Hi guys,

Had to dig out some dry flies the other day as there was a decent rise. However I thought my floatant was the best, loon aquel. However my mate had some home made stuff from Vaseline and baby oil (he won’t tell me any more ingredients lol). but his flies just wouldnt not sink and I ended up changing 3 sets of water logged flies and his were still floating at the end of the nite.

In short I was bathing the flies in the stuff and they were fine for 10 min but then glug glug.

I started of with gink and was happy with it but.... always felt something might be better.

I have tried mucilin and it works ok too. But left a tub in my box once over a season and well I nearly threw up when I next smelt the contents ... also lost a few fly boxes as a result so never touched the stuff since.

My grandpa used to have some pure silicon mixed with some chemical am sure it’s banned now but he used to say it would go through your skin and well could seriously harm you. He always made some outside with gloves and that stuff was brilliant. (if anyone knows of a similar recipe please let me know). Think the chemical is Carbon tetrachloride or for the old school carbon tet.

Does anyone have any home brew recipes or recommend a commercial product that’s better than the ones I have listed.

Stick with Gink.

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Vaseline is supposed to be good and cheap.

Does anyone have any home brew recipes or recommend a commercial product that’s better than the ones I have listed.

And can explain why theirs is better?

Never had a problem with Gink either.

You say that you were bathing the flies in Loon Aquel.

That might of been the problem.

I find that less is more when it comes to floatant.

I have found Loons Aquel to be by far the best floatant and is great when the weather is very cold as it does not go solid.

WCB

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If we are talking recipes, I'd love to know how to make a version of perma float!

I had some once, pre soaked some muddlers, they were insinkable!

Andy

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Caught it on a Big Green Hairy Thing!

Gink everytime :-)

Easy, white spirit

I'd say loon aquel was best applied sparingly, but the powder from Tiemco is superb! Apply some light grease to the fly first, then the powder. Grease sticks to fly, powder to grease, bobs your uncle!

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red tub of mucilin for me.... works for your leaders and line too.... 1.50 a tub....