Tying on an indicator
- Thread starter plland
- Start date
Joni
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,583
- Reaction score
- 51
I don't tie one on. I use either a "Tip Top" which is a small tube that I thread on the leader before tying on flies. Plus the tube can be slid up on to
the loop of line leader and stays there if I want to switch to a dry.
I also use slip indicators that have a plastic peg the is put on before flies.
Other ones I use are "Thingamabobbers" That are plastic air filled balls in different sizes that have a little hole in the bottom. Like yarn indicators, you fold the leader in half, stick it through the hole, then loop the line over the Thingamabobber or yarn and tighten.
Also the small styro indicators that have a slit in the side. Stick the leader in the slit then use a small piece of a toothpick.
Don't forget the styro indicators with the same slit plus they are two sections with a rubber band in the middle. Lay the leader in the slit then twist the two sections in opposite directions.
PLUS Strike putty. like playdough. Make a ball and squish it on your line. That stuff is great for helping to fling out tiny flies, but sometimes hard to get off the leader completely, will stain, and hard as a rock in the cold.
the loop of line leader and stays there if I want to switch to a dry.
I also use slip indicators that have a plastic peg the is put on before flies.
Other ones I use are "Thingamabobbers" That are plastic air filled balls in different sizes that have a little hole in the bottom. Like yarn indicators, you fold the leader in half, stick it through the hole, then loop the line over the Thingamabobber or yarn and tighten.
Also the small styro indicators that have a slit in the side. Stick the leader in the slit then use a small piece of a toothpick.
Don't forget the styro indicators with the same slit plus they are two sections with a rubber band in the middle. Lay the leader in the slit then twist the two sections in opposite directions.
PLUS Strike putty. like playdough. Make a ball and squish it on your line. That stuff is great for helping to fling out tiny flies, but sometimes hard to get off the leader completely, will stain, and hard as a rock in the cold.
I recently tried a dry-dropper rig, tying the tippet to leader with a double surgeon's knot and leaving a long enough tag end to tie a big bushy dry onto that knot, with a nymph at the very end of the tippet. I didn't get any hits on the dry fly, but it worked so well as an indicator to convince me that I need to do a rig like that more often for nymphing. However, when I changed to a streamer rig, I'd cut off the dry fly and shorten that original tag end. So I was thinking, either I tie on a new tippet each time I switch to a nymph rig, or I figure out how to tie an indicator on a bight, maybe...
FISHN50
Well-known member
If I'm short line nymphing I use those colored styrofoam beads, I keep about a half dozen on a doubled up peice of about 10# mono. To put one on the leader I double up the leader & put the loop in the loop that the beads are on & pull the loop thru the bead. Then I put a small piece of rubber band in the loop on the bead & pull it just thru the bead so the rubber band is tight on the leader. You can slide up & down according to depth as you move along the river. The beads will hold a fairly large nymph just off the bottom & with some mending you can get a fairly long drift. I usually roll or water cast or just flip it upstream as the bead isn't too aerodynamic. Did I drive everyone loopy????
Joni
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,583
- Reaction score
- 51
FISHN50, thank you. You just answered a question I had. I bought some small beads and was trying to remember how to attach them.
I bought some of those tiny Frogs Hair indicators to find out they don't go over knots at all. But I think I will try to make the hole a little bigger and try this.
plland, I get you now. I too like to tie on a longer tippet in a "Y" sort of connection with one side longer. Recently I read somewhere, I tie on tippet to the leader, but then up on the leader, I tie a tag on the same way you would tie a dropper off the bend of the hook. This allows the tag to be slid up or down. And the knot for the leader/tippet keep it from sliding all the way down. Now the leader is untouched. You can just clip the tag off.
Now, I tie as you do, a big dry or I can tie a styro ball (put the tippet threw the ball and loop it around and tie if off like a loop knot on a fly)
I bought some of those tiny Frogs Hair indicators to find out they don't go over knots at all. But I think I will try to make the hole a little bigger and try this.
plland, I get you now. I too like to tie on a longer tippet in a "Y" sort of connection with one side longer. Recently I read somewhere, I tie on tippet to the leader, but then up on the leader, I tie a tag on the same way you would tie a dropper off the bend of the hook. This allows the tag to be slid up or down. And the knot for the leader/tippet keep it from sliding all the way down. Now the leader is untouched. You can just clip the tag off.
