The fishing fly seems no stranger to nearly every angler, whether you are an amateur or a seasoned fisherman. Yet, do you know why it can float on the water surface instead of being drowned?
The answer lies in a fishing floatant that assists your buoy fly. However, how to make fly fishing floatant? The following instructions of 7 steps will unveil this mystery. Keep reading!
What Is The Fly Fishing Floatant?
The fly fishing floatant is a combination of carrier and wax in liquid form. As the name suggests, it helps your fly stay afloat and prevents it from damage caused by water.
What is fly fishing floatant made of? One of its special materials is a waxy substance. Thanks to this, the floatant can form a slight coating for your fly.
Also, in a liquid form, it is regarded as a smooth carrier for the waxy to evaporate, which reduces its weight and the overall fly’s size.
Besides, a fishing fly equipped with a floatant strongly resembles a marine creature. In this way, fish and other underwater animals cannot identify the fly’s presence, heightening the chance of catching fish.
How To Make Fly Fishing Floatant?
Creating floats for fly fishing is straightforward. You need to heat up paraffin wax with some Coleman fuel to create a well-mixed solution.
After the mixture has cooled down, you can apply it to the fly.
Let’s look at the preparation stage before knuckling down to the floatant-making procedure.
The Preparation
Try to find and prepare the equipment and materials below. They are all necessary for the steps of making a DIY fly floatant.
- Paraffin wax or white candle wax is one of the most important materials. You can purchase them from a craft store, hardware stores, grocery stores for homemade preserves, and online retailers like eBay, Amazon, Shopee, etc.
- Another core material is Silica gel, which is available at numerous retail locations and online shops.
- White gas or Coleman fuel is also accessible in numerous local stores. It is functional for dissolving the wax and simplifying the fly’s application.
- Remember to wear safety gloves and eyeglasses to secure your health and avoid injuries.
The Step-By-Step Procedure
- Step 1: You need to ensure that your workspace is airy and well-ventilated, which helps you prevent accidents and facilitates the process.
- Step 2: Grate and chop the white candle or paraffin wax into small pieces. Then, place those pieces into a heat-resistant container, like a metal can or a jar.
- Step 3: Place the container in a pot filled with water. Subsequently, put it onto the pan and ignite a flame of medium temperature to heat your pot.
- Step 4: Pour a cup of Coleman fuel into the container of paraffin wax. You’d better notice the equal ratio between them. For instance, a cup of white candle wax equals a cup of Coleman’s liquid fuel.
- Step 5: After mixing them, shake the mixture vigorously until you see them dissolving completely. To avoid your container from breaking, you should secure the lid.
- Step 6: Wait a few hours for the mixture to cool down at room temperature. You’ll see a gel form in a container; this means your mixture starts to thicken in consistency.
- Step 7: Begin to apply a newly created floatant to your fly. Remember that you should not overuse too much floatant. This could increase the fly’s weight and affect its buoyancy.
How To Use The Fly Floatant?
First, you must prepare a proper floatant that suits your fishing fly. Be it a gel or liquid, you must apply a small amount to the brush or your fingertips.
Then, gently rub it onto the fishing fly’s body and ensure its coverage is thick enough. If not, the fly could be drowned immediately after casting.
However, it would be best not to use the fly instantly after brushing the floatant onto it. It’s strongly suggested to wait for it to dry.
Suppose you feel that the floatant’s coverage is too thin; reapply it as needed to maintain the buoyancy.
When To Use The Fly Floatant?
The best time to apply the fishing floatant is when you see the fly sinking.
Indeed, if you notice that more than half of the fly is underwater, you’d better take it above the water surface, let it dry, and apply another layer of fly floatant.
Remember to pack some floatants in your fly fishing vest to reapply during the trip.
Some experts suggest that you reapply the floatant after every 4 to 5 drifts. This helps restore the fly’s buoyancy and makes sure that it can stay afloat at the next catching time.
What Are The Best Dry Fly Floatants?
This section will present 6 quality types of floatants worth your consideration. Let’s check them out!
Gel Floatants
Gel floatant is one of the most common types that has been used for about a decade.
It has a name for itself as a quality product that can retain moisture for several hours during the post-application time.
Powder Shake Floatants
As the name suggests, this type of floatant has a special texture, looking like powder. Instead of brushing it onto the fly’s body, dip it into the powder shake floatant.
Its greatest benefit is that you don’t need to wait for the fly to dry and use it immediately for convenience.
Brush-On Floatants
The brush-on floatant is suitable for both dry and wet fishing flies. However, you should only rub them onto the small fly, as it takes much time to cover the whole body of larger flies.
Unlike the powder shake floatant, this kind is inconvenient, as the process saves you much time and effort rather than rubbing it on the line.
Spray-On Floatants
The spray-on floatant has risen in popularity these days. Spraying seems more straightforward than brushing.
Pull your fly out of the water and spray the thick floatant on its surface to facilitate buoyancy.
Dip and Dunk Floatants
Dip and dunk floatant has been newly released to the market. It is a perfect blend of chemical substances, making it an excellent pre-treatment for fishing flies.
Yet, you should not apply it to dry flies due to the incompatibility issue.
Paste Floatants
When it comes to paste floatants, people often regard them as gel floatants due to their similar composition. Its texture is thicker and lasts longer than the gel products.
However, gel ones can be used for all, while the paste floatant is applicable to only small flies.
What Are The Best Alternatives To Fly Fishing Floatant?
One of the optimal alternatives to the fishing floatant is the silicone-based lubricant, which provides a temporary water-resistant solution for your fly.
Other products include lip balm, powdered desiccant, waterproof spray, etc. They all have one thing in common: their sticky texture and ability to repel water.
The Bottom Line
How to make fly fishing floatant? This article has solved this question successfully via the thorough 7-step guidance.
Don’t worry too much; a DIY floatant is very straightforward to do. Just spend 30 minutes focusing on the work, and you’ll be amazed by the amazing output.
Thanks for your genuine support, and have a nice day!
