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Can someone who may have this home made stuff post a picture of what it is going to look like when it's all done maybe. Thanks

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It's clear. Pour Coleman fuel in a jar, add the wax. After the wax dissolves, the liquid looks just like it did before.

However, if it gets cold, it can get cloudy.

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It is ironic that I have a podcast of a fly fisher that says he never even gases up his car before going fishing because the smell of gasoline puts fish off, and then we have a formula for a dry fly floatant that uses gasoline....

 

I doubt that fish could smell a dry fly, but I do have a question about the floatant after it is dry. Do the flies smell? If they do, could that "contaminate" subsurface flies stored in the same fly box.

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I can't detect a smell once the Bergman formula is dry, but salmonoids have a much greater sense of smell. Lord knows what they can detect and associate with danger.

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It is ironic that I have a podcast of a fly fisher that says he never even gases up his car before going fishing because the smell of gasoline puts fish off, and then we have a formula for a dry fly floatant that uses gasoline....

 

I doubt that fish could smell a dry fly, but I do have a question about the floatant after it is dry. Do the flies smell? If they do, could that "contaminate" subsurface flies stored in the same fly box.

We've determined that we AREN'T using gasoline. Coleman fuel might be a crude oil derivative, like gasoline, but it's not gasoline. Anyway, if you spill Coleman fuel (which I have) it evaporates completely. It doesn't leave a trace that it was ever there ... unless you've spilled in on a varnished surface (which I have), then it leaves a patch of ... disturbed varnish. It doesn't peel the varnish off or anything, you can just tell something was there.

That was my main reason for avoiding the stuff to begin with: What was the solvent doing to the head cements, etc.?

But I am long since disregarded that concern. I've been using it for a couple of years now, and it hasn't caused a fly to come apart, yet.

 

As far as smell/odor ... I am convinced it doesn't leave an aroma on the fly. I know fish will hold onto my flies long enough to get a hook set, so ...

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Only stuff I found that really works and is safe to the environment. I get 12 bottles a year for my shop. he only makes 5 gallon a year.

post-624-0-67516400-1403724724_thumb.jpg

post-624-0-15272600-1403724729_thumb.jpg

post-624-0-02930200-1403724734_thumb.jpg

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It's clear. Pour Coleman fuel in a jar, add the wax. After the wax dissolves, the liquid looks just like it did before.

However, if it gets cold, it can get cloudy.

 

Yes, it's clear. I made the first batch and used four candles instead of the one that Mike said. My theory being that if a little is good, a lot is better. I mean it works with bacon, right? It came out cloudy. I redid it using ONE TEA CANDLE, and can you believe it? It came out clear.

 

Thanks, Mike. Next time I'll follow your instructions more carefully.

steve

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Gotta chime in.

 

- If your first choice is a commercial product, there are plenty out there.

- If you want to DIY, try "Albolene." It's sold as a "makeup remover," but works exceptionally well as a floatant.

 

Here's the issue I see. IMHO when you first put your fly on the water, use a "grease" type floatant, because it will insulate the cells in the fibers on the fly from saturation. However, once the original "grease" has worn off you do NOT want to try to reinsulate with more "grease" based product. At that point, you should try a dry shake dessicant, which will repel the water from the now soaked fibers.

 

Funny thing is, everybody has an opinion. The best thing to do... get out on the water and try it.

 

John

 

 

I place the "gink" "goop" "liquid silicone" on my dry fly PRIOR to tossing it into the water. Next step after it starts to sink is using a DRY powder (dessicants/powder/etc) and it seems to float better after the dry application.

 

I have found that re-applying the liquid/gel without tossing it in the "powder" does not work as well.

 

MikeChell......I am not sure what you are using even after re-reading.....can you elaborate?

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Tea candles ... Dollar Tree has them in boxes of 10, I think, for a dollar.

 

"white gas" ... Coleman lantern or stove fuel.

 

small jar of jelly. Eat all the jelly, wash the jar. Fill about 3/4 with "white gas" and shave in one or two tea candles. Stir or shake until dissolved. Dip flies, keeping marabou out. Since white gas dispels water, this solution works to dry and re-coat flies. Although it doesn't get ALL the water out, so you have a little less time after re-dipping stream side.

