Plano EDGE Micro Fly Box Review
Remember when all fly boxes were pretty basic? Well, like most things, they have evolved quite a bit over time. Gone are the days where the only choices were all pretty similar, standard, and somewhat boring. Sure, those boxes got the job done, but their simplistic designs left a lot of room for functional improvements.
Offering more than just a place to store nymphs, dries, and little streamers, Plano's new EDGE Micro Fly Boxes go well beyond the basics. These feature-rich boxes are not only made to be tough and easy to use, but they are engineered to also fully protect your flies from the elements.
The outside of each box sports a clear Duraview lid for easy fly identification. While the lid comes standard with a big yellow EDGE sticker that covers nearly half the window, don't worry as it can be peeled off—with a bit of effort.
Adjacent to the lid is a large latch that's made for one-handed operation. It comes equipped with heavy-duty steel pin hinges, and it certainly feels sturdy when opening and closing. While it's easy to grab a hold of, the opening/closing action is pretty firm and, in my opinion, slightly awkward. However, since this is a waterproof fly box, such a latch design is likely necessary to maintain a good watertight seal. As a bonus, on the outside of the latch is a small "EZ Label System" which makes it simple to mark exactly what's in the box for quick reference.
Inside the case, there is hexagonal slotted padding to hold all kinds of small flies. Unlike traditional squishy foam that's found in many fly boxes, this material has a firmer, rubbery feel to it, so water mostly just kind of beads up and runs off, but some still collects in the hexagonal holes/slots.
With the lid closed, the top pad looks to have about 1/8" clearance. The clearance on the other (bottom) pad is tougher to measure, but it appears to be about 3/8" between the pad and partitions underneath when closed.
Plano calls that partitioned area I just mentioned the Dropzone. The little individual cups are actually magnetic and have enough strength to hold tiny flies in place, even when I invert or shake the box. One curiosity is that the lone cup on the end doesn't seem to be magnetized at all. When I put flies is there, they just move around freely (and fall out!) with no resistance.
When water enters a fly box, it can wreak havoc in the form of soggy flies or rust. To shield against water entry, Plano gave the EDGE Micro Fly Box a "Dri-Loc" perimeter seal that I tested (by submersion) to be absolutely watertight. In addition, the box features infused "Rustrictor" technology which provides total rust protection throughout the box, and there's a WaterWick divider with reusable moisture-wicking packet to help dry out any wet bugs.
With approximate measurements of 6 1/4" L (minus the carabiner base), 3 3/4" W, and 1 3/4" H, this fly box is small enough to easily be toted in many waist packs, slings, vests, or even pants pockets. The supplied carabiner also makes it a cinch to clip onto something for added safety.
The Plano EDGE Micro Fly Box is priced around $30 and was just released in December 2021.
You can find the EDGE Micro Fly Box at
