I can so relate with this :)

[BilletHead]

    And i bet a few of you other tiers can too.

   Jump on the ATV and drive to closest pond or better yet test in Mrs. BilletHeads garden pond  

  BilletHead

[fishinwrench]

That's the only reason I agreed to leveling a spot, hauling in sand and building a swimming pool.   Bait testing.

Did some experimenting with dry fly floatant last week in one of the wife's mixing bowls.  Pretty much came to the conclusion that none of it is worth a crap.  Frogs Fanny seems to be the best, of the ones I had on hand, but even it is pretty disappointing. 

Gink (which is like the BEST SELLER) is worse than using none at all.  All that paste crap does is add extra weight to a fly....and then seals in the moisture after it does become soaked.  It also mats down peacock herl and dubbing, and makes the fly look like a drowned rat.

Also discovered that a folded up Bounty paper towel is 10x better than a 15.00 piece of Amadou.

[BilletHead]

11 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Also discovered that a folded up Bounty paper towel is 10x better than a 15.00 piece of Amadou.

               An artificial chamois cut up in a bunch of little squares. Carry a few and keep swapping for drying.  

 BilletHead

[ness]

I usually just blow on a waterlogged dry fly then dunk it in Loon floatant powder and give it another blow. 

[fishinwrench]

So.... Parachute, or Traditional ?

I love tying parachute drys, love the way they look.....but I don't do very well with them in comparison to traditionally hackled drys, or no-hackle drys.  

[slothman]

I’m all about parachute drys. I especially like a “hi-vis” dry when fishing something small (like size 20 or smaller). So much easier to see and I can’t tell that it hurts the bite for me. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I've always used this one since it came out.  The trick is to use it sparingly.  https://www.feather-craft.com/feather-craft-top-fly-gel

[Flysmallie]

Not that I fish a lot of dries but I've never had a problem with Gink. If it's all gooped up then you have used too much. Just need a little rubbed in really good to make one float like a cork. Of course the first fish to slime it screws that all up. 

But I also rotate through flies pretty quick too. 

[fishinwrench]

Well here's my thinking on the matter, correct me if I'm wrong.

1.  Dry fly hackle fibers aren't going to absorb water, so any coating you put on them is just adding weight. No?

2.  A blob of Gink or any other silicone dropped into the water...SINKS, so it's heavier than water and doesn't shake off on a backcast. You can't blow it off, so WFG does it do? 🤔

I get it if it is a deer hair bug or a fly with considerable mass where it may keep water from absorbing into a larger area (pocket) but we are talking whispy little dry flys here.   

The powdered stuff seems to have a use, but the liquid/gel crap.....I don't get it. 

[BilletHead]

10 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Well here's my thinking on the matter, correct me if I'm wrong.

1.  Dry fly hackle fibers aren't going to absorb water, so any coating you put on them is just adding weight. No?

2.  A blob of Gink or any other silicone dropped into the water...SINKS, so it's heavier than water and doesn't shake off on a backcast. You can't blow it off, so WFG does it do? 🤔

I get it if it is a deer hair bug or a fly with considerable mass where it may keep water from absorbing into a larger area (pocket) but we are talking whispy little dry flys here.   

The powdered stuff seems to have a use, but the liquid/gel crap.....I don't get it. 

             Just tie you up a couple three dozen buzzballs and keep changing them out. Presto your problem is solved.  I too use the silicone jell but sparingly. Doesn't matter what you use a fly needs to be dried.  

  BilletHead