Quote Originally Posted by Steven View Post
That's pretty cool, although I'm interested in natural wings.

Back to the question of floating, just so I get this right. You're pre-treating with Watershed. After a fish is caught, you're de-sliming with amadou, then a dessicant, and then a product called Permaflote?
Not entirely sure what you mean by "natural" wings, you mean natural looking shapes? ( Actually the shapes on some of those flies are pretty rough!).


Yes. It's the only way I have found to refloat slimed flies. Getting fresh flies to float is not usually a problem. They will float for days in a bowl of water for instance. With some floatants, they will also float well after being pulled under on stream, ( with maybe a false cast or two). Getting slimed flies to float again after catching a fish on them, can be a nightmare!

The problem is that the slime coats the fly, and also clogs the feathers etc, because it is a mucous. This completely negates the function of the floatant and the water once again can coat the slime on the fly.

Before you can achieve anything else, you have to remove the slime. Drying the slime does no good, because it gets wet again as soon as it touches the water. You can't waterproof slime!

The amadou removes most of the slime, the dessicant dries up what little is left, and the permaflote then removes the dry slime rest, at the same time applying wax to the fly.

Some other things may work well too, but I have tried loads of stuff over the years, and found nothing better. ( I have not tried the Wonder Cloth Patch or the dry magic, but I suspect these work in the same way).

Many floatants simply turn your flies into "one fish flies", and the only option is to change the fly after catching one!

TL
MC