Four small fly boxes or two bigger ones?

[randyflycaster]

For trout fishing I carry four small fly boxes. I'm thinking of switching to two, double-sided bigger boxes.

Which would you prefer?

Randy

[sagefisher]

Depends on how you are going to carry them for one thing. However, if you use 4 small fly boxes you can have more small fly boxes at home, loaded up with particular flies for specific waters, then all you do is exchange boxes before you head out. If you switch to 2 large boxes you will either be hauling around lots of flies that you would never use on a particular piece of water or you will have to be taking out flies at home and loading different flies for that water.

I perfer a number of smaller boxes set up for specific waters.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Buddy Sanders]

I'm with Larry.

He hit the reasons for smaller boxes loaded for specific purposes.

I think how you carry them is just as important. A multi pocket fishing shirt will hold 4 small boxes, so no need for a bulky vest. Those two sided things are thick. More thickness means they won't fit in standard pockets well. I found that even in a vest they stick out farther, to the point where I was hitting them while doing common tasks like knot tying, unhooking fish, freeing snagged flies from brush, etc.

Up to you, but I like smaller boxes simply because they carry easier.

Buddy

P.s; It's an unusual day when I fish a stream with more than two or three patterns anyway...I could probably get away with one small box...B.S.

[sandfly]

OMG...... I carry 32 boxes in my vest alone. one box has 500 flies all mayfly nymphs, stone fly's in another and caddis larva/pupa in one more.. Guess I learned this from Ernie schreibert, the man would fill his waders and vest with so many boxes of flies..

[zaxaca]

[QUOTE=Buddy Sanders: I think how you carry them is just as important. A multi pocket fishing shirt will hold 4 small boxes, so no need for a bulky vest. /QUOTE]

That's my thinking. Fishing shirts with large pockets (many are inexpensive) have change the way I fish. Boxes in the shirt pockets and everything else on a lanyard, a waist belt or just pinned to the shirt. I don't even know where my vest is anymore.

[randyflycaster]

Thanks folks. Some very good points.
Randy

[Thomas]

For trout I now have three c&f boxes.Each are the clip style one has 12 rows that hold nymphs and midges one for dry flies then a medium box that holds terrestrials.I have sold last year a lot of flies I felt I didn't need or use and stuck with what I have caught most on and also one note I have fished lakes for warm water species more because of less travel time and money to go up there.

[NewTyer 1]

I carry the small boxes because they aren't as bulky as larger boxes and also not as heavy. I have switched to the Orvis lightwieght magnetic boxes and hardly know I have them. I too like to have flies for various waters divided into each box and only take what I will need for the day.

[Greg H]

if you use 4 small fly boxes you can have more small fly boxes at home, loaded up with particular flies for specific waters, then all you do is exchange boxes before you head out. I perfer a number of smaller boxes set up for specific waters.

I am another one in favour of small boxes for the reason quoted. I always take wet flies in one box, plus a very small box of miges/BWOs 'cause you never know when they will turn up. The other 2 boxes are chosen based on the season (spring = nymphs and small streamers), (August = Caddis and hoppers), etc. Another popular box is emergers (from June to mid-August). IF I take dry flies, they are in an 8-compartment box and I always review before heading out - again based on the water and season. So I have evolved from taking everything 'just in case' to selecting ahead. If I am wrong in my planning - so what? It is fishing, not survival. And if for instance I didn't bring dry flies and miss them, then I will learn how to use wet flies (or whatever) better, until the 3 hours are up and I return to the car for lunch and a rethink/restock.

[Gandolf]

Hi Randy,

Add me to the small box crowd. I carried a couple of really large boxes for a while, and they were just a pain to deal with in the vest. They made it hard to get anything else out of the pockets, they were hard to get in and out, they were bulky and in the way. That was the initial reason I switched, and will never go back. Now I carry too many relatively poorly organized small boxes.

My set up is not really that great, but is much better than the big boxes.

Regards,

Gandolf