Organizing your fly box can be so overwhelming. Liz has put together a few suggestions to help with organizing your fly boxes. Make sure to organize in a method that makes sense to you, and will work for you long term. #uwotftuesdaytip
First off, it’s ok to not know the name of every fly.
Start to learn what the fly is imitating. You can do this by several ways.
Start to learn what the fly is imitating. You can do this by several ways.
Online – This information is out there!! Click on Images and Videos.
Pros: Simple, straight forward, works for a more limited selection of flies.
Cons: Each box may still be a mix of Lake/River/Ocean Specific Area Flies.Mayfly/Caddis/Midge will still be mixed together. Harder to see each specific fly unless you subcategorize in each box
Organize Flies by Water location
Lakes, Salt Water, Free Stones, Tailwater
Pros: Appropriate flies for each location, no shuffling between boxes.
Cons: Some flies crossover, more boxes of flies depending on amount of water fished, may still have lots of boxes when taking them on the water.
Organize Flies by Fish Species
Carp, Trout, Steelhead, Bass, Salt Water.
Pros: Appropriate flies for each species, no taking tiny trout flies when fishing poppers for bass.Best when fishing multiple species
Cons: Multiple crossovers, more fly boxes, may have 8 trout boxes and 1 bass box.
Organize flies by Life cycle
Mayflies – Nymph, Emerger, Adult, Spinner
Caddis – Larva, Pupa, Adult
Stoneflies – Nymph, Adult
Midges – Larva, Pupa, Adult
Pros: All the flies you’d need for a hatch, easy to find which stage of Caddis/Mayfly you need. Best way to “Match the Hatch”.
Cons: More boxes to carry, multiple crossover nymph patterns, sorting through multiple Mayfly boxes unless labeled.