Beginning Fly Fishing: Dry Fly Floatant - What It Is and How To Use It

Always keep your dry flies dry.

If you're looking for a powder floatant, Loon makes a great one. | Photo by Jasper Taback

Dry fly fishing is all about presentation. You’re trying to imitate an insect sitting on the water’s surface, so it’s important that your fly actually stays on the water’s surface. That might sound obvious, but keep in mind that your fly will inevitably become waterlogged after you’ve fished it for a while. If it’s starting to sink or drifting awkwardly, it no longer looks like a real bug, and you’re no longer fooling fish. 

What Is Dry Fly Floatant?

Dry fly floatant is just what it sounds like: a substance used to help dry flies float. It repels water from the fly’s feathers, hair, or synthetic material and keeps it drifting naturally. It comes in several different forms – gel, powder, paste, liquid, spray-on, and brush-on. Each has its benefits, but I firmly believe that gel and powder are all you’ll ever need. 

When to Use It

I always keep a gel and powder dry fly floatant in my pack. They’re similar substances, but they’re used at different times. 

Before your first cast of the day, you’ll apply a small amount of the gel to the fly, giving it an initial waterproofing. After that, put it away. When you’ve fished that fly for long enough that it’s started to get waterlogged, it’s time to use the powder floatant. The powder is great for removing excess water and getting your fly back to a natural drift.  

How to Use It

To use a gel floatant effectively, the first step is to make sure that your fly is totally dry. Squeeze a drop onto your finger and gently work it into the fly. Let it dry briefly, then make a couple of false casts to remove excess gel. 

Your fly doesn’t have to be bone-dry to use a powder floatant, but you do want to get it as dry as possible. Make a few false casts, blow on the fly, and finally blot it on your shirt, if need be. Next, open the lid of the floatant container, drop the fly in, close the lid, and shake. When you take the fly out, gently blow on it to remove any excess powder. Then you’re good to go. 

A Dry Fly Fishing Necessity

Can you fish dry flies without floatant? Sure, but it’s a bit of a pain. You’ll find yourself violently false casting and squeezing your fly in your shirt – anything to remove the excess water. It might buy you a few more decent drifts, but ultimately, you’ll have to switch out the fly.

If you want to save yourself time, knots, and flies, invest in a couple of bottles of floatant.