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flysthatfish21

Using Indicators

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thingamabobbers

 

I will second Normand's recommendation for Thingamabbers. I tried one earlier in the week and it worked very well. They ride very high in the current, slow or fast, making it very easy to see if you are getting a good, dead drift. They are also quite sensitive and, because of their visibility, make it easy to detect strikes. I used them for both high sticking and long line nymphing with good results. I had been a committed user of yarn strike indicators, which work well, but I always had to stop, fluff, and dress them in order to keep them afloat. When you're fishing a two or three fly rig, you're spending enough time cleaning moss, cased caddis, and sticks off your flies, not to mention adding or removing weight; it's nice not to have to redress your indicator.

 

Yarn works well on the more subtle strikes and I'm not quite used to reading the subtle twitches on the Thingamabber, but after four days on the stream. I was starting to see how it behaved and was setting on the more subtle takes.

 

They are easy to cast, I used the smallest model. I would imagine that the bigger models would offer up some resistance. I found them easier to cast than yarn.

 

They are a piece of cake to adjust and they stay in place! They will leave a kink in the leader, but the kink can be easily removed by stretching and releasing the tension slowly.

 

EDIT: As to when to use them, I would reread DHise's post, he has given you some sage advice and it is well worth it to develop the skills that he had outlined. Strike indicators are but another tool that you can use...

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make sure that your leader and tippet are nice and straight too as little curls can make a soft subtle take impossible to see. I like to make a few marks on the end of my fly line and watch those (good sunglasses are a must). When i do use indicators i use the stick on type. fish seem to like those too.

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I have always believed that the hands,and the line tip are the best strike indicators, Quite Frankly if im going to use a bobber I will just switch over to my spinning outfit. But i guess it's all a matter of personal preference.

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It really depends on the situation. When I am nymping I will usually use one MillStream foam indicator, or two if the water is a bit faster or deeper (MillStream Never Fade Indicators). Otherwise I will fish with a dry fly as my indicator. In large rivers (such as the Tongariro-NZ) I use a yarn indicator.

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