What is the best way to improve buoyancy of a Dahlberg Diver

Questions about Freshwater Fishing

What is the best way to improve buoyancy of a Dahlberg Diver

Postby Ton » Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:50 pm

Living in Holland I like to fish for pike with the Dahlberg Diver which I ty with Deer Belly Hair and a lot of variations regarding the tail. However after catching a pike or even after fishing for some time without catching anything the Diver looses it's buoyancy and starts to sink slowly. Now I wonder what is the best way to improve the buoyancy. Is there a recommended floatant or other way of treatment ?
Thanks in advance for any help.
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Re: What is the best way to improve buoyancy of a Dahlberg D

Postby dahlberg » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:26 pm

First, use the best deer hair you can find. Deer harvested from very cold climates are best and hair that's not been washed works best too.
I dress the fly to begin with on the bench with liquid silicone. After letting it dry very well I use a paste floatant before fishing it.
After it's got fish spit on it I use a powdered dessicant to dry it off.
In super hot climates where hair just won't float I use foam to make my diving heads.
best
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Re: What is the best way to improve buoyancy of a Dahlberg D

Postby Ton » Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:06 pm

Thanks for your reply.
Would you also recommend to seal the hair with head cement or something like that ? And if so, only the (flat) bottom of the head ? And before or after applying the silicon ?
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Re: What is the best way to improve buoyancy of a Dahlberg D

Postby dahlberg » Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:49 pm

Seal hair only on bottom, especially if you have thick glue . Don't put glue on the collar. best glue is shoe goo thinned super thin with toluene. If proper thinness,it seals hair without messing up stiffness of diving collar.
best
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Re: What is the best way to improve buoyancy of a Dahlberg D

Postby flyfishing1 » Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:12 pm

Two other things I have found help with spun hair flies too. 1: Pack the hair thicker. The more stuffed it is the better they have floated for me. Of coasre there is a limit though but that takes experimenting to find. 2: I have started to steam the hair over a boiling tea kettle after I do my rough trimming. When you handle the hair it gets flattened. The steam makes it fluff back up and it stands up to the razor much better too. I read that in a pretty popular mag that I just can't recall the name of right now. Just be very carefull if you are using bunny strips, the steam can ruin them. I've got a couple beautiful divers and poppers with shrivled up bunny strip tails. :oops:
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