Drying a dry fly

When a trout has chewed your prized CDC or cock-hackled dry-fly, and it has become drenched or slimed, how can you help it quickly recover its perky, high-riding posture on the water’s surface? Drying a dry fly is a simple two-step process.

Use an elastic band

To revamp dry flies after they’ve become sodden with slime, I employ the same process whether they are tied with CDC (which is more temperamental and delicate) or a hackle.

First, I use a small microfibre hand towel to gently remove moisture and slime. 

If it’s a sodden CDC fly, I then latch it to a taut elastic band that’s tied to my vest (pictured above). I pull on the tippet and then ‘twang’ the elastic band, which flicks away unwanted moisture (pictured below). Such a simple trick.

How to apply desiccant and Mucilin

Once the fly is dry, I could dunk it in a pot of powder desiccant and give it a good shake to coat it. However, this method indiscriminately covers the whole fly, which affects patterns intended to fish partially beneath the surface or half-cocked. I prefer to use a tub supplied with a small brush with which I can apply powder to exact parts of my fly, such as the wing, post or hackle.

If my dry-fly has a poly-yarn wing or post, I may apply a film of green Mucilin paste. I melt the paste by rubbing a small amount between my warm forefinger and thumb. Then I can more easily massage it into the yarn. Be patient and precise.