Tenkara TalkTenkara Talk
Tenkara Talk
a tenkara fly fishing blog
Search Tenkara Talk
  • Home
  • Tenkara Gear
    • Tenkara Rods
    • Tenkara Lines
    • Line Holders & Spools
    • Fly Boxes
    • Nets
    • Packs, Organization & Storage
    • Clothing & Accessories
    • Wading Gear
  • Flies & Fly Tying
  • How-To & Resources
    • What is Tenkara?
    • Tenkara 101
    • Presentation Techniques
    • Streamcraft
    • Tenkara Videos
    • Tenkara Knots
    • DIY & Hacks
    • Warmwater Tenkara
    • Books & Media
  • News & Fun
    • Trip Reports
    • Interviews
    • Philosophy
    • Humor
    • Art
    • Tenkara News
    • Events
  • Tenkara Links
  • About Me
  • Contact
FacebookTwitterYouTubePinterestInstagram
  • Home
  • Tenkara Gear
    • Tenkara Rods
    • Tenkara Lines
    • Line Holders & Spools
    • Fly Boxes
    • Nets
    • Packs, Organization & Storage
    • Clothing & Accessories
    • Wading Gear
  • Flies & Fly Tying
  • How-To & Resources
    • What is Tenkara?
    • Tenkara 101
    • Presentation Techniques
    • Streamcraft
    • Tenkara Videos
    • Tenkara Knots
    • DIY & Hacks
    • Warmwater Tenkara
    • Books & Media
  • News & Fun
    • Trip Reports
    • Interviews
    • Philosophy
    • Humor
    • Art
    • Tenkara News
    • Events
  • Tenkara Links
  • About Me
  • Contact

Meiho FB-470 Fly Box

June 9, 20148 CommentsFly BoxesBy Jason Klass

From Perrine to C & F to Wheatley, I either own or have used just about every brand, style or design of fly box out there. From the day I started fly fishing, I had an early fascination with fly boxes. My first one was some uninspired, mass-manufactured plastic compartment box that I think came with a Shakespeare rod & reel in bubble packaging from K-mart. Right away, I felt a lust for the much sleeker, sexier metal Wheatley boxes. They just looked cooler and, somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew they were sure to make me a better angler.

Wheatleys were prohibitively expensive for a teen with no income but Perrines were pretty good doppelgangers  and monetarily reachable so I ended up getting a couple of those. One had clips that were a reasonable imitation of some of the classic Wheatleys and the other had these strange rows of “springs” that held the hook points in place (remember those?). It was an odd design but my naive mind was somehow drawn to their peculiarity.

I considered those my first “real” fly boxes because they looked the part. They looked like something you’d lay out on a grass bank beside an English chalk stream and take a picture of in classic, dreary, British light.

Since then, I’ve had all manner of top-end and custom made boxes. And I love all of them for different reasons. But, after fishing tenkara for so long, I’ve gotten a little less nostalgic and a little more down-to-earth. I now think more about usability and function. And that seems to have made me more open to more practical gear–including fly boxes. Enter the Meiho Akiokun box.

This 3″ x 4″ box is an unsightly thing–bright orange (which may not be very picturesque or nostalgic but sure is easy to find if you should drop it along the trail). With tapered edges and corners, it’s very ergonomic and slides in and out of pockets easily (though not out of your hands).

Meiho fly box open

This is a 14-compartment box with 8 smaller, individual-opening lids, and 2 larger lids that open up to reveal 3 larger compartments each. It’s a somewhat quirky layout, but if you think about it, the individual lids kind of make sense. Opening only one compartment at a time will reduce fly loss in high winds or if you accidentally drop the box.

Overall, the box is bombproof and will sustain any beating you can give it. The main hinge and latch are very robust and will last a lifetime.

Meiho fly box open

 

Meiho fly box open

Curiously though, there are no hinges on the internal compartments. They’re just thinned-out molded plastic. I imagine these will wear out a lot faster than the outside hinges.

Meiho fly box open

One nice touch is a corner lanyard attachment if you want to go really minimal and just hang the box around your neck or lanyard.