Now, I tie as you do, a big dry or I can tie a styro ball (put the tippet threw the ball and loop it around and tie if off like a loop knot on a fly)
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
Hi to all,
I see no one mentioned yarn indicators so I will put in my two cents. I like yarn indicators and tie them on the leader with a knot used to put a loop in your leader. I only use a single over hand wrap so the loop slips down onto the yarn. I like yarn because you can make it any size and any color. They float well and look some what natural on the water in white. I seldom adjust the position on the leader so the knot is not a problem. That is one draw back with yarn. If you pull your loop real tight in the butt section of the leader, it will leave wrinkles in the leader when you undo the knot. Since I don't move it much that is not a problem for me. I also soak my yarn over night in HydroStop and they float forever.
There are some yarn indicators with a little "O" ring and you loop through the O ring to hold the indicator in place. Most of the O rings are too large for me.
I see no one mentioned yarn indicators so I will put in my two cents. I like yarn indicators and tie them on the leader with a knot used to put a loop in your leader. I only use a single over hand wrap so the loop slips down onto the yarn. I like yarn because you can make it any size and any color. They float well and look some what natural on the water in white. I seldom adjust the position on the leader so the knot is not a problem. That is one draw back with yarn. If you pull your loop real tight in the butt section of the leader, it will leave wrinkles in the leader when you undo the knot. Since I don't move it much that is not a problem for me. I also soak my yarn over night in HydroStop and they float forever.
There are some yarn indicators with a little "O" ring and you loop through the O ring to hold the indicator in place. Most of the O rings are too large for me.
Joni
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,583
- Reaction score
- 51
I have never been a fan of yarn. It DOES get water logged specially in fast water. Very wind resistant. I don't care for the kink they put in the leader either although the Tinkgamabobbers can too.
I braved it and went out to fish the pond today. Windy is an understatement, and COLD, after an hour I could feel my fingers anymore (course I was not really dressed for it due to the fact YESTERDAY was in the upper 70's)
I knew this storm was coming with the morning starting out at 50 with a projected 20 degree drop this afternoon. It did!
Because of the wind, I dug around and found my STRIKE PUTTY. It literally saved the day. I was able to rollcast out 30' to 40' with ease.
I caught a bunch today in an hour. At times one every cast. Chironomids at 5' and 6'. Cool thing was, fish were hitting the Strike Putty. Must be all the power bait they see;-)
AND, it happened again. Two flies, two different colors and size, two different depths and BAM! two fish at the same time. LOVE IT!
Sorry Frank, I know the yarn has been around forever and a lot of the pro's love them, I just never cared for them. I have used them however and still have some for emergencies.
I braved it and went out to fish the pond today. Windy is an understatement, and COLD, after an hour I could feel my fingers anymore (course I was not really dressed for it due to the fact YESTERDAY was in the upper 70's)
I knew this storm was coming with the morning starting out at 50 with a projected 20 degree drop this afternoon. It did!
Because of the wind, I dug around and found my STRIKE PUTTY. It literally saved the day. I was able to rollcast out 30' to 40' with ease.
I caught a bunch today in an hour. At times one every cast. Chironomids at 5' and 6'. Cool thing was, fish were hitting the Strike Putty. Must be all the power bait they see;-)
AND, it happened again. Two flies, two different colors and size, two different depths and BAM! two fish at the same time. LOVE IT!
Sorry Frank, I know the yarn has been around forever and a lot of the pro's love them, I just never cared for them. I have used them however and still have some for emergencies.
Joni
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,583
- Reaction score
- 51
Is it just me, but how does a yarn indicator help prevent the tree gods ;-)
GeorgeMcFly
Well-known member
- Messages
- 1,368
- Reaction score
- 4
just got me some of those tip tops. they look like they would work great. can't wait to give um a go when i go steelie fishing next time.
