Nymph fishing without indicators

[taylor16]

Any tips? I've never enjoyed the idea of adding a "bobber" so I'm open to any and all suggestions...

 

[1move]

I use these, I know you said indicators but you get down to bobbers in your post so not sure if you have tried them.

 

[attila]

How about using a bright colored section of leader material ?

 

[taylor16]

I'm more interested in technique versus alternatives to "bobbers" or strike indicators or yarn, etc...

 

[jaybo41]

You should consider purchasing this book. There is a plethora of different techniques in there.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Nymphing-Tactics-Techniques-ebook/dp/B007Y2CPU0/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin/?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364097742&sr=1-1&keywords=dynamic+nymphing/?tag=citofgamonlco-20"]Amazon.com: Dynamic Nymphing: Tactics, Techniques, and Flies from Around the World eBook: George Daniel: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51aFSJ4worL.@@AMEPARAM@@51aFSJ4worL[/ame]

 

[stenacron]

Any tips? I've never enjoyed the idea of adding a "bobber" so I'm open to any and all suggestions...

Force yourself to do it. Leave the strike indicators home, fish weighted nymphs casting upstream on a short line, lift the leader off the water as it drifts towards you... watch the water droplets trickle down the leader... if the line stops/twitches/or you just "get a feeling", set the hook!

You'll develop a sense for the take and you will catch more and bigger fish, even from pressured waters fishing behind other anglers.

For me, this works best on small-to-medium sized streams. On large rivers you may still need an indicator... use the smallest one you can as to not upset the drift of the nymph. And it doesn't always have to float, as long as you can see it.

Tight lines!

 

[dabluz]

I've never used indicators. I've even never thought of using indicators when nymph fishing. Almost all of my fishing is in calm water and the strike is easy to detect. When fishing with sinking line, I just point the rod towards the point of entry of the line into the water. Not directly but almost because the take is always quite hard and fast. The fish hooks himself.

 

[stuie675]

Same never used a bobber before. Mainly cause I am lazy and dont want to put one on. My leader from Joni though has a brighter color on it which helps so I can see it.

 

[yonder]

I use a dry-dropper rig. I have had too many strikes on indicators. If I am "dapping" the nymph in small streams, I just watch the leader, while keeping the fly line out of the water.

 

[FrankB2]

I only used indicators during one summer, and only because I was curious. They're annoying to me, and I just watch my line/leader for any pauses to indicate a strike. Some strikes on a nymph are quite vicious, so no bobbers are needed there. Others can be much more subtle, but I still catch fish without looking tacky. Streams are easier than lake IMO, as there's no current to drift a line there. You should still be able to see the take by watching the line, or work your nymph for better coverage and strike detection.

 

[Rip Tide]

High stick nymphing is pretty simple once you get a good handle on the line control. Only your leader is in the water and that's all you need to watch.
High-Stick Nymphing
Straight up-stream nymphing without an indicator is a different story.
It's all about experience. You have to do it alot to really get the hang of it.
You'll know when you got it though, it's an accomplishment you won't forget.

 

[streamwalker]

I use a indicator when fishing my streams but most of them are pretty fast moving water and Ill bet Indicator vs non Indicator the indicator will catch more fish every time. Even when fishing slow water if u don't have a indicator just watch your line. Feeling a trout take a nymph is useless and you will miss most fish. I hardly ever feel a hit when nymph fishing.

 

[randyflycaster]

I too believe there are times when an indicator is necessary, though whenever I can, I don't use one.
Randy

 

[mbchilton]

I've been thinking about this a lot recently. Fishing a small creek on a sunny day, I often wonder how many fish I'm spooking with my indicator. Additionally, you're fishing a fixed depth when you tie on an indicator. I'm going to make a point to fish less indicators this year. However, in the summer I'm all about hopper dropper rigs. I hardly throw anything else from June-August.

 

[FrankB2]

Not trying to start an argument, and it's not my job to judge another angler's program, but.....

A worm will catch lots more trout than a fly. Dipping your flies in sardine juice will catch lots more trout....etc. When I'm fishing, I try to cast to rising fish of any sort, or fish a spot that just looks fishy. Hooking a fish in either of these two situations is the sport for me. It's not a numbers game in any way, shape, or form. I know a fly fisherman who fishes for bluegills, and keeps an exact count. Nice guy, and a very good tyer, but I've never understood that. In any case, if you feel like you're not catching enough fish and a bobber would help, go for it. There are other things you can do as well, however. I've found that using a gold bead on a nymph causes fish of all sorts to strike hard enough that detection is quite easy. The gold bead might be tacky to some, but at least it's hidden underwater. You can often see a fish take a nymph, and clear water with polarized lenses helps a lot. Rip is 100% correct about getting used to nymphing, and many anglers have written about art of detecting a strike (usually as a result of frustration). Does the solution lie in better line control and practice at the "art", or using a bobber? One of the best things you can do is find a spot on a stream that holds a bunch of bluegill, and drift a nymph past them. Even these fish are capable of a subtle strike, and you can build confidence by catching them without a bobber.

Nymphing is something that I've only done regularly in the past 6-7 years. I think it was when I began setting the hook at the slightest hint of a strike, that I became confident enough to use nymphs often, and leave the bobbers on the store shelf. Setting a hook when nothing is there is fine. There's no limit to the number of hook sets, and trusting your instincts will go a long way.

 

[double dry]

I'm convinced that nymphing under an indicator (bobber) is very effective and enjoyable when done correctly. That said, Eric Stroup has a book out describing nymphing w/o indicators.

 

[dpreller]

ive read that book and its intresting. he relies more on a good drift than pattern tippet size etc. he also recommends tying your own leaders and using a section of flourescent yellow stren about mid way so you can see it . very intresting idea i thought.

 

[planettrout]

I started nymphing when there were no such things as indicators and learned from the guy who worked with Chuck Fothergill, the angler who developed "high stick" nymphing, on the Roaring Fork River in CO...


...then, I got old


PT/TB :teef:

 

[FrankB2]

ive read that book and its intresting. he relies more on a good drift than pattern tippet size etc. he also recommends tying your own leaders and using a section of flourescent yellow stren about mid way so you can see it . very intresting idea i thought.

I've spoken with Eric on a couple of occasions, and that's just one more reason why he's a fan of knotted leaders. 3M used to offer a small diameter tubing that you could run up your leader, and that served as an indicator of sorts. The last I heard, they stopped making them.

As far as bobbers spooking fish.... I've used hopper/dropper rigs, and spooked fish. Taking out one or the other usually solves that problem. Depends on the fish, and how shy they are at the moment though.

 

[jpbfly]

I never use indicators...for several reasons...first I mainly fish on sight,then I can't stand casting with and indicator.If you practise a lot you will see the fish taking your nymph or at least a flash or a "weird" behaviour of your leader,sometimes a "knock" in your rod tip.Anyway I think the best way to help you is to have a fluo section(3rd or 4th one) on your knotted leader as dpreller saidnot easy for me to explain...would be easier if you were on the water with me