Yarn Indicators

[fisher26]

How many of you use yarn indicators? I have tried using them as apparently they cast nicely, respond well to strikes and don't spook trout. For the Bow I always use corkies as I almost always have lots of weight on but for small streams I like the idea of yarn indicators. The problem is they always end up sinking or becoming severely waterlogged after a few casts, even with one small micro split shot and a tiny nymph.

 

 

So my question is are yarn indicators the best for low water spooky trout conditions? And how do you keep them a float?

[Guest bigbadbrent]

white thingamabobber, you're set

 

If you really wanna use yarn, you can use floatant like gink or whatever...honestly, small streams don't necessarily need small indicators (yarn, anyway..)

[dryfly]

Try closed cell foam.

 

See here...

 

Item is about dry flies, but these work for nymphs....the main indicators I use on streams ... sometimes use Rowley indicators in lakes.

 

Cheers!

 

Clive

[rusty]

To be honest, the best way to nymph small streams is with no indicator at all. It's a lot easier than it sounds or seems.

 

Having said that, I like the Palsa closed cell foam indys for suspending small nymphs. You can stack them on top of each other to carry more weight. I got the idea from Rich Osthoff's "Active Nymphing" - a great book if you're tired of throwing fist size indicators all the time.

[Brookie]

I agree with Rusty. Try nymphing without an indicator once in a while. It works very well once you have confidence in the technique. If using a yarn indicator, lots of floatant will keep it buoyant for a long time.

[bowbonehead]

I have to agree with the others when ever possible go without the indicator it will teach you better line control and how to feel the fly and take which will catch you more fish in the long run "remember its not what your using its what you do with it"

[Guest bigbadbrent]

which will catch you more fish in the long run

 

 

why..

[fisher26]

I'm not a fan of the ping pong sized corkies on small mountain streams as it splashes a lot and spooks fish, especially on fertile slow moving creeks. How would you fish a nymph effectively through a deep run say 25m away? I think indicators are essential; it's just what type you use that determines you success. However there are occasional circumstances where you don't need them (pocket water stonefly fishing).

[Weedy1]

Here are the indicators I get from the States. They come in 3/4" to 1 1/2" and are about 1/4 the cost of what I pay in Edmonton for the same kind only in a different package. The 3/4" ones do the job quite nicely on a mountain stream. The ordering process went well for me. If you want a package Fisher26 I'll mail you one if you want.

 

 

http://www.flydesk.com/Merchant2/merchant....egory_Code=Misc

[Guest bigbadbrent]

if you use them properly and the right one, you'll catch just as many as the other techniques, if not more, since you can cover a lot more water (highsticking, persay)...

 

If you can get ahold of the extra-small thingamabobbers, you'll be a very happy guy

[Weedy1]

Hey Brent,

 

These what you taking about? If so how do they adjust up and down the line?

 

[dryfly]

This is good discussion.

 

I am not meaning to be argumentative, just MHO. In brief, the times to effectively use indicators out number the times when not to use one, by 10 to 1.

 

-- "when ever possible go without the indicator" ... disagree. There may be some times you don't want one, but they are a valuable tool and for dead-drift river fishing you want one most of the time

-- "it will teach you better line control" .. Why? A modest indicator rarely if ever interferes with line control--we are talking a small piece of lightweight foam. Big corkies may well impede line control. But you normally don't need a huge corkie..just something to give you depth control. If you need a big corkie for deep o fast water then you are better off with th corkie than not as you'll have little control over the depth and position of the nymph without it.

-- "and how to feel the fly and take" .. Utterly disagree for dead drifitng nymps. Tight lining in a lake or deep pool is different. Feel the fly? It is supposed to be drag free--with some slack line. If you are short line fishing in close there MAY be some advantage.

-- "will catch you more fish in the long run" .. disagree for most nymphing situations.

 

Strike indicators:

-- give you control of depth ..an you can change the depth by altering the nymph-to-foam length.

-- give you better overall control of where your fly is ... sometimes you are trying to make sure it is in a specific "slot" .. versus just in a random piece of water

-- usually tells you the instant you have a hit .. even a soft take

-- tells you have a soft take and that is not possible to see on slack line without an indicator.

 

There is normally 7 to 10 feet between the end of the fly line and the nymphs(s).. in runs that are (say) 3 or 4 feet deep there is too much slack in the line without an indicator. There are many situations (far more than not) where without an indicator there is no chance of having any control over the nymph and seeing strikes would be impossible. The prime example is casting more or less upstream into a run (even a shallow riffle)...if you get a take when the line is 30 feet ahead...you sure can't see the take. Well I can't and I doubt if anyone can.

