Trout dry flies don't float well

[WillieMRush]

My trout dry flies don't float well after I've used them for about a half hour even if I keep applying silicone cream, dry fly floatant or sprays. What's wrong?






Sportsman (https://www.sportsmanfinder.com/)

[JohnR]

Jon Baiocchi used to say that when fishing dry flies, you need to think like a hockey coach. Would you keep the same hockey player on the ice for 30 minutes? Of course not... as soon as a fly is waterlogged you need to substitute a fresh one... also, treat the fly before your first cast... helps to slow down the rate at which water soaks the fly. Floatation treatments will never keep a dry fly from getting waterlogged... they just slow the process.

John

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great info John

Some treat their flies with a watery liquid (Scotch Guard) before they put them in their boxes, High-N-Dry ?

Deer/Elk hair flies seem to float better right out of the box.

Foam dry flies are really popular and are fantastic.

When I did lots of dry fly fishing I put Gink or Dave's Bug Float on my flies right off.

After they got chewed, slimed and were sinking some I would air dry them by falls casting some first.

Then I would put the into Umpqua's 'Shimazaki Dry Shake', that green bottle with desiccant plus other stuff to suck the water out.

We use to sell a little patch of like leather, Amadou, that would suck the water out of flies.

Extremely well tied flies usually float better right away.

[Jeff F]

I always treat the fly with a small amount of silicone (wet stuff) and false cast about 5 times to dry it before fishing. Then from then on, use the Loon dry shake (dry stuff) after catching a fish or noticing that the fly is not floating well. The dry shake is a great product.

[Woodman]

My trout dry flies don't float well after I've used them for about a half hour even if I keep applying silicone cream, dry fly floatant or sprays. What's wrong?

Two words. Fly Agra.

[mems]

It is terrestrial season foam floats pretty good. Ants, beetles, grasshoppers should float like a boat. For small flies I use gink and the green powder bottle. Trick put some floatant on your leader above the fly it will help to keep it floating. If it starts to sink twitch it like an emerger. Good luck, Mems.

[gitt]

For a lifetime of fly floatant, try Albolene moisturizing cleanser. Transfer to a smaller container for carrying. Dress the fly prior to fishing. If you have problems with the fly sinking place your fly in your inner elbow and bring your forearm tight to your bicep. That should be enough to remove moisture and dry out the fly. Redress as needed, whether it be hair or synthetic material. Massage it into your selected fly and post. If you find the fly sinking in the surface turbulence, raise your rod tip in order to come tight on the fly and drop your rod tip. Even a raised tip will provide enough twitch to bring your fly back to the surface.

Other areas to watch out for is the fly line tip. If it sinks, dress the fly line with the above. If you don't like it after giving it a try, give it to your girlfriend, mother or wife for makeup removal. It is money well spent.

[Zepher]

My trout dry flies don't float well after I've used them for about a half hour even if I keep applying silicone cream, dry fly floatant or sprays. What's wrong?

Lots of good advice is given above. What really helped me out was using synthetic wing material like hareline's sparkle emerger yarn. Other companies market similar stuff. I can't say if one is better than another. Synthetic is easier to see on the water and dries quickly with a couple of solid false casts

[RoosterHunter]

I've used Scotch Guard for years. I spray them and let dry thourghly. they float much longer I learned this trick around 30 years ado.

[Zepher]

I've used Scotch Guard for years. I spray them and let dry thourghly. they float much longer I learned this trick around 30 years ado.

I gotta try scotch guard. I’ve been using silicone spray from Walmart automotive section. I spray it into and fill an old mucilin bottle, the ones you flip upside down to coat the fly. Jay, have you compared scotch guard to other silicones ? Thanks

[Darian]

Aside from tying with synthetics (foam/cork), I second the use of Scotchguard to spray dries when I tie them.

[Fly Guy Dave]

I gotta try scotch guard. I’ve been using silicone spray from Walmart automotive section. I spray it into and fill an old mucilin bottle, the ones you flip upside down to coat the fly. Jay, have you compared scotch guard to other silicones ? Thanks

I would vote against using scotch guard, Thompson's waterseal or any other kind of petroleum-based product. I did this with a few dries several years back, and when the fly hits the water, there is the rainbow oily sheen that you see when gasoline or oil mixes with water. I can't imagine that is good for the health of any fishery. I would use the other products mentioned earlier.

[Zepher]

We may need a petroleum engineer like Dave Whitlock in on this one.

[Bob Loblaw]

My trout dry flies don't float well after I've used them for about a half hour even if I keep applying silicone cream, dry fly floatant or sprays. What's wrong?


All dry flies eventually start to sink no matter what you treat them with, especially if you've caught a few fish. What I have learned after starting to tie my own a few years ago is that if you pay attention to detail when tying dries, get all your wraps close and tight, cover up all butt ends, you can keep the water out longer. Not forever, just longer.