When it comes to dry fly fishing, the right floatant can make all the difference. Whether you’re targeting rising trout on a mountain stream or casting terrestrials in rougher waters, keeping your fly riding high is key. In this guide, we compare the most popular fly fishing floatants—including Gink, Loon, High N Dry, Hareline, Scientific Anglers, Umpqua and Murray’s Liquid Floatant—to help you choose the best option for your next trip.

Why Floatant Matters

Floatant keeps your dry fly buoyant, visible, and fishing effectively. There are several types of floatants—gel, liquid, powder, and spray—each suited for different fly materials and water conditions.

Gel & Liquid Floatants in no Particular Order

1. Gink Floatant

• Type: Gel
• Best For: Traditional dry flies with hackle
• Pros: Longtime favorite, easy to apply, affordable
• Cons: Thick in cold temps, can matte CDC fibers

Gink has been a go-to for anglers for decades. It’s ideal for most standard dry flies, but not recommended for CDC (Cul de Canard) patterns.

2. Loon Aquel

• Type: Gel
• Best For: All-purpose floatant
• Pros: Temperature-stable, easy to apply, eco-friendly
• Cons: Requires reapplication during longer sessions, not the best for CDC

Loon Aquel is a temperature-stable gel floatant that doesn’t liquefy or harden in extreme weather. It’s a solid all-around performer.

3. Loon Lochsa

• Type: Gel
• Best For: CDC flies and standard dries
• Pros: CDC-safe, durable
• Cons: Slightly pricier than standard gels

Lochsa is designed for delicate CDC flies but works great on all dries. It keeps flies floating longer without matting delicate fibers.

4. Loon Royal Gel

• Type: Gel
• Best For: CDC flies and standard dry flies
• Pros: CDC-safe, temperature stable
• Cons: Can be slightly greasy if over-applied, Not a top performer in our 45 day test

Royal Gel adds a subtle sparkle while keeping flies riding high. Safe for CDC, it resists melting in hot weather and won’t mat fine hackle, making it ideal for delicate presentations.

5. High N Dry Gel

• Type: Gel
• Best For: Standard dry flies and terrestrials
• Pros: Temperature-stable, non-toxic, long-lasting floatation
• Cons: Not recommended for CDC

High N Dry Gel Floatant is a high-performance formula that keeps flies riding high in all conditions. Its non-toxic, silicone-based gel applies easily, resists melting or hardening, and offers reliable floatation throughout the day

6. Scientific Anglers Fly Floatant* Top Performer Gel in our 45 day test

• Type: Gel
• Best For: Standard dries and larger flies
• Pros: Durable, easy-to-apply gel, resists melting in heat
• Cons: Slightly thicker consistency than Loon Aquel and Gink, not ideal for CDC

Scientific Anglers’ gel floatant is reliable, especially for larger dry flies or terrestrials. It holds up well in warm temperatures and provides solid flotation without frequent reapplication.

7. Dave’s Bug Float (Umpqua)

• Type: Gel
• Best For: Standard dry flies and larger patterns like hoppers and stoneflies
• Pros: Thick, long-lasting formula; easy to apply; excellent for bushy dries
• Cons: Too heavy for CDC or delicate flies

Dave’s Umpqua Bug Float is a thick, paste-style gel floatant designed for big dry flies that need to ride high in rough water. Ideal for stimulators, hoppers, and attractor patterns, it clings well to hackle and dubbing and holds up through multiple fish. While it’s not suitable for CDC, it’s a go-to choice when maximum buoyancy and durability are the priority.

8. Hareline Water Shed – The Top Performer in our 45 day test!*

• Type: Liquid (permanent treatment)
• Best For: Long-term fly preparation
• Pros: One-time application, lasts the life of the fly, works on CDC- The top performer overall in our 45 day test!
• Cons: Must dry 24+ hours before use

Hareline Water Shed is a permanent fly treatment you apply at home. Once it’s dried (overnight is best), it gives your fly a durable, water-repellent coating. Great for guides or DIY fly tiers looking for a long-lasting solution.

9. Murray’s Liquid Fly Floatant

• Type: Liquid
• Best For: All-around use
• Pros: Made for serious anglers, works in cold or warm weather, CDC-friendly
• Cons: Best used as a pre-treatment – at home or before your first cast

Developed by Harry Murray at Murray’s Fly Shop, this liquid floatant is a high-performance, versatile option. It’s great for terrestrials, standard dry flies and CDC patterns, offering long-lasting floatation in all conditions.

10. High N Dry Liquid Floatant

• Type: Liquid
• Best For: Pre-treating flies before fishing
• Pros: Deep penetration, long-lasting, CDC-safe
• Cons: Requires drying time

This liquid floatant soaks into the fly for all-day buoyancy. It’s especially useful before your first cast or when prepping multiple flies at home.

