Floatants

[ptflashback]

I'm no expert with the dry, but occasionally toss a stimmi or hopper when nymphing. Here's my new head scratcher: what dry fly floatant is "the best." In the alternative, what products or TTPs (that's Army talk for tactics, techniques, and procedures) have you found successful?

I've tried some decent products. Frog's Fanny, Gink, and a whole bunch of shakes. I like the Frog's Fanny, but that little applicator brush gets to be a pain in the * when applying on the water. As for gels and shakes, never had a lot of luck with them. Additionally, I think that Rayfound posted a year or so ago that he purchased fumed silica in bulk at Home Depot. Is this product the same? (I ask because I refuse to believe that gear / products manufacturers could take a product, re-brand it with clever packaging, and sell it to the masses at inflated cost.)

Here comes what may be the dumbest question ever - Has anyone ever attempted to prep with Scothguard? Is this lunacy or would this work. What say ye Addicts?

[fly addict]

I have tried the Scotch Guard treatment without much success. Frog’s Fanny works well for redressing flies on the water. The brush helps get the stuff deep into the hackle and hair. It is real good for CDC type flies. Gink is my preferred gel and I have been using it forever. A lot of guides use Loon Aquel. The fumed silica is ok that you get at hardware stores. There are different grades of it. You want the fine stuff that is used for an epoxy thickener. West Systems makes the finest stuff. There is a product out there called Fly Agra that is great if you can find it. Here is a link, http://www.yellowstoneangler.com/conten ... s/d27.html There are recipes on the web on how to make your own dry fly floatant also, maybe you should try one and let us know how it works! My flies float well in most cases. If I’m catching fish, they will start to sink out. I don’t look at that as a bad thing because that is what the flies are supposed to do anyway. If I can’t keep the fly floating any longer I just change it to a new one and keep on fishing.
I guess what you have asked here is question that we all deal with in our own way. I’m sure you will get a whole bunch of different opinions that will more than likely just leave you confused and still looking for what works for you.
Mark

[NorcalBob]

I've tried every floatant ever made and they all have pluses and minuses. And none of them work particularly well IMNSHO. I mostly use Shimakazi and Feather Proof powder, due to simplicity of use.

[John Harper]

I bought some of that fumed silica (looks like a lifetime stash), just added to my Shimakazi (sp?) shaker bottle. I would like to add some silica gel granules but have not been able to find. I think some of them makes shaking it on the fly somewhat easier. Maybe some small aquarium sand granules would work too.

Or maybe some rice grains??

John

[flybob]

Well, I have seen this one more than once in that last 6 years.
Here is my take, I start by slimeing up with gink, I keep in it a little zip lock baggy so when I open it at altitude I don't get jizzed! (lessons learned there) I also keep a small old dishrag in my pouch to wipe my hands to keep the stuff off my cloths and gear.
Eventually, after several takes, the fly will start to water log and sink.
I use a Shamadou, to dry the fly, I love the Shamadou and lost one up on Saddlebag Creek last month, it was on a zinger with my favorite dry floatant, Frogs Fanny!
I have purchased a new Shamadou, and bottle of Frogs Fanny, just for the applicator, I refill with a combination of 1mocast's, lifetime supply of fumed silca powder and silica beads, about 1 part beads to 4 parts powder.

The combination of gink and silica has worked very well for me over the years, thanks to 1mocast for the suggestions and gifts!

As with anything else in this sport, there are a ton of solutions to every problem, and there is not an absolute BEST, if there was, there would only be ONE product on the market!
So spend your money, experiment, find what works for you, and stimulate the economy in the process, I will be retiring soon and will be relying on all of you to keep my investments happy!

Just my opinion, you asked...

By the way, if you find my Zinger with the Shamadou and FF bottle on Saddlebag after the snow melt in spring, I would be really happy if you sent it to me. The zinger is a memento from the Joint Strike Fighter program, and the new Shamadou is not as well made as my original. but it still works.

[Gary C.]

Like Bob, my first choice is the gel. I've tried a couple different kinds of the silica and never understood why so many use the stuff. It seems to me to need application more often and I hate opening the container and having a breeze blow the stuff in my face and eyes. I also echo his suggestion about carrying the gel in a small ziplock when going to altitude. I learned the hard way also to squeeze all the air I can out of everything and to place in a ziplock before it goes in my truck or pack.

[midger]

I like Aquel for floating yarn indicators and for dosing large hoppers. I also bought a lifetime supply of the fumed silica andit appears to work as well as frog's fanny, loon dust, blue ribbon top ride, or any of the other powders. I don't like the little brush applicators. Rather, I bottle my own in a large medicine bottle, and I just put the whole fly in the bottle and shake it whenever they need treatment.

For most of my fishing though, I don't need no stinkin' floatant. Weighted streamers and nymphs do just fine without it.