Meiho fly box

I should also mention this box is waterproof and floats so if it takes a swim, your flies will be cozy and dry.

With a name like FB-470 and an all-plastic, neon orange construction, it’s probably not going to become an heirloom. But it’s practical. And it will hold all the flies the average tenkara angler needs for a day–and hold them well.

fly boxes for tenkaratenkaratenkara fly boxtenkara fly boxeswaterproof fly boxes
About the author

Jason Klass

Jason is an avid fly angler and backpacker. As a former fly fishing guide originally from Western New York, he moved to Colorado and became an early adopter of tenkara which perfectly suited the small, high altitude streams and lakes there. He has not fished a Western-style fly rod for trout since.

Like this article? You might also like these ...
The Junk Drawer Fly Box
The Junk Drawer Fly Box
April 21, 2022
Seido Tenkara Fly Box
Seido Fly Box from Fairy River
April 2, 2022
Perrine Fly Box
Vintage Perrine #100 Fly Box
March 11, 2022
Altoids Fly Box
3D Printed Altoids Fly Box
January 18, 2022
Tenkara Line Winder Fly Box Combo
OLB Tenkara Line Winder & Fly Box Combo
August 29, 2018
Ripple Box Fly Box
Ripple Fly Box Review
August 20, 2018
8 Comments
  1. Reply
    June 9, 2014 at 7:07 pm
    Joseph Egry

    Nice box. Might have to get one. I take that “corner lanyard” hole and tie a strong dummy cord to it and safety pin the other end of the cord to the inside of my vest. So that if the dummy (me) drops it, it’s not lost.

  2. Reply
    June 9, 2014 at 7:41 pm
    Mike Agneta

    Have been looking for a new compartment box for tenkara flies, tired of tearing up foam. This definitely has piqued my interest. Seems more than solid.

  3. Reply
    June 9, 2014 at 8:13 pm
    Tom Davis

    Oh, now your just trying to tempt me with those beadheads I see in the box! That just might work!

  4. Reply
    June 10, 2014 at 10:22 am
    Jason Klass

    Tom, here’s a picture of those bead heads. I tied them probably 10 years ago. I should probably use them because they worked really well.

  5. Reply
    June 10, 2014 at 3:05 pm
    Jim Ritter

    Jason, what do you consider the best Tenkara guide to tying Tenkara flies. I seem to do
    fairly well w/my Tenkara rod, but I think I could do better w/some better flies.
    Thanks
    Jim Ritter

    • Reply
      June 11, 2014 at 5:42 am
      Jason Klass

      Hi Jim, what flies are you using now and what kind of water do you fish?

  6. Reply
    June 10, 2014 at 7:26 pm
    baz

    I like Meiho and Daiichi Seiko accessories a lot

  7. Reply
    June 12, 2014 at 6:11 am
    Chris Stewart

    The same case is available in navy blue.

Leave Comment

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

clear formSubmit

About Me

Jason Klass is a former fly fishing guide & casting instructor based in Colorado. He was an early adopter of tenkara in the West and has been fishing the method for a variety of species since 2009. Read more >>

Get an Email When I Post!
Loading
Tenkara Talk Sponsors
Tenkara USA   Dragontail Tenkara     TAO Tenkara   Tenkara Tanuki Tenkara Fisher
Search by Category
Send Jason an Email
Search Tenkara Talk
Tenkara Talk Archives
Tenkara + Backpacking!
Is there any other sport that goes better with tenkara than hiking and backpacking? Be sure to also check out my ultralight and DIY backpacking gear blog.

Tenkara and Backpacking
Latest Posts
  • Wader Bag
    How I Pack My Wading Gear (+2 Tips)
    May 15, 2022
  • Tenkara Strike Indicator
    New Tenkara Line Sighters (Strike Indicators)
    April 23, 2022
  • The Junk Drawer Fly Box
    The Junk Drawer Fly Box
    April 21, 2022
© 2022 | Tenkara Talk by Jason Klass | All rights reserved