Greenwood
Well-known member
Nothing to do with strike indicators BUT (as far as TREES!); Went fishing today (needed a break from the Obama and Hillary ads - ya' know us Pennsylvanians own guns and go to Church 'cause we're so frustrated with the government.....and if prayer doesn't work .....watch out!!)....Arrived at streamside (Gorgeous April day in Pennsylvania) - all ready to go - except NO Fishing vest - it was hanging on a chair at home! Scrounged and found 1 leader and two spools of tippit (very old 3x and 6x). Found a weird assortment of flies sticking here and there in my truck (no fly boxes either). Finally put together something that I thought could work and.....first cast......leader and flies ended up 10 feet up in *^!!^# Tree. (I know-whose fault was that - I'm thinking probably Bush's!.....maybe Cheney.) For a moment I was thinking that the fishing God had a perverted sense of humor! Lost most of my terminal tackle. Rigged up with a leader made of 3x and 6x tippet. Try it sometime (just kidding! Don't try it!) Tied on a #22 Kimballs emerger (only fly available now) to fish through the egg-laying caddis swarm! HA! Caught 2 stupid trout - lost emerger in tree - went home! Oh well - I guess reading Joni's post made me think about trees!- and the political references? -Campaign rhetoric burnout!:tongue:
I was saying, the yarn indicator might make things easier when retrieving a line from a tree compared to a dry dropper rig, where you have two flies tied onto your leader. Seems that just one fly is a little easier to get out of a tree than two of em ;-)
imxer
Well-known member
having picked up so many plastic indicators along the banks of the rivers I have fished, am with Frank & yarn.
HuronRiverDan
Well-known member
I use the Pop Top indicators for steelhead. I like the fact that I can switch over to swing wooly's without having to re-tie everything; the surg tubing slides up to the top of my leader, no muss no fuss...
Dan
Dan
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
I have never been a fan of yarn. It DOES get water logged specially in fast water. Very wind resistant. I don't care for the kink they put in the leader either although the Tinkgamabobbers can too.
Hi Joni,
It is so interesting how good fly fishers can use the same methods and get different results.
I don't have a problem with my Poly yarn indicators getting water soaked. I do soak mine in HydroStop and that may be the difference. A yarn indicator is more wind resistant that some hard form indicators. I don't find mine any more wind resistant than a #10 Royal Wulff. When I use a really small indicator it is less wind resistant than the Wulff. Unfortunately conditions have to be perfect for me to use a very small indicator or I can't see it.
I just had another thought. When I am indicator fishing I usually have split shot on the leader and the wind resistance of the indicator isn't a consideration. I know you don't like split shot and that may have something to do with our different results.
Frank
Hi Joni,
It is so interesting how good fly fishers can use the same methods and get different results.
I don't have a problem with my Poly yarn indicators getting water soaked. I do soak mine in HydroStop and that may be the difference. A yarn indicator is more wind resistant that some hard form indicators. I don't find mine any more wind resistant than a #10 Royal Wulff. When I use a really small indicator it is less wind resistant than the Wulff. Unfortunately conditions have to be perfect for me to use a very small indicator or I can't see it.
I just had another thought. When I am indicator fishing I usually have split shot on the leader and the wind resistance of the indicator isn't a consideration. I know you don't like split shot and that may have something to do with our different results.
Frank
Joni
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,583
- Reaction score
- 51
Good point Frank, the times I have used Yarn it was with the "BB" in line, but then again it wasn't windy LOL
The thing that is starting to tick me off is the BALLOON indicators. So many here say they are better specially if you loose them....BETTER HOW! I guided on the popular Provo Saturday and I saw balloons all over the place. They might disintegrate after time, but how much time?!
Plus for the like of me, I CAN"T BLOW THEM UP! LOL
The thing that is starting to tick me off is the BALLOON indicators. So many here say they are better specially if you loose them....BETTER HOW! I guided on the popular Provo Saturday and I saw balloons all over the place. They might disintegrate after time, but how much time?!
Plus for the like of me, I CAN"T BLOW THEM UP! LOL
imxer
Well-known member
Joni
Am curious about how the Provo fished Sat.?
Were you on the North section ?
Thank you
Am curious about how the Provo fished Sat.?
Were you on the North section ?
Thank you
Joni
Well-known member
- Messages
- 4,583
- Reaction score
- 51
We ended up on River Road to the north. Walked towards the freeway.
#22 were the answer. Rainy has a killer Baetis Nymph that is AWESOME!
My clients missed several, but the newbie LANDED two beautiful healthy Browns.
The water was COVERED with BWO, but the fish weren't rising, at least while we were there. I did notice a few rises as we were leaving around 2.
Water flow might have been a little high, but was clear. I say HIGH cause the rock I usually stand on was under about an 1" of water.
#22 were the answer. Rainy has a killer Baetis Nymph that is AWESOME!
My clients missed several, but the newbie LANDED two beautiful healthy Browns.
The water was COVERED with BWO, but the fish weren't rising, at least while we were there. I did notice a few rises as we were leaving around 2.
Water flow might have been a little high, but was clear. I say HIGH cause the rock I usually stand on was under about an 1" of water.