When fishing with a mate several years ago, I asked him about his new chest patch fly-holder. I was in the market for something like it so I immediately went out and bought one. That was back in 2008 and this small fly box is still going strong. Even with such a simple item, I could immediately recognise this was a company who liked to do things differently, and in a good way! This was my first experience with Japanese company C&F.
So why should you choose C&F? Surely a fly box is a fly box, end of story? Incorrect. When I've bought cheap imitations, that's exactly what I've got: foam that expands in the sun losing its memory; plastic that fades reducing its transparency; waterproof boxes that are just not waterproof; hinges that break or don't line up; the list goes on. Ultimately, the cheap rip-offs have never lived up to the test. I guess it's simple really, buy right the first time and you will only buy the product once.
C&F design cases are made from UV stabilised plastic and high quality moulds. This means they won't deteriorate over time and everything lines up as it should. Micro Slit Foam (MSF), a unique concept designed by C&F, means that the foam doesn't have memory and will last for an exceptionally long time. Their MSF patented design ensures your hooks are stored gently and securely. The foam is spaced in such a way as to allow you to easily retrieve your fly while also leaving room for hackled dry flies.
So quality is one thing, and innovative design is another. C&F Design have the ability to take a basic item and continue developing and enhancing it, always pushing the boundaries in improving functionality and durability.
Waterproof Fly Box Range
I currently have seven fly boxes in this range: all different and all very useful. The waterproof range is split into small, medium and large sized boxes – visit the C&F website or your local fly shop to find out which one is right for you. There are boxes with MSF; others with small compartments for keeping palmered hackle flies intact and a combination of the two.
A range of medium and large waterproof fly boxes - combining both MSF and storage compartments.I have travelled the world with these fly boxes and the only one that has a small crack in it got run over by a quad bike a few years back in New Zealand. Despite that, it's still going strong. I tend to find myself fishing in the worst weather conditions, and wading in waters that little bit too deep, so this waterproof range has worked exceptionally well for me.
This range is not only suited to trout flies. The 'Grand Slam Series' caters for all things salt and I have used some of these for native flies as well. I currently have my bass collection lined up in a CF-3566 and some of my larger streamer flies in the perfectly suited CF-2500.
Lightweight Fly Boxes
Sure enough, the lightweight range is exceptionally light! Two magnets close the boxes securely and MSF is used to keep them as light as possible. This range has boxes to suit streamers through to the smallest of trout flies. I spent most of my life filling my vest with things to weigh it down, so these boxes have made a big difference - they are the perfect solution to give you a comfortable day's fishing.
The C&F lightweight series is a perfect summer option.
Standard Series Fly Boxes
Much like the rest of the range, these boxes come in a range of styles with a combination of MSF and small compartments. One box of particular interest to nymph fisherman is the CF-1535N. This box has 322 micro slits for holding nymphs and two small compartments to hold split shot and strike indicators.
Lightweight & Standard Series fly boxes.Minimalist Fly Patches
The FSA-22 has been a long-serving favourite - a small fly patch I can fill with options for a day's fishing, or simply use as a drying patch before returning flies to their box. These can be attached to a shirt or vest using the pin on the back or added to the C&F Lanyard System.
The CFA-50/MSF Chest Patch is another favourite of mine. I currently wear this attached to a C&F Lanyard. One side of this patch is MSF and the other side has six magnets that can be used to dry flies or hold larger ones.
Big Flies
I don't do much saltwater flyfishing, however I’ve recently taken to chasing freshwater natives on fly. Fish like cod, bass and golden perch require much larger flies and so I needed a bigger box to hold them. The CFGS 4000 holds the smallest of flies up to large Murray cod or saltwater patterns. With dimensions of 30x27x7cm it serves as a great boat box, bulk stocking box or in the backpack. For something a little smaller with the same ability to hold very large flies, try the Waterproof CFGS-3500CT.
Big boxes for big flies – CFGS4000 and CFGS-3500CT.To check out the full C&F range and to find your local stockist visit: https://www.mayflytackle.com.au/C&F/index.html