 

IMHO, for most drag-free nymphing conditions a strike indicator is the way to go to catch more fish -- hands down. As noted, the main indicator I use is a small piece of closed cell foam. Works great. The only commercial indicator I've been using on occasion in lakes is the Rowley indicator as shown by Weedy. They are very good.

 

Cheers!

 

Clive

[dryfly]

Weedy...attach with a loop thru the hole...loosen loop and slide. (Not seen these before, but that would work.)

[Weedy1]

Weedy...attach with a loop thru the hole...loosen loop and slide. (Not seen these before, but that would work.)

 

Like this?

 

 

[Guest bigbadbrent]

stick loop through hole, bring loop over top of the indy, tighten. Do it twice if it wants to move on you..

 

weedy, you will never look back after you fish these

[Weedy1]

weedy, you will never look back after you fish these

 

What advantage do they have over the Rowley type? Construction? Ease of use? Price (I don't think so.)

[maddog]

I have used small water balloons that you can get at the dollar store. It has worked for me a few times.

[dryfly]

The "Rowley type" indicators pop free when a fish is hooked and slide down to the nymph/fish. They are useful for long leaders in lakes where the flies may be down deeper than the length of the rod--which poses problems for landing. For river fishing the depth below the ind is often well less than the rod length.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

What advantage do they have over the Rowley type? Construction? Ease of use? Price (I don't think so.)

 

 

Ease of use, will never lose them if you put them on correctly..hold more weight then any indi i've ever used (for its size), and is as sensitive as yarn

[bulltrout]

or you could just use a dry instead and double your chances...just my take on it...

[Guest bigbadbrent]

i'd rather triple nymph this time of year then hopper dropper

[rusty]

I would say without a doubt that right now, on the Bow, you will catch more fish without indies than you will with them. The fish are still sitting in shallow water - a friend of mine landed over a dozen trout today fishing hopper-droppers, all less than 3' deep. You could certainly argue that the hopper is nothing more than an indicator in that sense.

 

I've watched numerous boats go by in my last couple of times out, and aside from the odd boat you see bombing the banks, most guys are nymphing in the choppy deeper water.

 

I have watched a fish eat and spit a fly quickly enough to not move an indicator. Indicators are an invaluable tool, but careful wading and good casting will usually get you close enough to trout to nail them without one. I stood on the McKenzie footbridge a few years ago in the fall and watched a big brown move out of the way every time an indicator came over top of him.

 

Tight-line (ie: not drag free) nymphing can be extremely effective this time of year. Indicators are the easiest way to start catching fish, but most folks use them way too much in situations where they're more hindrance than help.

 

Brent is bang on about those indicators though - I love them because they can be added and removed without taking the flies off. They're the only indicators I'd ever fish on rivers anymore.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

yeah i get the no indy theory, i just love bombing a cast 50 feet out, can't quite keep in contact without an indy to do your work for ya.

 

I dont know of anywhere were you can get the super small ones yet, i know they are made, just havent been delivered. Troutfitters should have them in the future at some time, as i asked tyson today about them..dunno what other shops carry em

[reevesr1]

What advantage do they have over the Rowley type? Construction? Ease of use? Price (I don't think so.)

Weedy,

I've started using them as well, replacing Rowley's. They seem more sensitive to strikes and they certainly can float more weight.

 

The disadvantage is they take a bit more time to move (not much) and do kink the heck out of your line. But other than that, i love 'em.

[dryfly]

Tight lining and dead drifting are two completely diff stories. For dead drifting, indicators the THE way to go.

 

You guys seriously are missing out on a good thing though. You seem to be way too hung up on commercial technology..some of the best things we can use are "hand made" .. like our flies. Close cell (packing) foam clove hitched to your leader can be placed inches from a fly and give you instant and constant feedback..way more so than no indicator. If a fish sniffs your fly you know instantly--something no one can do casting ahead 20 feet into a riffle in the glare -- with no indicator. (No one can see a #20 spent mayfly fly 30 feet away...I use tiny indicators when fishing tiny flies I can't see....works great yet ignored by most anglers--and fish. )

 

Closed cell foam indicators are white and don't spook fish at all--look like water foam -- and can be cut down as small as a pea. You can hang a small PT or midge 12 inches below one of these in 18 inches of water. Try it. Clearly you can't do this with a large bright commercial corky. IMHO way better than no indicator and better than "hopper dropper" in spooky water.

 

I'm going fishing for a few days.

 

Cheers all and ...

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

 

We have many (many) blessings!