What flies for smallies under a strike indicator?

[coinman66 0]

Wanted to try something for smallmouth in a creek fished under a indicator/bobber. Should the fly be weighted or not? Any good patterns out there?

Thanks

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

helgramitte patterns, small crayfish, larger nymphs like salmon or stoneflies, weighted or un weighted depending on what your fishing

[Rocco 0]

Try weighted Borger strip nymphs in larger sizes -- 6 and 8 -- with 'buggy' dubbing under your indicator fishing up and across. Let the current provide the movement in slow stretches.

 

If no hits, go back w/o the indicator and do a faster strip retrieve.

 

In faster stretches, let it sink then keep just tight to the fly w/o line belly as it swims deep. No delicate takes on this one.

 

Rocco

[Istripbuggers 0]

Im not sure so much for moving water but i can tell you that on a lake with no wind you can run most any prevelent nymphs in the lake under an indicator using a jig head so it has a horizontal presentation. Strip it VERY slowly, like once every 20 or 30 seconds, ive had some good sucess with this on stampede resivoir fishing smallies. mostly using hares ears, birds nests, prince nymphs. ect. all tied on jig heads.

[Nate 0]

I have very little experience with this but I think that a Clouser Swimming nymph or a crayfish pattern would work pretty well under a thingamabobber...

[Guest]

I didn't believe it until a friend showed me and then I did it myself for a few years, but you can fish almost any fly under a float sufficient to hold it, and catch fish. Some seem to us to be more suited to the job, but if you think of the one fly that many would swear must be actively worked, the streamer, even that under a float is still something that fish see on a normal basis; a dead or dying fish.

 

Use a float that'll stay up, and have at them with confidence! Start off by fishing the same structures you would normally fish in order to give yourself time to gain confidence in the method. Then branch out in both location and approach.

[coinman66 0]

Thanks everybody. I fish smaller rivers and creeks here in Illinois. Fairly slow flows. I think the nymph, crawdad patterns like some of you said would be my first choice. I wouldnt be against a streamer under an indicator either. Maybe even a leech.

Thanks for replying