Wading anglers don’t have much time—or the free hands—for digging around in packs for their flies. When you’re knee-deep in a marsh flat or bouldering near an eddy of a mountain stream, you need your flies right where you can reach them.
That’s where the Fly Caddy comes in: a quick-access fly patch that clips wherever you fish from. No zipping or digging. Just reach, swap, and cast.
But where’s the best place to clip it?
Here are the 5 most trusted spots for your Fly Caddy: tested and recommended by walk-and-wade anglers from the Lowlands to the Highcountry.
1. Your Wading Belt or Straps
The most popular option
Clipping your Fly Caddy directly to your wader belt or shoulder straps puts your flies within easy reach—whether you’re crouching, standing, or kneeling.
Atollas Tip: Place the Fly Caddy on your casting side for smoother fly changes with your non-dominant hand.
2. Front Pocket or Waistband
The minimalists favorite
No waders? No problem. The Fly Caddy clips cleanly to the waistband or pocket of your pants or shorts, especially when wet wading or hiking into remote flats and creeks.
Atollas Tip: To give your flies a bit more protection from the elements, clip your Fly Caddy in your pocket in reverse where the EVA Foam side is on the interior of your pocket. This allows your flies to stay inside your pocket while securely clipped. It's a good tactic for tight areas where grass or branches can brush against your flies.
3. Hat Brim or Cap Bill
For those who use their head
Clipping your Fly Caddy to your hat brim or side gives you max visibility and lightning-fast access to your most-used patterns.
Atollas Tip: Have a roper hat? Try clipping your Fly Caddy to the rope running alongside the top of your bill. This keeps your flies completely out of your field of vision.
4. Pack Strap or Sling Loop
For the geared-up angler
If you run a small sling, hip pack, or chest harness, your Fly Caddy clips seamlessly to the strap, loop, or MOLLE point.
Atollas Tip: If you have a waist pack, check pack, or backpack that incorporates a Velcro patch, we recommend checking out the Fly Caddy + Velcro combos along with our Velcro Adapter. Simply slip the adapter onto your Fly Caddy and quickly slap to any Velcro surface.
5. Our Docking Station
Your fly patch needs a home base
At the end of a long session, clip your Fly Caddy to its docking station—on your cooler, tackle bench, boat console, or wherever you want to keep your flies. They will stay safe, dry, and ready or your next session.
Atollas Tip: Chances are you have a ton of stored flies hooked into your car visor or stashed away in the cup holder. Slap a docking station or two in your vehicle to have the go-to flies ready to grab upon arrival. You'll also save your interior some wear and tear.
Ready to wade? Staying light, mobile, and minimal are key to a successful day of fishing on foot. And the Fly Caddy was designed to accommodate just that.