# floating leaders



## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

Thinking is a dangerous thing. But I have been thinking about putting floatant on fly leaders. When dry fly fishing I have habitually put floatant on my dry fly AND on the leader. Now, it seems to me that fly floatant has no real floatation unto itself but mearly helps keep the fly dry so it floats better. But monofiliment (leader) material seems to be impervious to water anyway. So does it really do any good to put floatant on the leader?


----------



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Yes. It makes a difference. Even though we think of monofilament as a smooth rope, it isn't. check it out under magnification some time. You'll see losts of bumps, dips, imperfections, etc... These can hold water. That is why you get some spray off of it when you fish. When dry fly fishing especially, I'll put a dab of floatant between my fingers and rut it at least on my tippet material - to kind of fill in all those little imperfections. Though I can't quanitify it scientifically, it seems to me that when I use the floatant on the tippet, it stays on top of the surface film without breaking it. If that makes sense. 

So yes, floatant on the tippet.

GaryFish


----------



## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

There are also different types of line that are more boyent than others. Florocarbon for example sinks where as a line like floroclear by p-line float naturally.


----------



## madonafly (Dec 27, 2007)

Nor-tah said:


> There are also different types of line that are more boyent than others. Florocarbon for example sinks where as a line like floroclear by p-line float naturally.


The P-Line I use is 100% fluorocarbon, but I will agree it doesn't sink anymore than most mono out there. In fact I use it on #32's and never had a problem with it sinking.

Here is another question. If your LEADER/TIPPET is right on top the water, does it cast a shadow and make it more visible to the fish than a line slightly in the film of the water. And to add to that, I will say I am a HUGE fan of Fluoro for it's invisibility, not to mention totally convinced it is the only way to go.


----------



## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Yes it casts a shadow and the floatant will increase that- and Campfire you are correct floatant does not make something float but keeps the H20 OUT. So putting Ginks on a wet fly does you no good. Now there are certainly times to grease your leader but to do this day this everytime just is not needed and unless you are fishing for small high mountain cutts that will hit anything your fishing will suffer to a point. 
I am also not sold on flouro ALL the time. A lot of the time just not all the time.


----------



## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

I fish dries as much as possible and I don't find it neccessary to grease the tippett or leader. The surface tention seems to be enough to keep it from going under and pulling the fly down.


----------



## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

The key is getting the floatant to adhere to your leader/tippet. If you use a thicker paste floatant you will have better results. I would strongly recommend Mucilin (silicone) which comes in the green tub, not the red.


----------



## madonafly (Dec 27, 2007)

flyguy7 said:


> The key is getting the floatant to adhere to your leader/tippet. If you use a thicker paste floatant you will have better results. I would strongly recommend Mucilin (silicone) which comes in the green tub, not the red.


Good answer. That is what I use on my furled leaders....awesome!


----------

