Waterproofing dry flies

[Ray Kunz]

In discussing the treatment of dries the comment was made about using Rain-X windshield treatment. A this point a suggestion was to go ll the way and use WD-40 aerosol that is a superior water displacing material. That's what the "W-D" stands for.
Has anyone tried this ?

I just tried it. Flies sink like a stone !!! Ray

[swellcat]

Can't comment on the effectiveness of those two products for our purpose, but I wonder if those (and plenty of other floatants like lantern fuel) are chemicals we want to put in our lakes and streams.

Does anyone know of any effective non-toxics? There is some speculation and suggestions (but less experience) in this thread.

[Joe Valencic]

Does anyone know of any effective non-toxics?

Yes, it's called false cast!

[Garic]

not only is wd40 a good water repelent, it is also a good fish attractant

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

I really am a gnubee when it comes to dry fly fishing but I used zipcast as a floatant because the directions said it was good for drys. ( and I had left my regular floatant at home ) It worked quite well. I sure hope it is environmentally safe because my whole collection of fly lines is coated in the stuff.

WD-40 is considered a good attractant by some people So if it worked as a floatant you would kill two birds with one stone.

At the 2006 Lowell Idaho fish in someone said that Scotch guard in the aerosol can was a very good floatant. I can't remember who it was but they had a can of it with them . I scotch guarded my whole fly box with one quick squirt. God knows what chemicals are in that stuff. It seemed to work.

False casting can put the fish down and I like to keep it to a minimum.

[Chuck441]

"I sure hope it is environmentally safe because my whole collection of fly lines is coated in the stuff."

WD-40 is a petroleum distillate, and should NOT come in contact with your fly lines. Sorry.

Chuck

[Bamboozle]

Any water-PROOFING product like Water Shed, Camp Dry, NU Fly Coat, etc works on dries but most or all require overnight drying. That plus the extra step of treating the flies made the use of the stuff not worth to me but YMMV.

Water displacement is a not the same as water repellency as you already discovered with WD-40.

Floatability is greatly improved with waterproofing products initially but all it takes is a few fish and the effects seem to disappear. Unfortunately an eternally floating dry fly is as elusive as a fly line that never sinks. Dirt, trapped water and fish slime easily overcome the miniscule amount of buoyancy of a fly.

No matter how hard I wish for or how many products I try, re-drying and re-dressing a floating fly is part & parcel of the dry fly experience for me.

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

"I sure hope it is environmentally safe because my whole collection of fly lines is coated in the stuff."

WD-40 is a petroleum distillate, and should NOT come in contact with your fly lines. Sorry.

Chuck

I corrected my post , I meant to say all my fly lines were coated with Zipcast . Sorry for the confusion.

[Eight Thumbs]

Yes, it's called false cast!

Joe, you are totally evil, but funny! Keep up the good work! 8T

[kayakfish]

You have to very carefull with some of the flotant agents you guys are talking about here as some of them will melt or at least destroy the fibers in some dry flies like CDC, and then your fly becomes worthless. I feel that no more than flotant cost i will stick with the stuff recmmended for the flies, not some concotion. I mean really how much of this stuff do you really use each year, compared to the relaxation, enjoyment, piece of mind that you get from treating your flies, no mentioning your Creeks and rivers right?