moskito_01 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2005 I`ve read somewhere that it is very simple to make your own floatant for dryflies. Just mix lighter fuel with vaseline and there you go. Well, I`ve tried it. I took some lighter fuel and dropped several spoon of Vaseline in it. (About two to one) It took several days for the Vaseline to dissolve and I had a milky looking liquid in my bottle. Despite the strange look of the stuff I dropped some dries in there, let them soak for a few minutes, took them back out and left them on a piece of cloth to dry. Well, what can I say. I am pretty positive, these flies will go to hell before they will ever sink. But they will also never be taken by any fish, even if he`s blind and/or deaf. They look like s.... The whole fly is covered with a not very subtle film of Vaseline. The tails and hacklefibers are all in junks. It`s bad. I would post a picture but I want to spare you. I might get excluded from this forum. Now, was my mstake to have used too much Vaseline? (now THAT sentence I was sure would never come out of my mouth) Or should I not bother with it any more, hit the flyshop and buy some of the real stuff? Andy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crotalus 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2005 buy some Rain-X. Great results for a small price. When i am finished tying a batch of dries i put them in a small glass dish and douse them in Rain-X then let them dry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nedbm3 0 Report post Posted February 16, 2005 how long does the rain ex last? does it leave anything visible on the fly? I have two different kinds of rain ex. one is for interior glass and the other for exterior. i might have to try that. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pennsylvaniaflyfishing/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted February 16, 2005 Interior is an anti-fog. You want to use the exterior. I found I do have to reapply the rain-x to the fly but it seems to last about three times as long as watershed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FloydianSlip 0 Report post Posted February 18, 2005 That's a cool idea to try to make your own floatant. I have no clue what effect those two had but it looks like you have napalm flies on your hand. Light em up and chuck em in. Maybe try to make the solution thicker and apply it at streamside instead? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftyPa 0 Report post Posted February 18, 2005 In the Old Old days they used carbon tech and paraffin for fly float, till they found out carbon tech caused cancer. L-Pa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Beatty 0 Report post Posted March 14, 2005 Hi Andy, If you want a floatant that's almost identical to gink then go to a drug store and in the area where women get their cosmetics look for a product called Aboline. As near as I can tell it's the same stuff as <G>. You get a many year supply for less than $10.00. By the way, the cost of floatant is in the bottle not the product inside. The bottles tend to break after several refills.Take care & ... Tight Lines - Al Beatty www.btsflyfishing.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyweaver 0 Report post Posted March 15, 2005 After you tie your flies hold them with forceps and spray with a aerosol water proofer,it only takes a very short shot If you don't want to use a floatant streamside just use a drying agent when they get wet . Been doing it for years and it works. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBugger 0 Report post Posted March 16, 2005 seems i've heard somewhere of grinding up the little packets of silica gel from shoeboxes to make a dessicant powder. Can't say as i've tried it yet, but i've got a few of the things collected, so we'll see. Has anyone tried it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brewer 0 Report post Posted March 16, 2005 QUOTE (Flyweaver @ Mar 15 2005, 05:35 PM) After you tie your flies hold them with forceps and spray with a aerosol water proofer,it only takes a very short shot If you don't want to use a floatant streamside just use a drying agent when they get wet . Been doing it for years and it works. do you mean like a sealer, when you buy new boots, or a jacket ?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutgeek 0 Report post Posted March 21, 2005 I, too, use the Alboline. Make sure that you purchase the unscented version. It really works great, and it will last a loooooooong time. I also use it for Uni-thread constructed furled leaders. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewy271 0 Report post Posted April 19, 2005 QUOTE (moskito_01 @ Feb 16 2005, 09:09 AM) Just mix lighter fuel with vaseline and there you go. Fly floatant or napalm? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skeet3t 0 Report post Posted April 20, 2005 Fly floatant or napalm? Sounds like a winner here. Use the floatant on flies that you want to float and the napalm on the people fishing in your favorite honey hole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackdog1101 0 Report post Posted April 21, 2005 QUOTE (Brewer @ Mar 16 2005, 06:38 AM) do you mean like a sealer, when you buy new boots, or a jacket ?? 3M Scotch Guard. I put a few flies into a black plastic film canister and give 'em a shot of Scotch Guard. Shake them around a little to get them coated all over. Then let them dry overnight. If I need to "de-slime" them on the stream I rinse them in the water, then dry them with Frog's Fanny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flymaster 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2005 i also use silicon spray. I buy it at walmart comes in a can of abou 12oz and cost about $3 or $4 and on the good side also works great on boots! I spray some in a bottle cap and as I tie I dunk them in until they absorb it. I then blow off the excess and let set over night on a piece of paper or something. HTen as Blackdog said use the almiighty Frog Fanny on the stream I do this to all flies except of CDC ones it will gum up the CDC. So just use the Fanny for them. FM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites