My NZ Dry Fly Boxes

I think that everyone that has fly-fished a few years knows the attraction of NZ trout fishing. So, I'm not going to rehash all that has been hashed. But I'm always happy to talk about it if anyone has any questions. The "big deal" about NZ is that there are good-sized trout (3-5 lbs avg) that you can sight fish to in crystal clear waters running through some of the most picturesque spots on the planet. And you can do this in relative solitude (another angler 5 miles away starts to feel crowded).

Fly selections are pretty basic in that the fish, for the most part, aren't too picky in terms of patterns. Hatches are relatively sparse yet diverse so the fish are used to eating a bunch of different types of bugs. Attractor patterns like Wulffs, Parachutes, and Stimulators are the general rule. I carry a few variations of the standards in 3-4 sizes. This will usually cover me for most of the conditions.

When I find a feeding fish, I try to see what they might be eating. It could be anything, so I try to see if there are decent numbers of any one bug in particular and then match that. So I also carry some small cdc emergers and traditional feather wing flies with me as well. January is Willow Grub and February is Cicadas, so I always have a good selection of these as well.

I have no idea how many flies I take with me but suffice it to say that it's probably more than most. Alright...it's borderline obscene. But, they way I look at is that I already have a gadzillion flies and there is nothing more frustrating, that I've experienced, than working a feeding fish for an hour and not being able to get it to eat your fly. So, I believe in having lots of options to throw that fish's way. Plus they're light and I have a great system to carry me through a few weeks.

I use a small C&F sized fly box for my dries that I will be fishing that day. I have a compartment box that is jammed with dozens and dozens of the same flies as that are in my pocket box. I keep this box either at the house or in my backpack and go to it to replenish my flies at the end of the day. This way, I have my full selection with me at all times without carrying 18 boxes. Also, if I happen to lose the small box, I'm not losing my life savings and have a backup.