, depending on fly size. I use them for all my BWO, midge, trico and Idaho/Montana water mayfly hatches

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Medium-Fly-Box/1519052.uts

Larger stonefly and salmonflies are kept in an open container format.

Quantity matters too. I have thousands of flies for various fisheries so it's nice to have the extra space in a swing leaf.

 

[David Loy]

Pick a box with micro-slits. The C&F are solid, and you can insert a center leaf with say larger gaps for streamers. I'm currently on a (repeat) journey to carry one box to actively fish out of and am using the Umpqua Weekender. Nothing's perfect but I figure it gives me enough options for an average day or few. The leftover flies (because it won't fit all those copper John's and everything else too) stay in one of the previous brain child's, SA X-Boxes, and may come along if in the boat. The largest streamers (5 or 6) go loose in a separate smaller lexan box along with an assortment of leaders and extra tippet that might come in handy. It's a good slightly minimal but fairly complete package in the WJ Amp Chestpack. Only time though before I switch things up again.
G'luck.

 

[GelJockey]

I haven't tried this one with dry flies, but I like it a lot for my other flies:

This one happens to be a Plan D fly box.

 

[Old Man]

I bought 4 fly boxes from Allen Fly Fishing. Clear plastic lids with the foam with the slits. I got all my flies in them. They cleared up a lot of fly boxes. Now I don't have to carry very many of them. Plus they float and are water proof.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

I like these, several sizes:
https://www.bigyflyco.com/Double-sided-classic-2-detail.htm

 

[Krusty]

For tiny flies the clear seven day a week pill boxes work great. Cheap, and found in any pharmacy.

Frankly, knowing about such a thing is about the only old fart advantage I can think of (except possibly, at this point in our lives, of finally having coin larger than our wants).

 

[dryflylarry]

I like the C & F fly boxes. Some knockoffs fall apart so beware.

 

[the_grube]

I just picked up a Tacky fly box: https://www.amazon.com/Tacky-Fishin...&qid=1513786049&sr=8-5&keywords=tacky+fly+box Seems to be a nice piece and not terribly expensive. I do wish the magnetic catches were just a bit stronger. I've been known not to throws flies loosely into those type of boxes in the heat of battle.For winter steelhead I'll use the tacky for anything tied on a hook, and a cheap plastic compartmented box for stuff tied on a tube or a shank.