Weedguard Preservation

[FlatsRoamer 0]

Several times I find a weedless fly not so weedless anymore after being a fly box. This only happens several times. But how can I prevent the guard bending and folding over itself?

[McFlyLures 0]

Comes from fly boxes forcing the weed guard up when sticking the hook "guard side down" in the foam. Whenever I fish weed guard flies it's usually a larger fly for species like bass, or even saltwater. Generally I just put them in regular Plano boxes (what you would put crank baits in or something). That won't bend the guard.

[Mike West 0]

Just grab it and bend it back to where it belongs

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

What you've described is one of the reasons I'm not keen on any kind of traditional fly box (most of my flies have weedguards (wire ones...). I simply put each fly in its own plastic sleeve then put 20 to 40 of those sleeves in a ziplock bag. Each fly is entirely separate from the others and they're all laying on their sides so weedguards aren't a problem at all. Once a fly has been used in the salt it's carefully rinsed out in freshwater, allowed to dry properly - then back into a sleeve, ready to be used again.

[thinkingredneck 0]

The only problem with sleeves is that they are easy to drop and have blown away. Otherwise a perfect choice. You just have to put them away before tying the fly on.

[islander727 0]

Plano boxes. Preserves hackles as well. No need for foam in the salt.

[SILKHDH 0]

Fly boxes with slit foam did it for me. I can carefully work the weed guard into the slit so it isn't smashed any more. These are boxes I make. I also put the slits vertical instead of horizontal so long flies and articulated flies hang nicely, instead of laying on their side bent.

[McFlyLures 0]

Fly boxes with slit foam did it for me. I can carefully work the weed guard into the slit so it isn't smashed any more. These are boxes I make. I also put the slits vertical instead of horizontal so long flies and articulated flies hang nicely, instead of laying on there side bent.

Boxes you "make"??? Wow! Make a tutorial on that please! If you don't have one, or want to make one, do you live in the south west and give me permission to come video you making one? I think this could be a great video tutorial project!

[SILKHDH 0]

McFly,

I don't have a tutorial, but I can say this. The empty cases were purchased from Plano. Is the exact one that Cliff's uses. As for the foam, well I purchase it on-line in a three by six foot sheet. Then it gets complicated. I had a company lazer cut me metal templates the shape of the foam insert. I use a Hot- wire- foam-cutter I made from a site on the web. Lay the template on the foam and I cut the foam to shape. Then I use a cutting fixture I made with around forty razor blades spaced 1/2" apart on a ball bearing track to cut all the slits in one pass. Contact cement into the box and put the decal on, and finished. I will be trying to pedal these soon. I live in dead center U.S.A. Middle of Kansas, so I doubt you will be filming me any time soon, plus the complexity of the slit cutter I made makes it about impossible for anyone else to replicate my process. Unless they have access to a full metal machine shop and plan to spend a weekend or two making a foam slitter. Not to mention the design time too.

[McFlyLures 0]

McFly,

I don't have a tutorial, but I can say this. The empty cases were purchased from Plano. Is the exact one that Cliff's uses. As for the foam, well I purchase it on-line in a three by six foot sheet. Then it gets complicated. I had a company lazer cut me metal templates the shape of the foam insert. I use a Hot- wire- foam-cutter I made from a site on the web. Lay the template on the foam and I cut the foam to shape. Then I use a cutting fixture I made with around forty razor blades spaced 1/2" apart on a ball bearing track to cut all the slits in one pass. Contact cement into the box and put the decal on, and finished. I will be trying to pedal these soon. I live in dead center U.S.A. Middle of Kansas, so I doubt you will be filming me any time soon, plus the complexity of the slit cutter I made makes it about impossible for anyone else to replicate my process. Unless they have access to a full metal machine shop and plan to spend a weekend or two making a foam slitter. Not to mention the design time too.

Ok so pretty complicated. Haha.

[mikechell 0]

Not so complicated, if you just want to make one for yourself ... boiled down to the simple steps ...

The empty cases were purchased from Plano.

 

cut the foam to shape.

 

spaced 1/2" apart ... cut all the slits in

 

Contact cement into the box

 

If you're going to produce them for sale, and need to make more than one ... then you'll need "equipment" like Silk's.

[McFlyLures 0]

Not so complicated, if you just want to make one for yourself ... boiled down to the simple steps ...

 

The empty cases were purchased from Plano.

 

cut the foam to shape.

 

spaced 1/2" apart ... cut all the slits in

 

Contact cement into the box

 

If you're going to produce them for sale, and need to make more than one ... then you'll need "equipment" like Silk's.

Silk sells them? I didn't know that.