Coating for Floss

[Midge Man]

I am tying some flies using different colors of floss. However, when they get wet, the floss changes colors (the red floss turns almost black). I had read somewhere that many of you all coat the floss to preserve the color. However, I can't recall what you used. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Normand]

use white thread under light colored flosses and that should retain the floss color.

[Buddy Sanders]

Midge Man,

They make a product used by rod builders to help thread retain it's color through the finishing process.

It's called 'color preserver'. There are a couple of manufacturers.

It will work with floss.

Good Luck!

Buddy

[mosca seca]

Whenever I tie a fly that has floss I coat the floss with Sally Hanson Hard as Nails finger nail polish. It gives the floss the "wet look" and makes it more durable.

[Flyrodde]

All of those options will work and I urge you to try them all. Patterns that use floss or dubbing use a certain kind to obtain a certain amount of transparentcy. Coating the floss with a hard coating will not allow the water to turn the floss transparent. Using different colors of thread under the floss will give you different shades of the floss while wet. I am not familiar with the color preserver, but I imagine that it either stops colors from bleeding (quality floss shouldn't bleed its color anyway) or it coats the thread with some kind of water proofer. Experiment and have fun.

[DavidInMD]

I've actually painted the hook to match the floss to get around this problem. Leaves the fuzzy/matte look, little effect on weight.