Waterproof Fly Boxes – Who Cares?

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.