Northwest Fishing Reports

Hi, I was wondering if fly fishermen have problems keeping their flies dry? If yes, what do you do to keep them dry and floating?

The best that I have found is Loon's Royal Gel. You can find it in most fly shops.

As Marc suggested, there are a variety of treatments out there that you apply to the fly every handfull of casts to keep the fly from sinking. Just as there are treatments you apply to allow sinking flies to sink better.

I like to use a powdered floatant like Loon Dust or a similar product. I use primarily CDC wings in most of my dry fly patterns and the liquid or gel floatants "short circuit" the floating properties of the CDC. I also find that the fly still retains its original appearance when using the powdered floatants......not matted with the hackles sticking together.

Tight Lines!

Marc and Rooscooter nailed it. I use gels on hackle patterns and shakes on CDC patterns. I have noticed that even when I gel a fly and then shake it later I get more strikes when shaken. I attribute this to the fact that the shake gives off a irredecent color true to nature. I also shake my nymphs and emergers doe to the fact that bugs carry air pockets with them and this mimics that, let me tell you this kicks a$$.

OK thanks. I have some nano-products, which I use for different purpose, but think it will work well to keep flies dry and keep the same apperance as when dry. I think I will try and test on a couple of flies to see the effect. Will let people know the result if interested.

Another suggestion would be George Gehrke's "GINK" brand fly dressing. I've used it for years. Just yesterday, while fishing the North Fork of the CDA river in Idaho, a single, thorough treatment floated a caddis pattern high and dry for several hours. Despite the ravages of several cutts, many of which were large and mauled it, that fly was still floating high and dry and bringing them up. What a blast!

Good answers, every single one.

I do have one other suggestion.

Sorry, I can't read the name on the bottle anymore, but I have a product that you treat your new, fresh off the vice, fly with. You drop it into the bottle and let it set for about 10 seconds. You than take it out and let it dry at least overnight. When dry, any hackle that is bent of matted can be freed up by brushing with your fingers.

The fly, treated this way, will never require more than a wash and a couple of false cast. It will float until the fly is lost or torn apart.

On those I don't treat, like the CDC flies, I also use the powder.

Gel's or liquids are made for this. not into fly fishing whatsoever, but know that that's what you need to keep em high and dry...But they are easily found in any fly fishing section of a fishing store