Waterproof spray

[ryanh]

Winter has me cranking out flies. Does anyone spray their dry flies with waterproof spray?

 

[dryflyguy]

I don't. Seems like a little bit too much fuss - and rather messy - for me
But I remember posts on here from others who do, and seem to think it's a good idea.

I did try a product called "water shed" when it came out, some time ago now.
It came in a squeeze bottle, and claimed that you just needed to put one drop on a dry fly at the vise. And let dry thoroughly before use.
It didn't float the fly well at all IMO.

I still like dunking the fly in a bottle of liquid floating after tying it on.
A few false casts to dry, and off you go.
I haven't found anything better to use

 

[nfrechet]

i do not spray any flies

it will probably wear off anyway so i dont bother

 

[Dave_W]

I treat my hackled dry flies with a liquid treatment as soon as they are done in the vise, but I don't know if it works all that much.

I still use a floatation grease on hackled flies and this probably has the effect of wiping the original treatment off(?).

I dunno.

 

[Sylvaneous]

I spray dries with a LOON spray that is isopropyl alcohol based. It acts like the polyfluoro-stuff that is like the DWR stuff you put on waders.
After I tie a batch of dries, I put them in a jar, give a spray or 2, mix it around and leave the lid on for a bit so they don't dry too fast. My opinion is that this stuff might help a fly float, but I'm not interested in that. They float good enough when fresh and new already. I sort of see the treated flies are easier to revive after catching a fish. Water-Shed acts like this, more or less. After catching a fish, I'll flick it out to let the current rinse off the slime. Before I even false cast it dry, it'll pop back onto the surface.

 

[Bamboozle]

Water Shed helps, but it is pricey. Any durable water repellent (DWR) waterproofing spray or liquid sold to water proof fabrics or renew the DWR on waders works just as well and is cheaper.

That being said, I don't bother to treat dry flies but I DO water proof batches of brightly colored egg yarn in advance to use as yarn strike indicators. It makes a huge difference, at least in my experience.

Bottom line, ever since I discovered Frog Fanny (hydrophobic fumed silica,), I don't treat my dry flies with anything in advance or to be honest with anything else period despite still carrying around a bottle of liquid Mucilin.

As far as the revival of a drowned fly, I have been using a combination of an Amadou patch followed by shaking the fly in a container of Cortland "Dry-Ur-Fly" (super fine desiccant silica gel crystals) for eons. When my fly comes out of the Dry-Ur-Fly it is bone dry and ready for another application of Frog Fanny which by the way, ISN'T a desiccant. That's why I dry before I reapply.

FWIW - Treating a soaked fly with just Frog Fanny or even the blends of desiccant crystals and hydrophobic fumed silica while simpler, will allow the super fine "Frog Fanny" powder to get embedded in the soaked fly. You may not realize it initially, but that embedded wet Frog Fanny will shorten subsequent floats you get out of that fly verses drying it in a separate step.

 

[PennKev]

When Kiwi Camp-Dry used to come in a dobber-bottle, that was tough to beat as a pre-treament for flies. I've tried the current version and it doesn't work nearly as well.

You may want to give this fly floatant a try:

Fly-Agra-Floatant

Silly name? Yes. Silly product, NOPE. It can be used as a pre-treatment. It seems to be a take on the paraffin-dissolved-in-lighter-fluid floatants from the old days, but it works extremely well.

 

[Sylvaneous]

Yes. I use the Loon spray. I've also used silicone spray for outdoor gear. I put a batch in a jar and spray and let them marinate. Then dry.