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throwinflys

tying strike indicators

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Wondering if any of you tie your own strike indicators. I've read some articles lately about tying natural colored strike indicators for the purpose of not spooking fish with bright colored plastic balls. I want to tye some olive indicators but i'm wondering what kind of yarn or other material will float the best?

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Before I started using what I call Bobbers, I used to tie on the largest Royal Wulff in my case. I've never used yarn as a strike indicator. I might add that I've had the pleasure of a large fish or two take that Wulff vs the the submerged offering.

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I've been tying my own for a few years now using 6mm braided polypropylene cord from Carol's Rugs @ carolsrugs.com. Go to the macramé page and you will see a tab for "fly fishing" has any color you need and sells it at fifty cents a yard. Couple that with an o-ring and a bit of thread and you have it. You can even mix colors to get the look you are after. Personally I like the hot pink best.

You will need to separate the cord into strands and use a Velcro brush to fluff it up.

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Don't make your bobber too dull. Kind of defeat the purpose of having it on there if you can't see it.

I like the idea of using a foam hopper or some other high floating fly. Then you have a strike indicator (bobber) and you double the chance of getting a strike.

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mike. i saw an article where the guy sandwiched pink in between olive color so that from the bottom it would appear olive, like moss floating, but it had a pink middle so it was more visable. I just cant be convinced that a trout doesnt notice something out of place when a big pink thing comes floating by. plus equally important as sight is, there is the advantage of being able to control the depth of your nymph rig.

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I am not arguing the importance of the indicator. It's uses are varied and useful.

I am just saying that if you're using it as a strike indicator ... you need to see it to see the "indication of a strike". If you're using it for depth control and still feeling the line for a strike, then sight is less important.

I don't use one as a bobber, myself, because most of the water I fish is still enough of me to use the fly line itself. I watch for a twitch on the fly line, or a feel of a take through the line.

 

If I want to control depth, I'll use a hopper. That covers the odd surface feeding fish, too.

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i've often wondered about not using a strike indicator and if you would be able to feel a strike. honestly i've not actually nymphed before but i'm done with not catching fish. hahaha. i like the idea of using a big attracter fly as a strike indicator too. its just hard for me to pick an attracter to use here in michigan. i guess a hopper might work but i like to use mostly natural materials and tying hoppers with sponge and foam dont appeal to me for some reason. I'm not aware of any good larger attracter style flys that would work in michigan. we have a big hex hatch and those things are HUGE but other than that i dont know of anything big enough to not be pulled under by a dropper. i guess you could fish a smaller dry with gink and let it get pulled just under the surface of the water like an emerger.

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i've often wondered about not using a strike indicator and if you would be able to feel a strike. honestly i've not actually nymphed before but i'm done with not catching fish. hahaha. i like the idea of using a big attracter fly as a strike indicator too. its just hard for me to pick an attracter to use here in michigan. i guess a hopper might work but i like to use mostly natural materials and tying hoppers with sponge and foam dont appeal to me for some reason. I'm not aware of any good larger attracter style flys that would work in michigan. we have a big hex hatch and those things are HUGE but other than that i dont know of anything big enough to not be pulled under by a dropper. i guess you could fish a smaller dry with gink and let it get pulled just under the surface of the water like an emerger.

Tie a great big Stimulator or a good sized muddler and grease it up good. Both recast and float well and can be taken for any number of natural what ever bugs. Humpy is another decent one. Kind of generic, even though they also have purpose. Got a call for supper now, no time to explain !!

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I should emphasize. I am a warm water guy. No trout in Florida.

As some of them on this site like to say ... YMMV. (which I finally found out means ... your mileage may vary)

 

I can see/feel a panfish or a bass. Trout anglers may not be able to feel a trout. Trout's schools are better, so I am led to believe.

 

Many times, the fly line doesn't "bob" like a strike indicator. I watch for the movement. When fish take the fly, the line will twitch and the length of the fly line ripples. When your line is lying on the water, watch it when you twitch it. A fish will make it react the same way in the opposite direction.

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spooking fish! haha

 

ive had fish strike at the big brightly colored plastic strike indicators with abandon

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I don't think strike indicators (aka bobbers) spook fish if you mend your line properly. I haven't tied them because I don't often use them and when I do I use commercial bobbers/strike indicators. But a high-floating fly works great, I guess. Not my thing.

 

But you can use those O-rings you can buy in quantity at the hardware store, but there are other methods.

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Absolutely this is a concern, as anyone who fishes spring creeks or other technical waters will tell you. Polypropylene yarn, usually something like Bonnie Macramé Craft Cord is the usual choice, although wool (New Zealand) and glo-bug yarn have also been used. You might find this article useful: http://midcurrent.com/gear/strike-indicators/. Personally I either just use a very small neutral colored bobber (white) or a magic marker if I'm feeling really paranoid. More often than not the indicator will not have to float a lot of weight, so something as light as a Palsa can be sufficient.

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Palsa? As a bobber?

 

Did you mean Balsa Wood? Or is there some other item for fly fishing called a "Palsa" that I am unaware of. (which wouldn't surprise me)

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Wondering if any of you tie your own strike indicators. I've read some articles lately about tying natural colored strike indicators for the purpose of not spooking fish with bright colored plastic balls. I want to tye some olive indicators but i'm wondering what kind of yarn or other material will float the best?

 

I use black and white. They are natural colors that have high contrast when combined in a yarn or thingamabobber strike indicator. Another non spooking color is the phosphorescent off white thingamabobber that looks a lot like a bubble when seen from below.

 

strike_indicator-black-white.jpg

 

$_35.JPG

 

311220282128_1.jpg

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