Mikes Fly Boxes

I have been asked to add this section which was present on the old Mike's Fishing site, so here it is updated with my latest favourites..

Nymphs
Box 1, Nubby Tuck Large size

This box is my most used fly box, my general nymph collection...

Pheasant Tails Size 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16     (P.Cock, traditional  and Copper Variations)
Z-Wing Caddis Olive Size 12, 14 and 16
Nelson Brown Size 8 and 14
Midge Larvae Green and Black Variations Size 16 and 18
Barrs Net Builder Caddis Green Size 12 and 14
Langlands Early Brown Size 12 and 14 (A great early season nymph)
Black and Peacock snails Size 16, 18 and 20
and my favorite and most used fly...
Hare and Copper Size 8, 10 ,12 ,14, 16 and 18  (I have these in lots of variations, P.Cock wingcases, Pheasant wingcases, dark bodies, light bodies. All heavily weighted and all great fish catchers)

This box gets used most everywhere I go, probably 60% of the fish I catch are from a fly in this box.

Nymph Box 2  Nubby Tuck Large Size

My bead head and general large Nymph Box.

Hare and Copper Bead Heads Size 8, 10 ,12 and 14
 (In assorted styles and bead colors / Sizes, although black 3 mm tungsten beads are my favorite)
Pheasant Tail Bead Heads (Again assorted bead colors / sizes)

A quick word on beadheads, I am slowly replacing my brass beaded flies with the newer heavier tungsten beads, which whilst they are more expensive are definitely better fish catchers, allowing me to fish a smaller nymph while maintaining a good weight.

Green Stoneflies Size 8 and 10 ( A couple of variations Carty's being my favourite)
Brown / Black Stoneflies Size 8 and 10 (Again Carty's are fav. but I carry a few variations)
Langlands Perla Size 8 and 10
Langlands Heavy Creeper Size 8
Buller Caddis Size 8 Grey and Green Variations 

Dries
Box 1, Myran 18 Compartment Plastic Box.

This box is my big and bushy box it contains the following patterns...

Humpies Red, Green and Yellow Bodies.  Sizes 8, 10 12 and 14
Royal Wulffs Standard and Green tag variations Sizes 8,10 and 12
Stimulators Size 8

Most of these are used on back country rivers all around the South Island, or as Indicators above a nymph (esp. the 8's). They see most use from December through February.

Box 2, Myran 12 Compartment Plastic Box.

This Box mainly contains my Canterbury High Country Lake Flies.

Loves Lure Sizes 10, 12 and 14
Black Gnat Sizes 10, 12 and 14 (Some with metallic blue tags)
Humpy Bluebottles 10 and 12  (Some times called Humphries)
Black Wulff Size 10
Coch-y-Bondhu Size 10, 12 and 14
Langlands Damsel Dry  Size 10 and 12

These flies are my choice when fishing Canterbury Lakes. Again December thru February.

Spring Creek Box

Snobee 12 Compartment (small)  Plastic Box

Adams Size 14, 16, 18 and 20 (My Favorite Spring Creek Fly)
Kakahi Queen Size 14, 16 and 18
Dads Favorite 12 and 14
Elk Hair Caddis Size 16
Compara Dun (Mixed body colors) Size 12, 14 and 16

This box is used on small streams everywhere, usually early or late season.

Terrestrial Box   (This is actually the other side of my Beaded nymph box)

Nubby Tuck Plastic Box Large Size

Foam Beetles Black Size 8, 10 and 12 (My favorite Lake Dry)
Foam Beetles Green Size 12 and 14  (In several variations of color)
Daves Cricket Black Size 8, 10 and 12
Umpqua Cicada Size 10
Carty's GT in green, and black Size 8 and 10  (Currently my favourite Cicada fly)
Allans Attractor Size 8  (Great searching fly on heavy water)

I Love using these large dries in mid summer. Generally I use them more on Lakes than Rivers

Lures
Box 1 An old Salmon Spinner Box

This is my night time Sea Run trout Box, also known as the Big Black Bugger Box.

Wooly Buggers Black, Brown and Green Sizes 2, 4, 6 and 8 (Favorite Night Fly)
Black Rabbit Size 2 and 8
Parsons Glory Size 4 and 6

This box is 90% Wooly Buggers, I use  black flies on dark cloudy nights (The best) and the others (olive / brown) on  bright moonlight nights. Black Wooly Buggers account for around 80% of the fish I catch on lures. I generally fish 2 lures at once, usually a size 2 as the top fly and a size 6 or 8 on the point. These lures are used around the lake Ellesmere stream mouths.

Lure Box 2.

Wheatly black aluminum Lure Box.
These flies are used on the rare occasions I fish a lure in the Canterbury Lakes.

Hammills Killer Red and Yellow Size 4, 6 and 8
Mrs. Simpson Red and Yellow Size 4, 6 and 8
Hairy Dog red and yellow Size 4 and 6
Wooly Bugger Green Size 6 and 8
Luminous Doll Fly Size 6 (Great for rainbows at night)

Well thats the lot, next time I am doing a session with the digital camera I will endeavor to get some photos of the boxes in question.

Most of the flies listed here can be found in the Fly Box fly listings, when I get some spare time I will link each fly to its listing.

[ Fly Box Home ]