Wild Water Fly Fishing Dry Fly Assortment, 36 Flies with Small Fly Box, Size 12 and 14 Review (2026)

What this assortment includes

Wild Water builds this kit around 36 dry flies split evenly across six patterns, with six flies of each: Light Cahill, Dark Hendrickson, Winged Black Ant, Parachute Adams, Rusty Spinner and Tan Caddis, a well-rounded lineup for moving water. Every fly comes tied on hook sizes 12 and 14, sizes that cover a wide range of common trout hatches across North American and European rivers throughout the fishing season, and the assortment ships with a small fly box included, so anglers do not need to buy separate storage to carry the flies out on the water from the very first trip.

Pattern selection

The six patterns in this kit represent a mix of classic mayfly imitations, a terrestrial and a caddis pattern, which together cover a reasonable range of what trout key in on through a typical season. Light Cahill and Dark Hendrickson imitate common mayfly hatches, Parachute Adams is one of the most broadly useful dry fly patterns for general attractor fishing, the Winged Black Ant covers terrestrial feeding periods, Rusty Spinner matches the spent stage of mayfly hatches, and Tan Caddis rounds out the set for caddis activity. Wild Water describes these as tied using traditional recipes and materials that have been standard in fly tying for decades across both North America and Europe.

Fly box size

The included fly box measures 4 inches wide by 6 inches long by 1.5 inches deep, and Wild Water states it has capacity for up to 372 flies, well beyond what ships with this particular kit today. That extra capacity means the box works as a home for this assortment now and has room to grow as an angler adds more flies over time, rather than needing to be replaced once the included set grows. The box's compact footprint is sized to fit into a vest pocket or shirt pocket without adding much bulk to a day pack or sling bag.

Compared to the larger version

Wild Water also sells a 72 fly version of this same dry fly assortment in the same size 12 and 14 range, which comes with a larger fly box and doubles the number of flies per pattern available to fish over a full season. Anglers who expect to lose more flies to trees or fish, or who want extra backups of their most productive patterns, may find the 36 fly version runs out of a given pattern faster than they would like on a long multi-day trip, in which case the larger kit is the more direct alternative from the same product line and matching pattern lineup.

Who this kit suits

This 36 fly assortment fits anglers who want a focused, pocket-sized dry fly selection covering common mayfly, caddis and terrestrial patterns without carrying a bulky box, particularly for day trips or as a backup box alongside a larger primary fly collection at home. It is a reasonable choice for anglers targeting classic dry fly water in the 12 to 14 size range across a typical season. Anglers wanting more flies per pattern, additional hook sizes, or a larger box with room to expand further should compare this against Wild Water's 72 fly version instead of this smaller kit.

Frequently asked questions