Taking Stock of Your Fly Fishing Flies Inventory

When was the last time you checked your fly box? If it needs some organizing, now is a good time to do that.   I do not know about you, but by the end of a season my boxes are a train wreck.   A typical early season activity for me is to go through all my boxes, discard flies I know I won’t use, organize by fly type and species, and make a list of needed inventories.

Basic tips for organizing your fly box:

There are many ways to organize your fly box. I do it by size, according to patterns, types of imitations, stages, and species of fish. The key is to organize it in a way that is comfortable to you. For instance, for my trout boxes, I have one for dries, one for emergers and nymphs, and one for streamers.   I have a bass fly box, a bonefish fly box, a musky fly box…..you get the idea.

Keep similar things together!

In my dry fly box, for example, I will have all my BWO patterns together.   The same goes for Caddisflies.   For something like Caddisflies, I will also go from light to dark in pattern…Gray, Tan, Olive, Brown, Purple, Black etc.   It’s actually quite helpful and efficient on the water to have a little OCD up from.

Make sure you have the right fly box!

As your collection of fly fishing flies grow, it may be time to invest in a box or two.   Size your box to what you’re going to put in them (statement of the obvious).   Big streamers, big box.   Size 26 midges, put in a buddy’s box with good eyesight that can thread to suckers!  

Do an inventory

Depending on the fly, I normally carry either 3,4, or 6 of a particular pattern and size.   I have a buddy that goes by the old adage, two for me and one for the tree.  Really its just personal preference.   Most folks are in the 3-4 range.   I routinely do 6 flies.   I own a fly-fishing business and I tend to give flies away as a token of good will and a bit of marketing.

Need new flies?

RiverBum is well-stocked with wide array of fly-fishing flies, load up your boxes today!