Any Indicator's Tips???

Oh MO MO, you must be bored!!  But then so am I so I’ll answer.

1. The general rule is 1 1/2 times the depth of the water.  It will take time for your flies to sink (use weight commensurate with the depth and speed of the current). And with the indicator “pulling” your flies along they will probably never float directly under your indicator but always slightly behind – allowing the extra length of the leader to “not’ touch the bottom.

2. Great question. Yes, you should use specific types of indicators for specific conditions. As a general rule – smallest indicator possible for the situation.  More weight then the larger the indicator – don’t allow your small indicator be pulled halfway or more under water by your weighted flies or split shot. It will lose it’s sensitivity to a strike. So, if you have to add more weight to get your flies down, i.e. deep water, fast current then you need a larger indicator.  Clear, shallow water smaller indicator – yes, the indicator can spook the fish!  Maybe a white New Zealand yarn indicator to look more like the “white foam” on the water or a clear thingamabob indicator to look like an air bubble from below the surface. DON’T Forget – dry flies can be very effective indicators too

3. White or clear

4. Dead drifting flies (not tight line nymphing – which is another topic) use an indicator to help you realize a strike. Flies without beadheads, two fly rig, flies with beadhead, etc… if not tight lining then I’d use an indicator to help detect the strike.

5. Fast moving waters and deep holes with heavy flies, I like the thingamabobber.  The most sensitive indicator I’ll go with the New Zealand system for clear, slower water.

6. Yes, the number one tip when fishing indicators is SET THE HOOK!!  When that indicator does ANYTHING different from it’s normal flow through the water surface – slows, stops, jiggles, – ANYTHING – then set the hook. Hook sets are free. I see too many guys miss fish because they expect the indicator to go under water. The trout takes in their fly and in seconds spits it out and the indicator continues on it’s way downstream…. and no fish.

Learn Euro nymphing, no split shot and no indicator’s. The money you save will help defray the cost of your new nymph rod.

I like the Air Lock indicators over the Thing-A-Ma-Bobbers they don’t kink the line. I am not sure what part color plays but fish do see color. I have had trout hit orange indicators more than any other color.

Bill

Orange indicators – hatchery fish – OK.

Indicator colors and sizes will spook wild trout.  I’ve seen it and learned my lesson.

Thingamabobbers with the “jam-stop” will not kink your line (run your line through the hole and use jam stop to lock it in position) but dropping the screw cap of an Air Lock indicator will kink your day.

Euro nymphing versus indicator nymphing does have drawbacks but Euro nymphing is very effective.

+1 on the air lock, they are easy to adjust.  I usually carry more than one, so I’d have to lose quite a few caps to kink my day.

I like the looks of the New Zealand strike indicator but it seems like they have to be made right on your leader or tippet while on the stream.Is there a way to make them at home so they are ready to attache to the leader/tippet? Just wondering if anyone has fished the o ring strike indicator like Jim Misiura makes on a YouTube video? Would they work as well as the New Zealand strike indicator?

Steve

yes, you can make your own indicators with o-rings, of different sizes if you’d like. I even have some o-rings that you can have. The problem is how you attach these to your leader. When you “loop” them around the yarn to attach you get the same problem as with thing-a-ma-bobbers without the “jam stop” post. If you are attaching them at a point on your leader where the diameter is small/thin then there is a tendency for them to be hard to adjust up and down because the indicator o-ring and tippet become too tight to move.