Never heard of using that method for floating flies, but it used to be
commonly recommended for lubricating ferrules. Modern composite
ferrules
don't need lubrication and doing this just gives dust and dirt
something to
stick to. The salt excreted in sweat will corrode metal ferrules.

As for waterproofing flies, I suspect it's just about useless. Natural
skin
oils aren't viscous or stable enough......know anybody who repels
water?


You know, I didn't even think about the salt content. Bad stuff all
around. And indeed, human oil is pretty wimpy stuff come to think of
it. Hmmm... Guess that was one of the many odd greenhorn tactics
that contributed to a low success rate in those early years on the
river. The dry flies were most certainly too much underwater. Ah,
youth.

But what fish in its right mind (brain stem?) would turn down something
that smelled like Bud and pepperoni? That's what I'd like to know.
I'm sure I already know the answer.

Say, are there resources on the web, or books, or just folklore out
there about pre-synthetic fly dressing substances in the 19th or 20th
centuries? I imagine that there were a number of well known recipes.
Anybody know what was in them?

Thanks, Wolfgang.

Mark67