Powder & Spray Floatants

11. Loon Dust

• Type: Powder
• Best For: Quick water removal and boosting flotation
• Pros: Revives soaked flies, adds sparkle, comes with brush applicator
• Cons: Can be messy in wind, gives dark patterns a washed out appearance

Perfect for drying off soaked flies and refreshing their float, Loon Dust adds a bit of shimmer to improve visibility on the water.

12. Loon Blue Ribbon

• Type: Powder
• Best For: CDC flies, emergers, and delicate dries
• Pros: Adds buoyancy without residue, CDC-safe, easy to apply
• Cons: Can be messy in windy conditions, gives flies a washed out appearance

Blue Ribbon is a top-choice floatant for preserving natural fly appearance. This fine powder keeps flies high and dry without altering fibers, making it perfect for delicate patterns and sensitive presentations.

13. Loon Top Ride Dun

• Type: Powder with desiccant
• Best For: Used flies, CDC, and dries needing a refresh
• Pros: Dries and reconditions soaked flies, CDC-safe, fast-acting
• Cons: Messiest of the powders in our 45 day test, sticks to flies giving them bleached appearance

Top Ride Dun is a shake-and-dry floatant that revives soaked flies instantly. Its desiccant and powder combo removes moisture and restores floatation, making it a must-have for mid-day fly changes or waterlogged CDC patterns.

14. Umpqua Shimazaki Dry Shake Original

• Type: Powder with desiccant
• Best For: Reviving waterlogged dries and CDC flies
• Pros: Quick-drying, adds excellent floatation, CDC-safe
• Cons: Bottle can be bulky for smaller packs, gives dark flies a bleached appearance

Umpqua Dry Shake combines powerful drying action with a fine powder floatant to breathe new life into soaked flies. Just drop in the fly, shake, and cast—perfect for keeping dries high-riding all day long.

15. Umpqua Shimazaki Dry Shake Dun

• Type: Powder with desiccant
• Best For: CDC flies and delicate dry patterns
• Pros: CDC-safe, dries and floats in one step, easy to use
• Cons: Can give lighter colored fly patterns a slightly darker appearance

Umpqua Dry Shake Dun is specially formulated for CDC and fine dry flies, combining moisture-wicking desiccant with a gentle powder floatant. Ideal for quick fly revival without damaging delicate materials.

16. High N Dry Powder Floatant* Top Performer in our 45 day test!

• Type: Powder
• Best For: Drying and rejuvenating flies
• Pros: Excellent desiccant, floats even heavily soaked flies, doesn’t give flies a bleached appearance
• Cons: Works best with bottle + applicator

This powder is ultra-fine and dries even the soggiest CDC or parachute fly. A must-have for rainy days or choppy waters. The overall top performer in Powder Floatant’s in our 45 day test.

17. High N Dry Spray Floatant

• Type: Spray
• Best For: Treating multiple flies quickly
• Pros: Fast, even application; CDC-safe
• Cons: Hard to get soaked flies to float effectively without a more thorough drying than gel Floatants.

This spray floatant is perfect for treating a box of flies at home before a trip. It penetrates deeply and dries fast, ideal for guides or anglers prepping for a full day.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Floatant

Each floatant has its strengths. For CDC flies, choose Loon Lochsa, High N Dry Liquid, Murray’s Liquid or High N Dry Powder. For reviving soaked flies, powders like Loon Dust or High N Dry Powder with their applicator brush are essential. For quick and easy pre-treating, sprays or liquids are incredibly efficient. Hareline Water Shed excelled in our 45 day test but the need to apply 24 hours ahead of time requires planning.

To evaluate the performance of each dry fly floatant, we applied one type of floatant to individual #14 Mr. Rapidan Parachute dry flies. Powder floatants were applied to dry flies. Each treated fly was tied to Umpqua 5X tippet and placed in a clear glass container filled with plain, untreated well water.

The flies remained in the water undisturbed until they sank completely. The first fly took 18 hours to fully submerge, giving us a clear baseline for floatant longevity and effectiveness under static conditions.
18 hours: Constant – No Floatant on this fly
48 hours: High N Dry Liquid
50 hours: Loon Royal Gel
54 hours: Murray’s Liquid Floatant
59 hours: High N Dry Spray Floatant
70 hours: Loon Lochsa
72 hours: Dave’s (Umpqua) Bug Float
88 hours: Gink
93 hours: Loon Aquel
101 hours: Scientific Anglers Gel
203 hours: Umpqua Tiemco Shimazaki Dun
204 hours: Loon Dust
262 hours: Loon Blue Ribbon
297 hours: Umpqua Tiemco Shimazaki Original
306 hours: High N Dry Powder
343 hours (over 14 days): Loon Top Ride Dun
504 hours+ (21 days and still floating!) WINNER! Hareline Water Shed Pre-Treatment! We discontinued this part of the test at 21 days and the fly treated with Hareline Water Shed was still floating.

