Strike Indicators

[JVenezia]

I have been using the little football looking indicators and Thingamabobbers.... Been looking into Loon BioStrike Indicator putty. Anyone had experience with BioStrike?

 

[redietz]

On those rare occasions that I use a strike indicator (other than a dry fly) I use BioStrike. I find it's easier to adjust than anything else, and it's easily reused. It does fall off from time to time, but that's no big deal.

If you do end up trying it, don't roll it into a snake before putting on your leader; roll it into a ball, add to the leader, and then work it into a snake shape. It stays on a lot better that way.

Fish frequently hit the indicator when I use it.

 

[tomitrout]

If I need an indicator, it's all I use. Easy to see, easy to adjust.

 

[troutpoop]

I prefer biostrike if I get desperate and nymph fish. It does fall off occasionally but i just deal with it.

 

[NewSal]

I love the floatmasters. 3/8" or 1/2".

http://www.floatmasterco.net/products.html

 

[RLeep2]

I use the putty, but only a wee bit, just enough to barely coat the line and, umm, serve as an indicator. I only use it for deep nymphing for smallmouth where a lot of the takes are pretty subtle or bluegill-like. Often as not, the putty section of the leader is underwater, but close enough to the surface that I can see it and react if it makes a funny move. It helps...

When I was fishing Wisconsin, I usually nymphed for trout with a tandem rig and a small Thingamabobber. Now that we're back here, I've gone back to a single nymph and no indicator for the most part. Unless I am fishing one of the limestones or for bigger water stockies (Oil Creek, etc.), when I'll go back to the tandem and small indicator. The difference is about stream types and fish density. In the usual PA waters I fish these days, both these factors argue against putting up with the aggravation of a tandem rig and indicator.

 

[fisherboy3]

Best thing I found is the new zealand yarn. They make a bigger tubing size and keeps the inicator high and dry, especially when using a big chunk of yarn. Doesnt spook fish like a bright colored bobber would.

 

[camdogrs]

I just got some of the smallest Airlock indicators and they are awesome! Leaps and bounds ahead of a thingamabobber. Way easy to adjust and take off along with not kinking the leader up.

 

[PALongbow]

Blue Quill Angler yarn indicators are the best I have used. Uses a rubber band to attach and you can easily slide the indicator up and down your leader. Buy their kit which includes yarn, rubber bands and also the brush tool.

Ron

 

[pro4mance]

Indicator Fly easy to make or buy !!!!!!!

 

[DavidFin]

Wow, really want to try the putty after reading these responses! Makes a lot sense for big water.

I found nymphing to be one of the harder/daunting ways to fly fishing when I was coming up. The first indicator that really clicked with me was thingamabobber. I use mostly tandem setups, and as RLeep mentioned, I then found poly yarn leaders (with floatant added) to be more stealthy. However, those screw on thingamabobbers are a big improvement and I like the bounce they can give the fly at times.

Been thinking about trying to use indicators less though. I find dropping a soft hackle can be deadly because you can always swing or dangle at the end of your drift.

 

[ryansheehan]

Not a fan of the puddy, easily comes off in the heat, stains the line and my hands orange. I mostly tight line but when I need to fish further and deeper I adjust the size of thingamaboobber to how much weight I need to get the fly down. I try to make sure my indicator is dragging or moving slower through the water than the surface speed. I feel adjusting your indicator size is a tool to slow down or speed up your drifts that fisherman overlook completely. Always the same indicator any time we're nymphing. With a little practice you can quickly get the correct amount of weight and speed for that deep wide run. The giant disadvantage is you miss many more stikes than you would when feeling the drift but it's the best system I have used for that situation.

 

[moon1284]

I don't use them at all and don't nymph that much in general but Ryan has very good advice.

 

[PennKev]

Different tools for different jobs. Putty doesn't replace foam indicators or Thingamabobbers IMO. The reverse is also true.

If you need a very small indicator, just enough to track your flies or leader, the putty does well. If you want to run a deep nymph rig with shot... ....not so much.

I think I've said this a million times before on these forums, forcing something to work in a situation were it is not well suited, is a recipe for frustration.

Kev

 

[afishinado]

For tightline nymphing, I roll on a little strike putty in three or four spots on the knots in the mid section of my leader, just above my tippet (which is usually 5 or 6' long) to use as my "sighter".

I grease up my leader with float paste from my fly line to the section with SP just above the tippet. That's my basic nymph rig.

To switch to dries, I remove the putty and clip back my tippet a bit and/or add a section of appropriate diameter material.

Note: I make my own furled leader butts and knot on several mono sections to step down to my tippet.

 

[bigslackwater]

I'm with PennKev, I use a variety. The new zealand wool indicators are my favorite but I will also use putty when I need an "Indicator" rather than a float. I use putty when I fish tiny dry flies too. Thingamabbers are my least favorite but I will use them in certain conditions, such as big water with strong currents.

 

[Biggie]

I don't use indicators often, but I like the insta-set brand. It will indicate if you have a drag free drift. I found them to be very effective in NY steelhead fishing with trout beads.

 

[ryansheehan]

A drag free drift can be a very complex thing (atleast that's what I tell myself when I can't get a take) How does insta set tell you your nymphs are moving the same speed as the water at the bottom of the column? I need to look into them, never heard of em.

 

[ICM]

+10 for airlock should you choose to use an indicator. They are super easy to attach, remove and and adjust to the desired depth, come in 1/2", 3/4" and 1" sizes to cover most situations, leave no residue, and WILL NOT kink your leader. IMO, the best available.

 

[Maurice]

Indicator/sighter I use a 2" piece of emerald green tubing that I keep stretched over the leader to flyline knot when fishing drys or deep nymphing and for shallower nymphing I will slide it down to another knot and maybe peg it with a toothpick but not usually. I just pick the closest knot. When in mid leader regardless of the depth it rides (it don't float) It indicates whether the fly or weight is behind, in front or to the side of the indicator by pointing at it. So that helps too. Sometimes fish will hit it tho, that sucks.

For bobbers or floats in the off season(colder water temps to show subtle strikes) I use a peg type small float or one of them rubber bandy ones if I hav'nt already put one on before the fly or weight.

I like to fish floats across multiple currents to get drifts independent of the line between the float and the rod tip. You can mend to the float without moving it much in turn not moving the line to fly much. So if there is 20 ft of line and leader outand you are fishing a 5 ft suspended fly below a bobber you can mend and manipulate the 15ft of line from rod to bobber and not affect the drift or line to fly. 20' of line to fly on the water is a hard thing to keep from pulling by the currents.

That said I don't fish floats much. I don't change leaders much either. Usually I get a couple years out of a knotted leader by adding tippet to the last 4-6' so I get lotsa knots to work with. And thats for nymphing and dry flys. IMHO it don't matter that much. Just the last 2-4 ft does.

I know this is about indicators but don't get too caught up in line diameters. I didn't even had 5x tippet this year until 2 weeks ago using 3 and 4 # for nymphing and dry flys. And have not use 6x in years.