Dry Fly Pre-Float

[Foxgap239]

I was told that there are products out there which can be applied at the tying bench and left to dry that will be "permanent" on your dry flies. True or false? Does it work? If so, what is the best out there if there are more than one?

 

[gutcutter]

Watershed - which is expensive Rain-X - for all synthetic and non cdc feathered flies.
Preen Oil for cdc flies if you don't buy/use "premium" cdc
(I use Rain-X)
Hope this helps

 

[littlelehigh]

Rain x here to. Frogs fanny on stream

 

[troutpoop]

GEO, I have some Water Shed for treatment & drying at the vise. Never tried it. I'll bring it up on our next trip.

 

[Foxgap239]

Sounds good. The same guy that showed me the parachute tool told me about it. He didn't know what brand he used but swears by it.

 

[Markbob]

I use Loon Hydrostop. It works great. It was about $5 and is a jar about the size of a baby food jar. The only thing that can be a pain in the *** is getting the flies out after their soak.

 

[delta_dog]

RainX and Frogs Fanny here also. Gink also works pretty good

 

[dryflyguy]

I tried watershed when it first came out. The instructions said to put one drop on the fly at the vice, which I did. But it didn't float them very long.
After one fish, the fly was completely water logged. Maybe if you saturate the entire fly with it, it might work better?

Other posters on here have claimed success by soaking a new fly in camp dry. I've never tried that

 

[afishinado]

dryflyguy wrote:
I tried watershed when it first came out. The instructions said to put one drop on the fly at the vice, which I did. But it didn't float them very long.
After one fish, the fly was completely water logged. Maybe if you saturate the entire fly with it, it might work better?

Other posters on here have claimed success by soaking a new fly in camp dry. I've never tried that

I've tried that, as well as silicone to pretreat my flies and have not seen any difference between my treated and non-treated flies. I now just rub some floatant on my fly after I tie it on to fish. YMMV.

 

[Foxgap239]

Yeah, it looks like FF on stream is the way to go.

Rainex guys, do you notice a difference or do you still need to FF it after a few drifts anyway? I love rainex on my car windows, that stuff is awesome and I thought about it on my flies but never tried it.

 

[wgmiller]

Did I read somewhere that Scotchgard also works? That is sticking in my head for some reason...

 

[firandfeather]

Been using Thompson water seal for 20 years now. I just put some in a glass baby food jar.
Mike heck

 

[jayL]

I just apply dry magic at the stream. It is very expensive, but easily the best floatant I have ever used.

Frogs fanny style dessicants to revive the fly when waterlogged.

 

[lastingimage]

How exactly would you apply rain x or thompsons? Do you spray it or soak/saturate the fly in it?

 

[firandfeather]

I just made sure it was mixed up and just used my bodkin or a small model paint brush.
Mike

 

[MKern]

I did the Watershed thing for a year and the flies floated about as well without any treatment.

I'm a gink at the streamside guy.