On Indicators and whatnot

[Growler]

I have seen (but never used) some dries with a mono loop out the back for tying your tippet to. These are specifically tied to be used as an indicator fly. I don't think these would be that hard to tie either.

G

[Robert]

I rarely use a strike indecator, but when I do I use 3/8" white indicators pegged from the bottom and not the top. I do use crackle back at times. Even at my advanced age I can see the crackle back. I also tie off the eye of the crackle back and not the bend. Just my thoughts on the subject.

[Steve Smith]

Robert; that's an interesting idea to tie your dropper off a dry fly at the eye. I'll have to try that. I've always tied at the bend

[Davy Wotton]

Guys,

I have written a great deal about this subject matter in the past.

So a quick recap here from my point of view.

Why do l use yarn.

It can be seen at great ranges in any water conditon from flat glass to high wave, provided you have, color visibility and the yarn qty used is balanced with the terminal rig, and weight, be it fly or added is the deal here.

You can fine tune yarn to sit at degree of angle, that will show you the most subtle of takes from a fish.

I dislike personaly hi vis indicators, as often as they can spook fish or draw the attention of the fish away from the fly.

My choice of yarn colors are white, cream, gray, olive, tans, brown etc.

It will land on the surface without causing either a splash or a audible plop

And so on.

There is a wide choice of yarn out there, some of which l would never use.

You will have more or less two types of material, nylon or poly. Both have value.

Some of the 0 ring type indicators are produced with very coarse poly, they do have a place, but as a rule when fishing high water situations and when larger flies and weight are used.

They are in my book no use for fishing slower shallow water zones, or when small flies and delicate takes are the order of the day.

The type of yarns l use contain very fine filaments.

That alows for the filaments to be attached tofine diameter tippet, 7/8 x at times.

In some cases the addition of Mucilin or Aqua will enhance floatability.

In others they can be prior treated before you fish and are ready to go as such.

The bottom line is this, yarn can be fine tuned, and maintain high visibility both at short and long ranges.

I do have material that l have used for years myself. If you go to the Fly South website, which is a fly shop in Nashville, they have a yarn, that takes some beating and available in sombre shades.

On the matter of how far you should place a indicator from the fly.

I do not ever use the principle fo 1.5 times the depth of water.

For these reasons.

Unless you are wading in shallow water it not always easy to know the exact depth, and in the case of drift fishing it will vary every yard or so. What is need is a happy medium.

The trick to setting up the rig is simply 3 factors. Diameter of line used. weight added related to distance from indicator.

In the case of drift fishing the boat will move with the current, wade fishing differs here, as you have only a short period of productive drift.

Fine diameter line enhances a quicker sink rate.

Weight is the key to get the fly down.

The indicator used must be able to support the weight and drift factors without sinking.

In the case of wade fishing, which is as a rule what the majority of guys do.

I may well be fishing in 2ft of water.

There are times l will have a indicator fixed 6ins from the fly, in others 3 to 4 ft away from the fly, and l relate that to how the fish wish the fly to be presented.

You may well find when midge fishing that the fish will more so rise to take pupa as they are rising to emerge, and look for pupa within 6 ins to the surface.

At other times, they wish to see the fly at depth, and having a indicator too close to the fly will draw the fishes attention from your fly, so in this case it needs to be well away from it.

To be honest here by the way, l will likely not use a indicator, when fishing these situations. I will sight fish or use a greased up tippet, as that is way less likely to alarm wary fish.

And l will use a very long leader/tippet section, at least 12ft or more.

Particularly in cases such as BSD when the water is at low level, and the fish are sipping and taking micro chironomids.

In 6ins of water close to the shorlines.

You will be surprised at the difference this can make.

There is no doubt in my mind that one of the reasons why many have problems catching fish is that they do not have a balance in the way they have the rig set up.

Typically a big bulky indicator is not condusive to fishing shallow, slow moving clear water with small flies.

Not having when fishing deeper faster water flows sufficient weight added to get the fly down to start with.

Not for the period of drift having the fly fish at the productive zone for long enough.

Using a indicator that does not allow for good take detection. Not all fish will sink a indicator.

There are many more reasons granted.

You will be surprised how small changes can dramatically change the day.

One added no 6 shot can do that.

Reducing the diameter of the line you are using.

Fine tuning or using the right indicator.

Extending leader/tippet length etc.

I will bethe speaker at the Boliver Fly Fishing day, 17th Feb. This will be one of my topics.

Tight lines guys.

Davy.

www.davywotton.com

[Terry Beeson]

Davy,

The Fly South website (www.flysouth.net) is "under construction" but did have a pretty neat opening flash. Can't access any products or order from them there. Is there an alternate URL you have on them?

Hope I can make it to Boliver for your presentation.

[Mikey]

Gee golly that's the most in depth explanation for favoring yarn indicators I've come across. Unfortunately I think it will be difficult to convince my wife right now I need her to go to the fabric store to grab some yarn, the local hardware store for some o-rings, and to pick up the floatant. I still don't know where I will come across that. I guess off the 'net. One question on the floatant: how long does the treatment last on the yarn? Are we talkin the life of the indicator or just an outing? And what kind of container does it come in? I've got the tube of gink but I doubt that is gonna work.

Mikey

[Snow Fly]

Mikey:

I have never used yarn for an indicator but after reading Davy's piece I'm going to give it a shot. For what it is worth I think you could soak the yarn in "Water Shed" which is a permanent waterproofing liquid which should last a long time.

[Mikey]

Davy,

The Fly South website (www.flysouth.net) is "under construction" but did have a pretty neat opening flash.

Terry is right, that opening flash is pretty sweet. I didn't expect the take when it happened. :-)

Mikey

[Kayser]

Indicators: Two basic choices for myself, either the 3/8" microball indicators (white) or a dry fly (involves deer or elh hair in some way).

The foam indicators seem to float the most weight for the size, and have never seemed to send a fish into lockjaw. Most of my nymphing is done at close range, so if the indicator goes under in a swirl of current, I just pull it back on top of the water, and I am in contact with the fly if a fish were to take it. I never use an idicator with streamers, so no problems with flotation there.

The most common dries I use are a #16 Irresistible Wulff, a #14 Lime Humpy, or a #14 olive EHC. Most of the nymphs that I use are #16 and smaller (mostly midges). If I use anything bigger, I switch over to the foam.

I generally attach 3-4ft of tippet to the bend of the dry for fishing in fast 1-2ft water. If I switch to slower, 3-4 ft of water, I just adjust my cast to where the nymph lands almost on top of the dry. Sinks pretty much straight down from the dry, and gives you the most depth.

Rob

[LostMyWife]

The only place where I encounter really spooky fish that would be bothered by the strike indicator is in the Catch and Release section below Bull Shoals Dam. The water is slow and skinny giving the trout plenty of time to examine the offerings. In this situation, I would recommend using using a dry fly with the hook cut off at the bend (doubles are illegal in catch and release water)as an indicator.

Ok, I have to ask. What is "skinny water?"