I dislike Gink

[Caneghost]

Any of you who get to use ANY flotant over the next six months are fortunate indeed! Not so here in the Catskills where are rivers are already in the thirties. We went from 70-degree highs to thirty-to-forty-degree highs in a week this year; whoosh!

[DrLogik]

Winter I use my fly box with flies pre-treated with Bergman's Formula, I also carry an Amadou patch to dry them and a tube of Dry Magic, just in case.

[LeeO]

Rubbing flies on your tshirt works surprisingly well

[jimlucey]

High and dry floatant and amadou or sham wow ! . The high and dry would float a rock . Ok for cdc as well . But it will likely gel in the cold if you don’t keep it close to your body.

[JabaliHunter]

I use Hareline Water Shed on my flies after tying. At the river I generally use Roman Moser Miracle Float if I can get it (or Orvis Miracle Float gel or Loon Lochsa gel if I can’t) as they work on everything, including CDC; but for CDC specifically it’s hard to beat Shimazaki Dry-Shake powder (or Orvis Hy-Flote dust).

[GerardH]

For CDC, I pretreat with Watershed. On the stream, I make sure I rinse the fly thoroughly after each fish to remove slime, then pat dry with either my shirt or in my Amadou patch. I then dust on Frog's Fanny (fletch-dry) and the CDC fly is usually good to go.

With the rest of my dry flies, I use Gink/Albolene streamside after I tie on the fly. I have a desiccant shaker I use to dry off drowned flies and then I'll also apply a dusting of Frog's Fanny (or fletch-dry).

This is a routine that has worked for me for many years, I'm sure there are better products out there now that maybe I should investigate.

[ted patlen]

I really don't see any difference in the liquid/gel type of floatants, such as loon, albolene, etc. I have tried the watershed type as well but see it as excess. For drying the flies I do not use powders and dust types ...too much stuff for me to put in my vest. I use my shirt during the warm months and my polar fleece pullover now. If the stuff gels because of the cold you can put a drop onto your finger tip and wait a few seconds. I also like mucilin fly-line dressing on the dries, works for me.

[PYochim]

These floatants are all the same.

I started rubbing Mucilin on just the parachute post of the fly. It allows the body of the fly to submerge yet I can still see the post floating. I do the same with the New Zealand strike indicator. And they will float all day.

Here’s the effect I want.

[billems]

Before CDC became prevalent, Gink was it. I still carry it. Fine stuff. I like Fly-Agra, too.

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

These floatants are all the same.

I started rubbing Mucilin on just the parachute post of the fly. It allows the body of the fly to submerge yet I can still see the post floating. I do the same with the New Zealand strike indicator. And they will float all day.

Here’s the effect I want.

I like that effect and will have to try it! And may try muslin as well.

Ted Platen, the problem that I have is getting a drop of solidified Gink to come out!

[PYochim]

I like that effect and will have to try it! And may try muslin as well.

All you need is a little bit. Less is more. I just rub the applicator pad on just the post. Don’t use it on CDC as it will bugger it up. And it is cheaper than a lot of these floatants and not as messy.

[PYochim]

I’ve always thought that the best thing for dry flies would be if you could find one of those little cans of compressed air to blow the water out of them. I’ve never been able to find one small enough to fit in the tube pocket of my fly vest. Has anyone else?

Kevin

I have an air compressor on wheels that I drag behind for that very purpose.

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

Please excuse my newbie question, but what is CDC?

[PYochim]

CDC stands for Cul de Canard. It is the feather near the butthole of a duck. It makes for pretty flies but they are high maintenance and don’t last long.

[henkverhaar]

If the stuff gels because of the cold you can put a drop onto your finger tip and wait a few seconds.

Not if you have Raynauds....

[ibookje]

CDC stands for Cul de Canard. It is the feather near the butthole of a duck. It makes for pretty flies but they are high maintenance and don’t last long.

That’s something fly fishing & tying community doesn’t seem to understand. Yes it will float well when fresh. Once it caught a fish it will get slimy and basically game over. Tie on a new fly.

CDC for floatation only is a one trick (fish) pony. Use cdc for impression of movement (use deer/elk hair, hackle or foam or a combination for floatation) and it can’t be beaten


By the way, Henk we need your chemist opinion: what should we use?

[chsparkman]

For the past 40 years I have exclusively used Bergman's formula. I dissolve 2 oz of paraffin into a pint of Coleman fuel. I carry a 1 oz bottle of it in my fishing bag, or in cold weather, a pocket next to my body. When I need to "doctor" the fly (my grandpa's term) I simply give it a dunk and keep fishing. Nothing simpler. I know I shouldn't use it on CDC flies, but I do it anyway.

Every batch I've made lasts about three years, even when I give away a few ounces to friends.

[GerardH]

That’s something fly fishing & tying community doesn’t seem to understand. Yes it will float well when fresh. Once it caught a fish it will get slimy and basically game over. Tie on a new fly.

CDC for floatation only is a one trick (fish) pony. Use cdc for impression of movement (use deer/elk hair, hackle or foam or a combination for floatation) and it can’t be beaten

To your latter point: you're correct about CDC when it's fished wet -- it does add greatly to a lifelike movement of your subsurface flies.

However, addressing the former: Right or wrong, I pretreat my CDC ties with Watershed. After catching a fish, I rinse the fly off to remove the slime, pat dry or use amadou patch, then apply some Frog's Fanny or shake in a desiccant shaker and it's ready to go again. Many of my size #22-28 olive patterns are CDC-winged....at my age and diminishing eyesight, I'm going to get the most out of that fly before I'm forced to tie on a new one.

[NewUtahCaneAngler]

Thank you for explaining what CDC is. Would store bought flies use CDC or this really in the realm of the home tier? I'm just wondering if any of my flies contain CDC and should be treated differently. Thank you.

Cheers,
Joe

[Brooks]

Commercially tied CDC flies are very popular in the rockies (and elsewhere). Many companies produce them for fly fishing stores.
Brands include: MFC, Solitude, Rainy's, and more.
And the Harrop family still sells versions designed and tied by Rene and family.