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so you have to carry and apply 2 floatants ? I apply once and do not worry unless the fly gets slimed, then I just wash it off and air dry.

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If you're asking me ... no, not two different flotants ... it's the same stuff. If the fly starts to get waterlogged, you can let it air dry. But if you want to keep using the fly, re-dipping the fly, lets you immediately keep fishing it. Since I fish from a boat, having the jar of solution with me is no big deal.

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Sandy,

 

If you are asking me...LOL Mikechell....

 

I put the Silicone on the dry prior to my first cast.

 

I fish it till it starts sinking and then try to dry it as much as I can by false casting.

 

If that does not work, I put the powder on it.

 

Seems to work better for me.

 

With that being said, I have tried reapplying the "gink" subsequent times from the initial coat and it doesn't do well for me. Drying the fly works prior to any applications of floatant but the quick shake in the dessicant seems to do better.

 

This is what all the guys have showed me on the water the past month and if it works for them.....I would like to think it works for me!

 

One "trick" some of the locals use is the "dessicant packs" in just about everything you get from prescriptions to luggage. I have been saving the packs up and will use them in the next month or so. They also recommend grinding the dessicant up and using it in a powder form.

 

Food for thought from a frugal fisherman and total newbie!

 

Mike :)

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This is a new product which will be on the market ...shortly:

 

http://midcurrent.com/2014/06/23/gear-first-glance-high-n-dry-fishing-floatants/

 

I usually go with Dry Magic,Frog's Fanny or Shimazaki Dry Shake for powders.

 

Trouthunter CDC Fly Dressing for patterns with CDC:

 

http://www.shop.trouthunt.com/estore/details/2215/0/4446

 

Loon Aquel for a gel or this stuff, which was the best, and isn't available any longer:

 

 

hydrophobe.jpg



 

Fortunately, I bought a bunch of the Hydrophobe when Craig Matthews had it at BRF...

 

Here are two tips for keeping yer' fly floating...for CDC:

 

 

For small patterns:

 

http://thelimpcobra.com/tag/treating-dry-flies/

 

 

PT/TB

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One "trick" some of the locals use is the "dessicant packs" in just about everything you get from prescriptions to luggage. I have been saving the packs up and will use them in the next month or so. They also recommend grinding the dessicant up and using it in a powder form.

 

 

Mike smile.png

 

 

Desiccant is NOT a floatant so grinding it up so it coats the fly will not help the flies float better. It is HYGROSCOPIC and actually attracts and absorbed water so it makes the fly heavier. So do yourself a favor and keep it in beads or chunks.

 

The "locals" are mistaken and many fly fishers confuse desiccants with powder floatant since both are silica compounds.

 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hygroscopic

 

The desiccant in those packs is Silica Gel.

 

Silica_gel_sachet.jpg

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

 

http://talasonline.com/photos/instructions/silica_gel_FAQ.pdf

 

If you closely examine the combination desiccant and powder floatant like Loon Top Ride and Shimazaki Dry Shake, you will find the powder floatant AND the crystals of silica gel. When the powder is gone, take the remaining silica gel crystals, put then in a glass dish or small drinking glass, cover with a paper towel, and microwave it on high for 15 seconds. Allow to cool and microwave again for 15 seconds. The popping sound are some of the crystals exploding as the trapped water turns to steam.

 

Return the crystals to the container. You can add more floatant powder OR you can use just the crystals to dry your flies after squeezing most of the water out with a paper towel or chamois cloth.

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Speaking of high tech floatants, there is a new formulation of Never Wet, a superhydrophobic coating that is formulated for clothing. I am waiting for someone to try it as a pre-coating for dry flies.

 

Super-hydrophobic materials are graded by the contact angle, the angle a bead of water makes on the surface. Note the high contact angle of the pink water on the material below.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_angle

 

I am betting that someone will repackage it and sell it for $$$ for flies treatment to be used like Hydrostop.

 

Items below treated with Never Wet by Rustoleum. Water drops on treated material and chocolate syrup poured on white canvas shoes.

 

never_wet_1.jpg

 

neverwet-hydrophobic-coating.jpg

 

Rustoleum-NeverWet-Waterproofing-Spray-s

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