silver creek
Well-known member
There is concept that I teach that every nympher should know. That concept is "Effective Drift Length (EDL)."
We all unconsciously apply this concept when we dry fly fish. Because we can see where the rise is when dry fly fishing, we instinctively know that the fly must be in the right current seam, on (adult) or in (emerger) the surface film, AND drifting drag free. Only when all of those three things occur do we have a chance of catching the fish.
The identical principal applies when we are nymphing. The fly must not only be in the correct current seam laterally (1) but vertically (2) in depth as well, and the must be as drag free (3) as possible. Only when these three criteria of lateral and vertical location and drift speed are correct is the drift effective in catching fish. The fishing method that gives keeps the fly at the correct location at the correct drift speed for the longest length has the best "Effective Drift Length".
Lets apply EDL to examine strike indicators.
Indicators are a tool and not a crutch. Being a tool, you wouldn't use a screw driver when you need a pry bar. So using an indicator should only be used when it is the most effective nymphing method.
Indicators are good for slow even flows over an even bottom depth. Indicators are good for fishing at a greater distance over an area that would not be able to straight line nymph.
Indicators have several inherent problems. First they convert a tug on the line into a visual cue. So rather than feeling the strike, you see the strike and feeling is much better than seeing. You can react much faster to a feeling.
Secondly, there must be slack line between the rod tip and the indicator for the indicator to move free of the fly line drag. This slack delays the strike. Hence a reaction to an indicator will ALWAYS be slower than if you feel the strike.
Thirdly, surface water flows faster than the the water at the bottom of the river. The bottom is where the fish are holding so a tight line between the indicator and the fly will cause the indicator to DRAG the fly downstream. For the fly to move drag free, there has to be slack between the fly and the indicator. But if there is slack between the fly and the indicator, the indicator cannot move with the strike. Basically, drag is needed if the indicator is to reflect the strike.
Fourthly, indicator and the fly must land in the same current seam for there to be no lateral drag between the indicator and the fly. If they land in different current flows, the lateral drag pulls on the fly and the fish is less likely to hit the fly. With direct line nymphing there is less lateral drag because the leader has less drag that the indicator, even when it is in a different flow than the fly.
There is NO FREE LUNCH. Indicator fly fishers must live with some downstream drag if the the indicator is to immediately detect a strike.
That is why slow flows over an even bottom is the best situation for indicators. Slow flows minimize the flow differential laterally and vertically, and the even depth keeps the fly in the fish zone. Also slow flows make it easier for the fish to detect the fly fisher and indicators allow the fisherman to fish at a greater distance.
A fly takes time to sink to where the fish are. EDL tell us that if your fly is NOT where the fish are holding you will not catch many fish. You may think you are fishing but really you are just moving your fly through useless water. So if you cast an indicator and flies upstream, until the flies reach the fish, you are not "fishing". If the river depth varies, when the flies are drifting ABOVE the fish, you are not "fishing".
The EDL concept tells us that the method with the longest effective drift length for the water we are fishing should be used.
If you can direct line nymph without dragging the nymph out of the proper drift lane, it is most often the best method of nymphing. What I mean is that you can straight line nymph at the speed of the current seam that the nymph is in without lateral drag.
If you have ever worm fished on a river, it has a direct correlation to indicator vs straight line nymphing.
Set a bobber at a set distance, lob it out and wait for it to dip as it drifts downstream. A fish will take it when the level of the worm happens to be at the level of the fish. The worm is being dragged downstream by the bobber.
Now fish the worm on a hook with a split shot to take the worm to the bottom. The worm stays next to the bottom even if the depth varies and the split shot bumps along the bottom with the worm drifting just above the bottom. Keep a tight line and you can feel the split shot bumping along the bottom and you will also feel the fish take the worm. You will feel the tap-tap of the take or a hesitation of the drift. This is exactly what happens with direct line nymphing.
Which method would work best in fast water and which method in slower water? Which method is best when the water depth is constant and which when the bottom is rocky and the depth varies? When there are riffles and the bobber "bobs" due to rough water, which method allows you to detect the strikes more easily?
The fact is that in fast water, many of the strikes that cause the bobber to stop or jump are due to the fish already being hooked by the downstream pull of the bobber hooking the fly/worm into the fish's mouth. Sometimes the first thing a fly fisher sees is a fish jumping out of the water or the bobber streaking upstream. These are known as "automatics" to those who understand what has actually happened. They are called "being a great fly fisher" to those who think their skill hooked the fish.
