Fly box...show and tell

[Gregg]

I read a cool article a while back by John Barr about his fly boxes and how he has them organized. Definitley more in depth than mine, but cool to see how the "pros" do it. I have my nymph box set up in kind of a similar way, what about you guys? Any good tips for organization? I find myself using the same flies over and over again, like birds nests, dirty birds, copper johns, various caddis patterns, etc...so not too much variety. More depth in the "go to" bugs I guess...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/flybox3.jpg

The left top 2 rows are normally devoted to copper johns, I seem to go through the reds the fastest, but the chartruse usually produces pretty well also.

The next three are stuffed with dirty birds. This is more for steelhead season, they usually get rotated out in trout season for more seasonal patterns, but in the winter it's all about dirty birds... Gino Bernero swears by this pattern, and after drifting with him on the Rogue last March, I'm a believer too. I'll usually rig a copper john as a dropper 18 inches or so below the bird.

The right top row is all caddis type patterns, usually a mish mash of what the shop says is producing. There are some golden stones in there, and some other stuff...

The right second row is a small midge selection, then some rubber-leg bugs. I don't usually carry many midges, but I probably should.

The third row is almost always stuffed with pheasant tail & flashback pt patterns, but I'm terrible at tying them so I'm regulated to buying them when I get a chance to.

Below that are a few rows of bird's nests... A go to when nothing else seems to work.

Lastly, the ugly bugs. Big, furry, flashy stuff.

What about you guys? I've heard people that have whole boxes devoted to one type of bug. I'd imagine that most boxes would look pretty different from one-another, as different locations require different flies...

[bolden]

Since i mostly fish for trout, my boxes are pretty much wiped out from the season so a picture wouldn't be too helpful.

I have one box devoted to mayflies, mostly pmd's and bwo's, along with March Browns in the spring, and callibaetis
in the summer. I have one small box full of midges, and one with tricos. I also have a bigger box full of mostly caddis,
but i also have all my attractors, terrestrials and wooly boogers in there. I then have a box full of big wooly boogers for lakes,
and finally one with a bunch of sculpin, baitfish and leech patterns for rivers. Since i have been fishing lakes quite
a bit this year, and going to montana for two months next year, i am going to create a big box full of lake patterns.

The only nymphs i carry for rivers are birds nests, pheasant tails, size 10 stones (skwalas on the yuba), micro mayflies,
and dark lords. The reason for the lack of nymphs is because i almost never fish them. I figured out how to successfully
fish dries from about january through november. Since dries are not too successful during december, i usually the many
flies that will last for the year for me and my dad.

When i get all my boxes full and organized, i will post pictures of them.

[Jasonh]

Nice box Gregg. I am the same as you when it comes to nymphs, some sort of caddis and a copper john variant dropper. Those dirty birds look a little different than the standard ones i have seen. Do you have the recipe for them?

Jason Hartwick

[Wingman]

Gregg, nice. Good photo and description. Mine is not worthy of public posting. I tend to grab what I want from plastic storage bins and stuff into an ugly box, in no particular order, and go. Fish specific boxes is something I have pondered, but not yet attempted to establish. More examples of well set up boxes would be helpful to the tackle challenged such as myself :oops:

[Jeff F.]

Yep, I remember that article. That guy had tons of Copper Johns!

Anyway.....do you have a recipe for the "Dirty Bird"???? Thanks.

[Gregg]

Allright...I am a novice tier so don't laugh at me when I use the incorrect terminology :lol:

For the dirty bird (which Adam Grace showed me...):

Hook: 3761BL (tiemco maybe?) in 10, 12, 14
Bead to match color & size
Thread: Black Uni-Thread 6/0
Wire: copper brown, BR, ultra wire
Dub to match color intended
Tail & Wing/leg - Hungarian Partridge (I like the smaller, lighter colored feathers)
Flashabou Crystal
Krystal Dub for head

I know most everyone will be advanced tiers, but for rookies like me having someone show me how to tie certain stages of this bug properly helped. Below are some pics...again, more intended for the beginners (like me), but can maybe help others as well...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0910.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0911.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0912.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0913.jpg
this was one of the difficult parts for me at first. Just take a piece of flashabou, cut it in half, then double the section on itself twice. Sandwich it between the thread and finger, then slide and tie in...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0914.jpg
and that's what you should have...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0915.jpg
This was the other hard part... Take a partridge feather & strip to expose some stem. Stroke back the feather, just leaving the tip pointing in the natural direction. Tie it in by the tip, then fold the barbs(right word?) together forming a "V" and pointing back. Wrap so the points face back and tie in...if that makes any sense...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a233/gjshaw/fly%20tying/IMGP0917.jpg
Finish with krystal dub in black, whip finish & throw some epoxy to seal the thread...

Again, I know I used some completely worng terminology...but hopefully the general process made it's way through... Hopefully the pics will help someone who isn't too familiar with the normal recipes...

I like varying the colors a bit & trying new stuff with the pattern. Lotsa fun to tie...

[PatrickM]

Gregg,
Looks like you know what you're doing to me. Nice work on the tutorial. I've also seen the dirty bird tied with wood duck for the tail and hackle, and with peacock hearl as the collar (i.e. just like a regular bird's nest but with a hearl collar). I think your version looks cooler though. Maybe that Adam guy does know a thing or two? :twisted:

[Jasonh]

Great tutorial Gregg. Thanks for the recipe. Just might have to tie up a few of those and give them a try sometime!

Jason Hartwick

[sculpin]

In this post and the other fly box post there are some pictures of some beautifull well taken care of equipment. They are everything my stuff isn't. All my gear is rode hard and put up wet. You guys make me feel like a lazy POS. :D

Mark

[Adam Grace]

Gregg, nice job with the white back ground, I could see the fly better.

Great tutorial Buddy! Nice job.

[Blane]

This is a Ken Morrish pattern and is deadly. I also like his Hot Wire Caddis series of flies. The Amber Dirty Bird is deadly in the fall!