AquaFly

Visitors to Family Fishing have come to expect that I will only recommend something if I would use it myself and I take that responsibility very seriously. When looking for a fly box I looked at hundreds of offerings; yes there really are hundreds of fly box choices, but only one that will be offered on Family Fishing.

This is simply one of the greatest fishing products I have ever come across. I like products that excite and refresh old ideas and Aquafly has hit a home run with their new AquaFly flybox. Not only is this a very flexible and functional fly box with lots of great features, but it's cool....really, really cool! My favorite feature in any fly box is a double sided design that lets me store nymphs on one side and dry flies or streamers on the other side. AquaFly not only provides double sided storage but provides a unique foam insert that is well suited to nymphs, dry flies and streamers by providing ribbed and flat areas. The Custom-Design Foam Inserts AquaFly's unique foam inserts are constructed of high-quality non-absorbent closed cell foam: the curved ridges accomodate the delicate tail feathers and wings of dry flies. The flat center area allows you to store larger flies such as streamers and poppers. And AquaFly's foam is equally well-suited for storing nymphs.

AquaFly has become a Family Fishing supporter by making us a vendor for this amazing product that you and your kids are guaranteed to love. Here is a better look at some of AquaFly's outstanding features.

Features

Making Waves

Here's a sample of some of the big waves AquaFly is making in the press.

Fly Rod & Reel
The AquaFly fly box was passing through the FR&R office on its way to New Gear editor Buzz Bryson. But the eye-catching appearance of this product grabbed my attention -- I'd never seen anything like it before-- and I intercepted it before it made its way into the outgoing mail.

It looks-- in a word-- cool.

The box measures 6 3/4 x 4 x 2 inches, and the top and bottom lids are injection-molded from a blue, translucent acrylic that seems as tough as it is attractive. In fact, the AquaFly company says the lids are made from the same UV-resistant material as the skylights used in house construction.
Rather than having the normal, ho-hum rectangular configuration, the AquaFly has some gentle curves that give it a sort of modified butterfly shape. Designer Todd Blake calls this an "ergonomic" design, and says it has functions other than merely attracting attention: The contours ensure that the box fits better in the hand and that it will not snag when it goes into a fly-vest pocket. The box closures and hinges are gasketed; the literature that came with it said that it was waterproof. This seemed almost too good to be true, so I stuck a bunch of flies in the back-to-back, non-absorbent, closed-cell foam inserts and dropped the box in a bucket of water. When it popped to the surface like a cork-- under almost any other circumstances a great thing for a fly box to do-- I weighted it down with a rock and left it submerged overnight.

The next morning I found only a couple of tiny drops of water on the inside of one lid-- and these may have gotten in when I opened the box. The flies were completely dry.

Outside
Taking their cue from the iMac brains at Apple Computer, the designers of the AquaFly Flybox grabbed a fishing mainstay stuck at an evolutionary standstill and said, "Color!" Luddite anglers, don't panic-all the standard trappings are here: Dual compartments keep nymphs and dry flies in separate but equal housing, transparent lids let you take stock of your feathered friends without opening the box, and ridged polyolefin foam pads hold scores of flies and keep the unit afloat when you fumble it into a freestone riffle. With its snag-free edges and decidedly noncamouflage color, this is a glimpse into fly-fishing's brash techno future.

Fly Tyer
For the fly fisherman who appreciates modern design, AquaFly's new fly box, with its ergonomic shape and translucent color, offers a break from traditional tin or wooden fly holders. The smooth contours and rounded corners are meant to avoid snagging fabric when an angler stuffs the box into,or removes it from, a vest pocket. Injection-molded from UV-resistant acrylic, the AquaFly is watertight, and it floats if you drop it. For fly storage, there are nonabsorbent, closed-cell foam inserts on each side of the box's interior, keeping the flies visible when the box is closed.

American Angler
For the fly fisherman who appreciates modern design, AquaFly's new fly box, with its ergonomic shape and translucent color, offers a break from tradition. The smooth contours and rounded corners are meant to avoid snagging when an angler tries to stuff the box into his vest pocket. Injection-molded from UV-resistant acrylic, the AquaFly is watertight, and it floats when you drop it. For fly storage, there are nonabsorbent, closed-cell foam inserts on each side, and the flies are visible even when the box is closed.

Flyfishing & Tying Journal
I may be oversimplifying it but reaction to this fly box seems to depend on the viewer's orientation toward fly fishing. If he (or she) is of the bamboo, brass and leather school, it almost seems to be one of alarm. Most people, however, seem to be quite taken with it.

Its shape is pleasing to the eye and to the hand and obviously very functional. It floats and its rounded corners won't snag in your vest's pockets; its frosted, translucent finish (available in clear or blue) allows you to keep track of the flies inside. Made from premium-grade, heavy-duty acrylic plastic, each side of the double compartment box contains a closed-cell ripple-foam insert. It's certainly an eye-catcher, particularly the blue one. -- Preston Singletary

Fly-Fishing Retailer
AquaFly: "New wave, great concept with youth appeal".