Archive for the ‘Fly Fishing Gear’ Category

I’ve been looking at some of the newer (and very expensive) fly boxes that are now available. It’s seems funny to me that many of them are being sold as if “waterproofness” was a big deal as far as fishing flies. One company says of their boxes,

“These boxes have an absolute airtight seal with a recessed silicone gasket and postive locking system. They will NOT leak!”

I’m not too worried about my fly boxes “leaking.” They are seldom filled with water in the first place. But perhaps they mean that these boxes won’t leak in. But so what if they do? I’m going to be taking flies out of the box anyhow, and putting the fly in water. Sure, it will dry somewhat if I give the fly a few quick casts in the air before returning it to the fly box but it will still likely have some moisture on it – and now I’m putting it back into a “waterproof” box? For what purpose?

I suppose if I drop the fly box in water, I don’t want water getting into the box. However, the odd time I have dropped a plastic fly box into the water, I was able to grab it in time as it floated before much moisture got in to it. If I’m fishing situations where I can’t get the box because the current is too fast, I’m unlikely to ever see that fly box again anyhow, waterproof or not.

How often do you drop your fly boxes into the river?

Another company says this about their waterproof fly boxes:

“Moisture proof so flies stay dry”

Huh? Are these flies you are planning on using for fishing?

Here’s the thing: If you are using a waterproof box – unless they have come up with some new waterproof breathable material for fly boxes, once you shut that box, there is no evaporation or air flow going on. Put a slightly damp fly into a waterproof box, it has less chance that it will completely dry in a waterproof box than one that is not waterproof.

As far as long term storage, I’m not too worried about humidity getting into my fly boxes and ruining the flies. When I went to visit the Canadian Sport Fishing museum in British Columbia some years ago, they had a collection of Alexander Haig-Brown’s flies on display – and they weren’t kept in any waterproof fly boxes. They seemed quite fishable to me after all these years, too.

I have a collection of nymphs and other wet flies in fly boxes that my father owned. When he passed on, I inherited the boxes. The fly boxes are not waterproof and I know my dad fished those flies – getting them wet. I’m sure he did not dry every single one of them carefully before returning them to the fly box – and guess what? After more than ten years, those flies are still quite fine!

Personally, I think you risk more damage through material rot and rusting of hooks when using a waterproof box that does not allow for evaporation and airflow. If I were to have waterproof boxes that I used regularly, I think I’d probably drill a few tiny holes in it.

What’s your opinion? Worth the extra money to get waterproof fly boxes or do they really serve a purpose worth the extra cost? Tell me in the comment section.

Being a manufacturer of scuba diving gear and coming up with innovative designs might help you break into the fly fishing market.  Omega Aquatics Inc is doing just that with their new Navigator FlipFins™, fins that will apparently make it easier for anglers that use float tubes when fly fishing.  Blades can be flipped up or down, and when up, the angler can comfortably walk on ground while wearing them.

According to the press release:

“Navigator’s revolutionary and durable Aqua-Hinge mechanism, highly efficient blade and raised slip resistant thread designs provide an essential combination of performance and safety for all float tubers and pontoon fisherman. Prominent central web configuration contributes to increased propulsion and reduces load required during sustained kicking, while providing maximum power and comfort. Stainless steel torsion springs push the blade up against the shins while fishermen are walking around on shore and flip down into swimming position once they’re in the water. This switch can be done by actually locking the latch into place manually or by giving one swift kick in the water.”

Looks interesting and very convenient to me!  The website for the FlipFins is located at www.Flipfins.com.

But, the suggested retail price of FlipFins is 169.00US. That’s quite a bit more than the $46.99US that Bass Pro Shops is asking for their
Turbo Thruster Float Tube Fins.

I just posted my review of the nifty tool that no angler should be without: The monoMaster.  It’s a fantastic device that holds waste monofilament and fly fishing anglers should really take to this.

As well, I’ve just discovered that there is another suggested solution to modern mono and the hazards it can pose when not disposed of properly. With a HT to MidCurrent,  there’s an article in Field & Stream about a new “environmentally friendly” tippet material that is bi0-degradable called Bioline.

Merwin writes:

A “normal” 4X nylon tippet will be .007-inch and approximately 6-pound-test. Flyfishing-tippet is ordinarily scaled and sold by diameter, not pound-test. That means all spools of 4X should measure .007-inch, regardless of brand or strength. Unfortunately, Wright-McGill is not following that industry-wide convention and appears to be scaling the Bioline tippet sizes by strength instead of diameter.

That quibble aside, the Bioline tippet does seem workable as a leader material. And unlike discarded or lost nylon–which is a substantial environmental hazard–it will biodegrade fairly quickly. (The makers say, by the way, that full strength is retained for 8 to 10 months.)

~ Field & Stream

The stuff is apparently quite expensive, but as production rolls out, it may get cheaper like other new things on the market.  However, I have a couple of thoughts on this. It’s great that this stuff is bi0-degradable, but some anglers may see that as a justification to toss their wasted material without disposing of it properly because it will eventually break down. However, tangled bits and masses of mono can still pose a hazard to both humans and wildlife if just left there, as well as the eyesore it will be to the next person that comes along.

So it’s still a good idea to get a monoMaster or be sure to collect your waste material and bring it back off the water with you. Hopefully the manufacturer will get the problems with the correct diameter to match the standard X rating of tippet material too!

Related:

Understanding Tippets And Leaders