Floatant use

[Aducker]

When using floatant for dry flies,
Do you put the floatant on at the very 1st cast or after a few casts and the fly doesn't sit on top of thewater as well?

Also, how often do you put on the floatant? Is it just one of those see how the fly looks and if it needs it kind of things. 1 dab is all you need?

Is too much floatant a bad thing or does the stuff wear off?

Thanks in advance. You guys are the best at this stuff and the information I learn on this forum is priceless.

 

[dryflyguy]

I dip my fly in a liquid floatant right after I tie it on - sort of pre-treating,
And then, after catching a fish or 2, if it gets waterlogged, I dip it in a desicant - or powder floatant - to dry it out again.

 

[Kabutt]

I usually apply Gink right off the bat, while the fly is still dry. Then after it's wet or has been in the mouth of a fish or two, a powder/dessicant like dryflyguy mentioned usually works well.

 

[GreenWeenie]

I've been using Loon floatant spray and that seems to work well except on humid days. On humid days I don't use any floatant because the spray doesn't really dry/evaporate because of the humidity. On humid days I simply go no floatant.

After you catch a fish you should sink the fly under water and rub it between your fingers to remove all fish slime from the fly. Give it a good shake and then drop it in a dry desiccant and shake for 15-20 seconds to completely dry and recondition the fly (I also use Loons).

For touch up Frog's Fanny works great, especially on CDC and elk hair flies.

There are also some floatants that you can pretreat your flies and let them dry overnight. I've tried that stuff and it seems to work but no better than anything else.

Gink (a gel) also works pretty well. Put a drop on your finger and rub it around for a few seconds before lightly rubbing the fly. However, as will all floatants, you do not want to add too much or the floatant will actually sink the fly.

As for the dry desiccant, when the purple beads turn pink (or vice versa) and it says time for a new bottle, it can be reconditioned and used again and again and again. Simply pour the stuff onto something you can put in the oven and and stick it in the oven at about 200 degrees for 20-30 minutes. The heat drives out all the moisture from the beads making it good a new I've been using the same bottle of desiccant for 2 years and I've probably reconditioned it about a dozen times.

 

[BlkLgbEaDheAd09]

ive used the loon paste, and the orvis powder and they dont work too bad. but the loon liquid eye dropper style stuff works the best out of all of them IMO. there is not such thing as too much of that stuff, but i use it sparingly cuz im cheap 🙂 doestn hurt to treat the first 10 inches or so of your tippet as well.

 

[BelAirSteve]

I keep both with me - gink and frogs fanny. Gink to start out, and after I land a fish, I blow on the fly to get as much water out of it as I can, then brush it with the frogs fanny - it floats like a cork after that.

Also, if you use CDC flies, never use any of the gels on that - the powder works great. There is a liquid floatant for CDC out there, I have it, but I have never used it - so I don't remember the name...duh.

 

[elonDO]

The gel floatant for CDC is called Dry Magic. I apply the Gel Magic first thing before I fish any of my CDC flies, then dress with Frogs Fanny thereafter. Works great!

 

[Chaz]

I use floatant before casting a fly and when the fly starts sinking, dry the fly as best as I can and re-treat the fly. It seems to also help to rinse off the fly after catching a fish.

 

[PoconoPaul]

Chaz wrote:
I use floatant before casting a fly and when the fly starts sinking, dry the fly as best as I can and re-treat the fly. It seems to also help to rinse off the fly after catching a fish.

Unless they entirely mangle it. My last outing up here a couple of weeks back the brookies beat the stuffing out of my elk hairs.

 

[joseywales]

Before using the fly, I use Gink. Just a pinheads worth and dab it on each wing. Then, whatever is left on my finger, I start at about a foot up the tippet and rub that toward the reel (a master taught me that last week).

After the fly starts to sink, or has been in the mouth of a fish, I blow it dry, then gently dry it with a cloth. Rinsing it is a good idea if it's been in a mouth. You can use your shirt, but I use a hunk of Sham-wow (stole it from the wife). I just have that clipped to my shirt.

Then I use Frogs Fanny. Go easy with that though.

If you find that you are having to dry your flies too much, try adding some false casting to your routine. A false cast keeps the fly in the air, thus drying it.