How to Pick Flies and Fly Boxes at Trident Fly Fishing

Updated

Pick flies by matching the pattern family to your target species and water, then size the hook to the forage you expect; pick the box by how you carry it (pocket, chest pack, boat bag) and how much water protection you need. Trident Fly Fishing lists patterns from Umpqua, Enrico Puglisi, Flymen, and Plan D alongside reels and rods, so the practical approach is to choose a small core set of patterns per fishery, then buy a box that fits that set and your carry style. Prices shown on the site are sale prices, so confirm the current price on each product page before ordering.

Start With the Forage, Not the Pattern Name

Every fly on the site imitates something. Sort your choices by what the fish actually eat in the water you fish:

  • Crab and saltwater flats patterns — Umpqua Alphlexo Crab and Enrico Puglisi EP Ascension Bay Mantis are flat-specific imitations for bonefish, permit, and similar species. Choose these when your trip is a destination flats fishery, not for local trout water.
  • Baitfish and streamer patterns — Flymen Chocklett's Polar Changer and Enrico Puglisi EP GT Fly are large-profile baitfish imitations. They suit predatory fish and murky or high-water conditions where a big silhouette matters.
  • Nymphs and subsurface trout patterns — the Sage ESN HD rod and Galvan Euro Nymph reel in the featured lineup point to a Euro-nymphing audience; pair that style of fishing with weighted nymph patterns rather than the saltwater flies above.
  • General attractors and terrestrials — Umpqua Strong Arm Merkin sits in the crab/crustacean family; treat named patterns as a starting point and confirm the intended species on the product page.

A useful rule: buy two or three sizes of one proven pattern before buying many different patterns. Hook size and weight change how a fly fishes more than the pattern name does.

Sizing and Hook Considerations

  • Match hook size to the natural: small crabs and shrimp run small, baitfish patterns run large.
  • Weight matters as much as size — a weighted crab fishes deeper than an unweighted one in the same size.
  • For saltwater, check that the hook is rated for salt; for trout, barbless or debarbed hooks are easier to release.
  • Buy duplicates of the patterns you expect to lose most (crabs on coral, streamers in snags).

Choosing a Fly Box

The featured Plan D Pocket Max Fly Box (from $24.99) is a pocket-format box, which tells you the main decision axis: carry format and capacity. Use this comparison:

Box type Best for Trade-off
Pocket box (e.g., Plan D Pocket Max) A day's core set, wading light Limited capacity; fewer large streamers
Chest-pack or vest box Rotating patterns through the day Bulk on the body
Boat or travel box Destination trips, many patterns Not carried on the person

Then check three things on the product page:

  1. Capacity and compartment layout — slit foam holds streamers and crabs; compartment trays suit small nymphs and dry flies.
  2. Water resistance — a sealed or gasketed box matters for saltwater and wet wading; a simple slit-foam box is fine for a vest on a dry day.
  3. Size against your carry — measure your pocket or pack slot before buying; the "Pocket" in the name is a format hint, not a guarantee it fits your jacket.

A Practical Buying Sequence

  1. Name your target species and water type (flats, trout stream, bass lake).
  2. Pick two to three pattern families for that fishery from the site's featured and category listings.
  3. Buy two sizes of each, plus duplicates of the highest-loss pattern.
  4. Choose a box by carry format first, then capacity, then water protection.
  5. Check the current price and shipping threshold on the product and shipping pages — the site advertises free shipping over $49, and a Lowest Price Guarantee page exists, so verify both before checkout.

Common Stumbles

  • Buying destination flies for local water. Saltwater crab and baitfish patterns are trip-specific; don't stock them for a home trout stream.
  • Overbuying patterns, underbuying boxes. A box that doesn't fit your pack means flies stay home.
  • Ignoring hook corrosion. Rinse saltwater flies and dry them before they go back in the box.
  • Assuming sale prices are permanent. The listed prices are sale prices; confirm at checkout.

If you also need a rod or reel to match these flies, the site's rod and reel categories and its buying guidance cover that separately — choose the fly set first, since line weight and rod action follow from the fishing you plan to do.