How Do You Treat Dry Flies?

There are two categories of flies in fly fishing: wet flies and dry flies. Wet flies refer to the insects that develop and live below the water surface until they eventually hatch and float above. On the other hand, dry flies resemble insects thriving on the land.

Both wet and dry flies are effective in catching a fish. However, anglers usually encounter a challenge in using dry flies. That struggle is to keep them from sinking.

A Guide on Keeping Dry Flies from Sinking

A dry fly will sink when you keep it for too long in the water because it absorbs the water. Moreover, some flies immediately sink when they contact with water. To avoid that, you need to dress your flies with a desiccant and a floatant. Using a floatant is the best way to keep them from sinking. However, if you have a fly that still won’t float even with a floatant, it is best to change it with a new one. 

1. What is A Floatant?

You can apply a solution called floatant to the fly to create a water-repellent barrier around it. This solution will prevent your fly from being oversaturated with water with its wax and carrier contents.

It is essential to remember that a floatant should only be applied when the fly is dry. Thus, you can only put the solution before water touches the fly; otherwise, it will not be effective in making your fly stay afloat. 

However, applying floatant to a fly is not always necessary. You should consider different factors when using this solution to your fly. These factors include the condition of the water in your fishing location.

For example, if you are fishing in a river with fast currents, you may not need any floatant. That is because the current carries the fly and helps it stay afloat.

Aside from keeping your fly from sinking, a floatant also resembles a natural oil produced by aquatic insects. Thus, covering your flies with this solution can better trick the fish you are trying to catch. 

2. Different Types of Floatants

A floatant comes in many forms, such as powder, liquid, and cream. Liquid floatant is the most common among the three.

The effectiveness of these types of floatant will vary on the fly’s material. But, you may find a reliable one that can work on all kinds of fly lines from a local fishing store. 

Powder Floatant

The powder floatant is the quickest type of floatant to apply. That is because it comes in a shaker bottle, and you can use it by sprinkling it over the fly. It usually requires three shakes over the fly; then, you have to spray it with water to activate. 

Most powder floatant will help your fly stay afloat for hours, even with continuous submersion. It works best with deer hair. 

If you encounter problems getting the powder to your fishing line, you may substitute your yarn loop tippet rings at the end of the leader with one made from authentic tippet material.

Liquid Floatant

This type of floatant is also relatively easy to use when treating your flies. You have to add a few drops of it to your fly. However, it also comes with certain limitations, as it contains soapy ingredients that can attract debris and other particles in high-light conditions. Aside from that, its effectiveness in keeping flies afloat is also shorter than using powder floatant. 

Furthermore, it can be corrosive to the metal hardware of your fishing gear, such as swivels, snaps, zippers, and buckles. 

Cream Floatant

A cream floatant is very much like a powder. It also comes in a shaker bottle, but it is denser due to its thicker paste-like consistency. Aside from that, using a cream floatant reduces the probability of clogging your tippet rings, and it also doesn’t leave any residue, unlike liquid floatant. 

3. How to Treat Dry Flies with A Floatant?

There are two main methods of applying floatant to a fly: shaking and coking with a finger. The latter method will allow for more uptake, but it has a higher chance of damaging delicate materials. 

Shaking

Powder and cream floatant usually comes in shaker bottles. You can dust your fly with these two by shaking their container over it. Three shakes will usually suffice. After that, you need to wet the fly to activate the floatant. 

Painting or Dropping

Some anglers who don’t prefer the shaking method will get a paper towel, fill it with the powder or cream floating, and use their finger to apply the solution to their flies. This method is acceptable as long as you can spread the floatant event to the fly until all parts of it are covered. However, this is also a wasteful solution because you may have leftovers on the tissue paper, and you can no longer use that.

When it comes to liquid floatant, some anglers use the dropper, while some take off the cap, pour floatant in it, and use their finger to apply it to the fly. The latter method of applying liquid floatant can also lead to waste. That is because you can spill some of it while filling the cap. 

Treat Your Dry Flies

The dry-fly fishing technique is challenging because you have to treat your flies to keep them from sinking. You can use a floatant to help solve this problem, and there are three types you can use: powder, liquid, and cream. Each of these has its advantages and disadvantage, and its effectiveness will depend on your fly’s material. Moreover, there are also two floatant application methods that you can try: shaking and painting.