[1mocast]

I bought some of that fumed silica (looks like a lifetime stash), just added to my Shimakazi (sp?) shaker bottle. I would like to add some silica gel granules but have not been able to find. I think some of them makes shaking it on the fly somewhat easier. Maybe some small aquarium sand granules would work too.

Or maybe some rice grains??

John

John,
Here is link to a previous post on the same subject with pros and cons. It has a link to the silica granules.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2963&p=33165&hilit=silica#p33165

[Bernard]

Although I do use floatant, here's the masochistic approach that I dabble in now and then: No Floatant. This often comes up during a quick hatch window and every nano-second counts combined with a certain lazyness. Also, good drifts often result in a substantially decreased need for floatant. Certainly rougher water and other factors work against this fantasy land of mine but I have been having fun challenging myself in this manner. Doing this all season has forced me to really work harder at mending than ever before. In all seriousness, there's no way that I am always successful so I also rotate flies (put on a fresh one regularly), squeeze a water-logged fly in my chamois shirt, false cast like a madman etc. My 2c
B.

p.s. I do like Loon's Aquel

[hpskiff]

Thanks Fly Addict for the link to someone that actually claims to sell Flyagra. I have been looking for it since a guide on the Big Horn last year showed it to me. I ordered some immediately from Yellowstone anglers only to get an email response today that it is out of stock and they won't ship it anyway because of its flammable nature. If you have any more leads I would sure appreciate it.

As for the floatant discussion. I have used Gink for years, but somehow I am still on my first bottle - stuff seems to last forever dangling from my pack. I really like the Loon desiccant that comes in a container that resembles an oversized clear film canister, the one that is mostly small ceramic looking beads with some color changing desiccant crystals mixed in. Really helps to dry out those water logged flies before a fresh application of Gink. Also it never wears out. When the crystals change color, I just pour the contents into a foil lined frying pan and heat gently until they change back. I'm not sure if the other types of desiccants can be recharged. Also a little synthetic chamois goes a long way towards keeping the flies on top.

[rayfound]

I like the Frog's Fanny, but that little applicator brush gets to be a pain in the * when applying on the water. As for gels and shakes, never had a lot of luck with them. Additionally, I think that Rayfound posted a year or so ago that he purchased fumed silica in bulk at Home Depot. Is this product the same? (I ask because I refuse to believe that gear / products manufacturers could take a product, re-brand it with clever packaging, and sell it to the masses at inflated cost.)

Cutting Board oil = Mineral Oil rebranded/repackaged for $7/bottle instead of $1/bottle. (so is baby oil, but at least they add .001% fragrance)

Hydrophobic Fumed Silica = Frog's Fanny. The little brush is important though, helps work the material into the nooks and crannies.

Alternatively, you can make a shaker with silica beads (desiccant) and the fumed silica... shaking a fly in a mixture of the two seems to apply the fumed about as evenly and completely as a brush.

And Albolene (makeup Remover, get it at CVS) is VERY close to Gink, and costs about $10/Quart (vs $5/1.5oz of gink). Works slightly better than gink, IMO, but you gotta warm it in your fingers before applying.

I've got some ideas for creating "permanent" waterproofing, but I have not tested anything yet. I have heard good thinks about "WaterShed" and "HydroStop" ... at least I think those are the names, but I have not tried them.

[John Harper]

If WaterShed is the stuff I have made by Orvis, it doesn't work. I had high hopes too.

Seems like a great idea, just does not last at all. I coated about half the flies I had, performance was equal, still needed floatant.

Hmmm, maybe I should try another experiment and DOUBLE coat one batch with the stuff, another single, and a control with nothing. Still got about half the bottle left, but it is years old.

John

[Flyjunkie]

a great trick i was shown almost 30 years ago is this:

Pre-treat your flies the night before with your Aquel, Gink, etc.. simply lay out a paper towel, gently apply the gel to your dry flies and place them on the paper towel, allow them to "cure" over night. (i personally have used Aquel for years)
This works great because sometimes when any of Us apply Floatant gel to a fly on the water we either over apply or the weather prevents the gel from setting up properly. Pretreating allows the gel to properly set up / cure and you'll notice your dry flies float longer...
I am with Bernard some what in that I'll change a dry fly after a few fish or as soon as i notice it's sinking too soon, even after drying it with a desiccant powder.. there just comes a point when you realize the fly is soaked and no amount of drying or false casting is going to improve the situation ~ time to tie on a "fresh" fly and keep at it...

[briansII]

Hydrostop and Watershed work about equally as well. I doubt double treating flies with them will help. I've soaked flies in Watershed, let them dry, with the same results.

On deerhair bass flies, I've used silicone based pastes and liquids. Smear them up really good, and set them in the hot/warm sun. The silicone soaks/melts into the fly, and seems to float longer.....but after they get slimed up, you basically have to retire them for the day. I've washed them and they can be retreated and used again.

Plastic and foam rule.

briansII

[1mocast]

Plastic and foam rule.

briansII

I second that!