tying strike indicators

[FIN-ITE 34 0]

Google

 

PALSA STRIKE INDICATOR.

 

Yes, he meant Palsa. Most trout guys know what they are.

[mikechell 0]

Ah ... I've even got some of those, but I never knew they were called "Palsa". I bought "Foam, Pinch-on strike indicators."

 

Thanks, Fin.

[Dave G. 0]

Ah ... I've even got some of those, but I never knew they were called "Palsa". I bought "Foam, Pinch-on strike indicators."

 

Thanks, Fin.

I have foam ones and plastic ones. Chartreuse and orange florescent. But I can attest to white being very visible on the water, I tie all up wing mayflies, Wulff's etc with white antron yarn wings for that reason. Ya know it's a funny thing about aging even back when I was in my mid 40's. One year I went to Maine and I could see about any fly I tied, even the small guys on their black looking waters up there. The very next year I couldn't find a size 14 for the life of me !! Not long after I changed to white yarn wings..

[Gene L 0]

I've never used palsa indicators because I thought they couldn't be easily adjusted. I use the stick and bobber kind and often change the depth. Can the pinch-on indicators allow that?

[whatfly 0]

Sure. You peel it off and put on another. Simple as that. It is not as if they are expensive. You can of course also just lengthen or shorten your leader. They do slide up and down a little bit, but eventually you will just have to replace them.

 

The Palsa is not for every occasion. I use it more often than not when I am sight fishing and need just a bit of suspension for the drift. You do not really change depth too often in such as situation, and the Palsa often really is just a bobber, because you will see the strike before it registers if you are paying attention. I also like them when fishing dries in low light, or with very small dries. Very handy to have, but not necessarily an answer to all problems.

[SilverCreek 0]

Cheaper than Palsa is making your own from sticky back foam sheets from a craft store. They come in assorted colors and several thicknesses.

 

[whatfly 0]

Interesting, Silver Creek. I'll have to look at that but I suspect the craft store product is a different kind of foam (much heavier and denser). However, it is not as if the number of Palsa indicators I use is likely to bust the bank.

[SilverCreek 0]

Interesting, Silver Creek. I'll have to look at that but I suspect the craft store product is a different kind of foam (much heavier and denser). However, it is not as if the number of Palsa indicators I use is likely to bust the bank.

 

Here is the post that I got the idea from:

 

http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/other-gear/362323-diy-indicators.html

[SilverCreek 0]

I made a Ferris AKA New Zealand Indicator Tool to form indicators shown below,

 

 

My version is longer than the version in the instructions below. I used a very long needle from the yarn department at Hobby Lobby fro under $2. It was so long I had to cut off some of it. I like my version better because it holds more tubing. I can load larger diameter tubing on first and the thinner tubing will hold it on so I think it is more versatile.

The Ferris Nymphing Indicator Tool

The tubing is from an IV connector set. You can also use IV tubing but it is has a bit of a larger diameter and thicker walls.

Since I am an MD, I have no problem getting sterile IV tubing. If you know a nurse that works in a hospital, you can ask them to get you tubing from an IV set that has only had Normal Saline or Ringers Lactate solution run in it. NS and RL are sterile water plus replacement electrolytes and are the most common IV solutions so they are used by the hundreds every day. When the patient does not need and IV line, the tubing is pulled and thrown away and that is what you want. Better is an unused sterile kit if they can manage it.

[nick2011 0]

i have made the yarn indicators and the fish often try to eat them, i recently started making indicators out of the foam plugs i use to create bass poppers. i prefer to use a color i can see, i don't believe i have spooked to many fish because i had an indicator.. i am more likley to spook the fish because i'm too loud or make a sloppy cast.

[SilverCreek 0]

i have made the yarn indicators and the fish often try to eat them, i recently started making indicators out of the foam plugs i use to create bass poppers. i prefer to use a color i can see, i don't believe i have spooked to many fish because i had an indicator.. i am more likley to spook the fish because i'm too loud or make a sloppy cast.

 

 

 

Indicator Flies

 

 

 

[Gene L 0]

I've had trout strike at my indicator. It seems like most of these occurred in low water while they ignored the fly. That's a WAG, though. I haven't experienced this in a while.

[flytire 0]

these have worked for me for years

 

[nick2011 0]

 

i have made the yarn indicators and the fish often try to eat them, i recently started making indicators out of the foam plugs i use to create bass poppers. i prefer to use a color i can see, i don't believe i have spooked to many fish because i had an indicator.. i am more likley to spook the fish because i'm too loud or make a sloppy cast.

 

 

 

Indicator Flies

 

 

 

 

those are nice, i have a few hoppers with the single floats on them

[pica 0]

I prefer the New Zealand yarn indicators like Silver Creek has illustrated above, if you are not an MD you can use "Pony Bead Lacing" and a small "knit picker" both available at craft shops and on the web.