Only use indicators when the advantages of an indicator are greater than it's disadvantages.
We all unconsciously apply this concept when we dry fly fish. Because we can see where the rise is when dry fly fishing, we instinctively know that the fly must be in the right current seam, on (adult) or in (emerger) the surface film, AND drifting drag free. Only when all of those three things occur do we have a chance of catching the fish.
The identical principal applies when we are nymphing. The fly must not only be in the correct current seam laterally (1) but vertically (2) in depth as well, and the must be as drag free (3) as possible. Only when these three criteria of lateral and vertical location and drift speed are correct is the drift effective in catching fish. The fishing method that gives keeps the fly at the correct location at the correct drift speed for the longest length has the best "Effective Drift Length".
Lets apply EDL to examine strike indicators.
Indicators are a tool and not a crutch. Being a tool, you wouldn't use a screw driver when you need a pry bar. So using an indicator should only be used when it is the most effective nymphing method.
Indicators are good for slow even flows over an even bottom depth. Indicators are good for fishing at a greater distance over an area that would not be able to straight line nymph.
Indicators have several inherent problems. First they convert a tug on the line into a visual cue. So rather than feeling the strike, you see the strike and feeling is much better than seeing. You can react much faster to a feeling.
Secondly, there must be slack line between the rod tip and the indicator for the indicator to move free of the fly line drag. This slack delays the strike. Hence a reaction to an indicator will ALWAYS be slower than if you feel the strike.
Thirdly, surface water flows faster than the the water at the bottom of the river. The bottom is where the fish are holding so a tight line between the indicator and the fly will cause the indicator to DRAG the fly downstream. For the fly to move drag free, there has to be slack between the fly and the indicator. But if there is slack between the fly and the indicator, the indicator cannot move with the strike. Basically, drag is needed if the indicator is to reflect the strike.
Fourthly, indicator and the fly must land in the same current seam for there to be no lateral drag between the indicator and the fly. If they land in different current flows, the lateral drag pulls on the fly and the fish is less likely to hit the fly. With direct line nymphing there is less lateral drag because the leader has less drag that the indicator, even when it is in a different flow than the fly.
There is NO FREE LUNCH. Indicator fly fishers must live with some downstream drag if the the indicator is to immediately detect a strike.
That is why slow flows over an even bottom is the best situation for indicators. Slow flows minimize the flow differential laterally and vertically, and the even depth keeps the fly in the fish zone. Also slow flows make it easier for the fish to detect the fly fisher and indicators allow the fisherman to fish at a greater distance.
A fly takes time to sink to where the fish are. EDL tell us that if your fly is NOT where the fish are holding you will not catch many fish. You may think you are fishing but really you are just moving your fly through useless water. So if you cast an indicator and flies upstream, until the flies reach the fish, you are not "fishing". If the river depth varies, when the flies are drifting ABOVE the fish, you are not "fishing".
The EDL concept tells us that the method with the longest effective drift length for the water we are fishing should be used.
If you can direct line nymph without dragging the nymph out of the proper drift lane, it is most often the best method of nymphing. What I mean is that you can straight line nymph at the speed of the current seam that the nymph is in without lateral drag.
If you have ever worm fished on a river, it has a direct correlation to indicator vs straight line nymphing.
Set a bobber at a set distance, lob it out and wait for it to dip as it drifts downstream. A fish will take it when the level of the worm happens to be at the level of the fish. The worm is being dragged downstream by the bobber.
Now fish the worm on a hook with a split shot to take the worm to the bottom. The worm stays next to the bottom even if the depth varies and the split shot bumps along the bottom with the worm drifting just above the bottom. Keep a tight line and you can feel the split shot bumping along the bottom and you will also feel the fish take the worm. You will feel the tap-tap of the take or a hesitation of the drift. This is exactly what happens with direct line nymphing.
Which method would work best in fast water and which method in slower water? Which method is best when the water depth is constant and which when the bottom is rocky and the depth varies? When there are riffles and the bobber "bobs" due to rough water, which method allows you to detect the strikes more easily?
The fact is that in fast water, many of the strikes that cause the bobber to stop or jump are due to the fish already being hooked by the downstream pull of the bobber hooking the fly/worm into the fish's mouth. Sometimes the first thing a fly fisher sees is a fish jumping out of the water or the bobber streaking upstream. These are known as "automatics" to those who understand what has actually happened. They are called "being a great fly fisher" to those who think their skill hooked the fish.
Only use indicators when the advantages of an indicator are greater than it's disadvantages.
