A RIPPLE OF EXCITEMENT

Tired of flies falling around in your foam fly box? I definitely was (especially after losing plenty flies carrying cheap polystyrene boxes in my pocket) until I got handed the Ripplebox. Sceptic as always about new products and new concepts, like the silicone ‘ripple’ keeping flies in place in this new UK designed and manufactured box, I was pleasantly surprised that after using it for a lengthy period (more than a year now) the entire box, including the slither of silicone rippled inside, is still intact and not a single fly has fallen out!

I filled the box with numerous flies for different species, including wet flies from #6 to #20 for trout, yellowfish, carp, redfins, catfish, tilapia, and large dries for grass carp. It is a nice pocket box for casual outings to a dam or up a stream with a spool (or two) of spare tippet and a rod in hand, the kind of outings we frequently go on in South Africa (in other words, great for even a minimalist approach).

Having only one side rippled to stash flies in, you can only carry a limited number of patterns, but enough for a number of different fish species and at least a few days’ fishing (the creators could consider including another silicone ripple in the lid compartment of this box?). It is the perfect carp fly box for me.

The Ripplebox ready for action next to a Cape Winelands farm dam full of carp, catfish, blue kurper and bass…What more do you want?

Into a solid blue kurper on a casual family outing with the Ripplebox in my pocket. Photo by Lindi Waugh

A PB blue *kurper* on fly thanks to having a smallish fly box around, i.e., the Ripplebox, filled with a number of patterns for local dam fish. A white Falloon did the trick in this case. Photo by James Waugh

I often venture out to catch carp on fly and I found the Ripplebox very handy for keeping carp flies readily available for a random hour’s fishing here and there. It’s become my go-to-carp-fly-box.

We are all also obviously very aware about the use of plastic these days and the Ripplebox designers had the following to say about using ‘plastic’ components in this fairly novel design:

“Ripplebox is made using silicone, polycarbonate, nylon and stainless steel and we have taken great care to ensure each material remains 100% recyclable. We will never use adhesives, permanent fixings, or mixed materials in our production so everything we use can be separated, sorted and used again. ”