To better reflect real-world fishing scenarios, we conducted a second phase of testing using moving water. We used the same Mr. Rapidan Parachute Dy flies from our initial test, blotting each one dry with a Murray’s Dry-a-Fly Patch before reapplying its original floatant. Each fly was then secured in a controlled flow tank using Umpqua 5X tippet, ensuring consistent placement and exposure to current. This setup allowed us to measure how long each treated fly stayed afloat under simulated stream conditions.
8 hours: Constant – No Floatant on this fly
13 hours: Loon Royal Gel
16 hours: High N Dry Spray
32 hours: Loon Lochsa
36 hours: High N Dry Liquid
44 hours: Murray’s Liquid
48 hours: Loon Aquel
50 hours: High N Dry Gel
50 hours: Dave’s (Umpqua) Bug Float
50 hours: Gink
55 hours: Scientific Anglers Gel
76 hours: Loon Dust
82 hours: High N Dry Powder
101 hours: Umpqua Tiemco Shimazaki Shake Dun
104 hours: Loon Blue Ribbon
110 hours: Umpqua Tiemco Shimazaki Original
111 hours: Loon Top Ride Dun
144 hours: Hareline Water Shed – Finally became waterlogged enough to sink.

Final On-Stream Fly Floatant Test: Real Fishing Results

The third and final phase of our fly floatant performance test involved real fishing conditions on the stream. We tested each product by catching five fish per dry fly, each treated with a different floatant except for the constant fly pattern with no floatant. While the differences weren’t as dramatic as our lab test results, some consistent patterns emerged.

The first fly to lose buoyancy was the constant which began sinking after three fish. The next to lose buoyancy were those treated with Loon Royal Gel, followed by High N Dry Liquid Floatant, High N Dry Spray then Murray’s Liquid Floatant. Other gel-style floatants performed comparably and maintained decent floatation through multiple fish. Hareline Water Shed, however, began to sink after four brook trout. Interestingly, after the Water Shed-treated fly began to sink, I applied Scientific Anglers Fly Floatant Gel on top of it. The combination appeared to outperform flies treated with Scientific Anglers Gel alone—providing a surprising boost in floatation.

Across the board, powder floatants outperformed gels, sprays, and liquids in terms of keeping dry flies afloat longer. That said, there were some downsides. All powders—except High N Dry Powder and Loon Dust caused visible discoloration to the dry flies. This discoloration affected not only the fly body but also the hackle and post, and it persisted even after a dozen casts on the water.

Final Thoughts: Why Using a Dry Fly Floatant Is Always Worth It

Based on our extensive testing, it’s clear that using a dry fly floatant is far better than fishing without one. While no single floatant works perfectly for every situation, each type offers unique benefits depending on fly design and water conditions.

Gel floatants are easy to apply and generally provide reliable floatation. With only a few exceptions, they performed well throughout our tests. Liquid and spray floatants, such as Hareline Water Shed Pretreatment, are ideal for prepping dry flies in advance. They help maintain fly shape and avoid hackle matting, which prolongs the life and effectiveness of your flies.

Powder floatants consistently delivered the best performance in terms of keeping flies riding high. We especially liked Loon Dust and High N Dry Powder, both of which include an applicator brush. These brushes allow for precise, streamside application to the body, tail, and hackles while minimizing waste.

One word of caution: many white powder floatants can alter the appearance of your dry flies by whitening them—impacting not only the body but also the post and hackle. This discoloration often remained even after a dozen casts and may be undesirable in clear or highly pressured water.

Ecologically conscious option: High N Dry Fly Floatant products—eco-friendly, high-performance solutions for keeping your flies riding high. Made with environmentally conscious ingredients, these floatants are perfect for anglers who care about preserving our waters while maximizing dry fly success. Safe for you, safe for the stream.

The bottom line, Did this comparison change what I use on the water?

I’ve been skeptical of powder and desiccant-style floatants since they hit the market over 30 years ago—mostly because they always seemed to create a mess. While that’s still true for some brands, products like High N Dry Powder and Loon Dust have changed my mind. Both come with a built-in applicator brush, making streamside application much cleaner and more precise. So yes, although I still rely heavily on a mix of gel and liquid floatants, my gear pouch is now a bit more crowded—with the welcome addition of High N Dry Powder.

We’re preparing a follow-up test to evaluate the ease of use and mess factor of popular powder floatants when applied directly to dry flies on the stream. This next phase will also compare which floatants alter fly color the most, helping anglers choose the cleanest and most effective options for on-the-water application.

Ready to stock up? Browse our full collection of fly floatants and get expert advice tailored to your local waters.

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