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Fly Floatant?

4K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Whiskey Dick 
#1 ·
Any recommendations for fly floatants for dry fly fishing for trout? I've used Gink's liquid floatant in the past, but have noticed an oily film coming off the fly when it hits the water. Any other fly floatants out there that do not exhibit this problem? How about gels or powders? Are they any good?
 
#2 ·
I use a spray that's put out by Cortland. It seems to be oily also. There used to be a floatant put out by Garcia that wasn't oily. you would put it on the flys before you went out and it had a chance to dry. But I can't seem to find it any more. I guess that I could do the same with the one from Cortland. Spray them what I would use the day before.
 
#3 ·
I like the liquid pre-soak products for minimum-trouble prep that doesn't usually leave an oilslick. When you tie or buy dry flies, put them in the jar, close lid, turn it upside down for 20 minutes or so. Dry the flies on a paper towel; Box 'em, fish 'em. Powders are for drying a watersoaked dry fly during use.
When a dry fly starts sinking, swishing it underwater, then drying it by falsecasting seems to bring it most of the way back.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Loon makes some stuff called Aquel that they say doesn't oil slick the water. I don't find that to be true: you don't get a rainbow colored slick but you still get some kind of surface film. Floatant looks to me like it's basically vaseline which is a petroleum product, so I think your'e going to get some slicking of the water regardless if the floatant isn't totally dry.

Experienced fly fishermen seem to pick floatant based on whether it freezes up or not in the winter . If it stays the same consistency year round they tend to stick with it.

I then use the dry powder when the fly is wet to dry it off. It works great. I have the Loon stuff which allows you to drop your fly in the container, close the lid, shake it up, then remove the fly.
 
#5 ·
Anyone heard of this trick???

I haven't tried this yet, but a guy at the local fly shop told me he uses Pledge furniture polish to make yarn and similar materials more bouyant. He claims that the wax in the spray penetrates the material and makes it float better, and that it doesn't leave as much of an oil slick as regular floatants.
 
#9 ·
Float That Fly

Try using any of the silicone products that seem to have a very light volitile fluid that is really not an oil in the common terms. One common example would be Scotch Guard. To totally eliminate the requirement on the water spray,dip or what have you when you tie the fly or your purchase. Silicone soaks in and you can usually dry the fly on the water with a few false casts.:smokin:

-----saltRon
 
#10 ·
For on the river use the best two i have used in the last couple of years are "RIO POO GOO" and "SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS FLY FLOATANT". Both work really great just rub them in to the fly and away to go. Disclaimer time " I dont own Rio or Scientific Angler"(wish i did :D ) just use there products that work,tight lines,:devil:
 
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