Indicator--Whad'u'think?

[Softouch333]

I've being trying an indicator this Spring and thought I'd post it to see what any trout bums, that occasionally use light indicators, think. (No lectures from non-indicator users, please.) It's simple to make, floats without dressing, retrieves through guides, casts and retrieves with streamlined efficiency, and is sensitive. I think it has a real edge over yarn.

It's made with a 2-3 mm. strip of foam (I use Hi-vis yellow). One end is folded over and the tag is wrapped and whip finished. (I just clamp it in my vise and wrap, though wrap gently at first, so you don't cut the foam.)

In use, I just insert my hemostat and pull a loop of leader or tippet through. Then I drop the loop over the longer end of the foam and tighten. If you tighten so that the leader ends up above the thread wrap but in between the tag and the standing legs of foam, it is easy to retrieve the leader when adjusting depth and doesn't kink much at all.

In the 1 1/2 to 2 inch length I use it won't hold up more than a weighted nymph or a BB shot, but that's all I need for slower water.

Anyhow, if any of you guys or gals tries it in some softer water, I'd appreciate the feedback.

 

[HuronRiverDan]

Looks interesting....May have to give them a try...

Dan

 

[Jimmie]

A friend of mine said that a guide had them using a Chernobyl Ant as an indicator. He said every once in awhile a fish would hit the CAnt. Just another spin on using a foam indicator.

 

[mcnerney]

Jimmie: I think we all have had a fish hit our indicator at one time or another, that is why in soft water I like to use a large dry with an emerger or nymph as a dropper.

Larry

 

[Softouch333]

Thanks for taking a look. Yes, I have had hits on this indicator too, but unlike a dry/dropper set up, this is adjustable for depth, can go thru guides, and doesn't affect the cast as much. I've used hopper/droppers for summer searching, but this indicator is really for times when you know only a nymph will work, like winter and early Spring. Unlike a dry, you can add or remove an indicator in seconds.

It sure is easy to make. When I first started playing with them I'd make half a dozen of different sizes and shapes and since I was at my vice I would just slide them on a toothpick (I use toothpicks for head glue). The toothpicks make a nice way of storing/organizing the indicators in you vest or pack. A row of these indicators take no room at all and I have even put them inside a fly box when I'm packing ultra light.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Softouch,

I think you get an "A" for ingenuity. We all have our favorite type of indicator. If you like it, use it. It is hard to judge your indicator with out trying it.

My favorite has always been yarn but now I am leaning to the Thingamabobber.

Frank

Thingamabobber

 

[txbevo]

I haven't used many different indicators, but I will second Frank on the Thingamabobber. They work well, easy to adjust and no problems casting them. They are the only indicators in my arsenal now.

 

[MikeLove]

Had a guide rig me a 3 nymph rig with a thingabob in colorado.. It cast easy and had great visibility.

 

[dshort]

My favorites have always been the ones by Scientific Anglers that look like little pieces of hollow fly line. They just slide on your leader and are held in place by a knot. Of course, if you don't have any knots in your leader they don't work too well. :icon_conf They don't float at all but can be seen for a fair distance under the water. I like to use one about 2 feet from the fly and another a foot or so above that one.

They cast well, go thru the guides and there is no need to adjust them because they don't float.

 

[Softouch333]

Yep, the Thing-ma-Bobber is in my arsenal for heavy water. It kinks my line a little and of course is not streamlined or guide friendly, but I like it because I can load on the weight. I have a trip into the Wind River Mountains in July, so I'm interested to see what happens above 8000 feet. I've heard the Thing-ma-Bobber collapses.

There is something about the way the foam strip indicator casts that is pretty smooth. First versions used an o-ring, then I tried orthodontic bands, but they were unnecessary. I'm tweaking a larger floater with a dark base right now.

 

[planettrout]

You ought to see what has happened to an over-inflated float tube when they are pulled out of the back of a rig at 9,000 plus feet to fish some of our High Sierra Lakes...

PT/TB:icon_eek:

 

[yatahey]

Re: Indicator--Ethnic?

Softouch
I like the looks of your indicator. Have to give it a try.
Don't worry about your Thingamabobber at 8600 ft. Actually, if anything they would explode with the rise in altitude. You should see what bags of potato chips look like at this altitude. I live at 8600 feet.:icon_lol:

 

[crittergetter]

Great Idea... I will give it a try. I am a fan of globall yarn for how it will stand up but what I hate is trying to unslip the slip knot when the yarn is messey..

Have you tried to see how well it will nymph with Tunghead doubles? Does it stay boyent?

Thanks
Critter

 

[Softouch333]

Great Idea... I will give it a try. I am a fan of globall yarn for how it will stand up but what I hate is trying to unslip the slip knot when the yarn is messey..

Have you tried to see how well it will nymph with Tunghead doubles? Does it stay boyent?

Thanks
Critter

No snaggy mess with the foam, Critter, for sure. Can you imagine packing yarn with your flies? This is easy to pop on and off your line--much cleaner than O-ring-yarn and doesn't leave a kink like a slip-knot yarn. I always seem to get some of the yarn caught up in the leader when I go to move/remove it.

Yea it stays buoyant all day and no matter what, but it doesn't hold up much weight. Two tungsten heads would sink it for sure. I tried two strips a foot apart, and it didn't help of course. The float displacement has to be at the same point on the line. I was able to get a somewhat streamlined version but it was too big for the guides and really doesn't have any advantage over the Thing-ma-Bobber or a corky at that point. But for real light stuff it's very sensitive. Sink rate is slow so you can see the strip underwater for quite a ways, if you do over weight it, because the strip points towards the surface.

One other big advantage over yarn in soft water, is the fact that really light bites often only twitch the foam sideways a bit. This tiny change in direction is easier to see with the foam strip than with a round yarn. It does lay flat in the surface tension though, and if too far off becomes harder to see than yarn. I just like the way it throws too. You still have to lob it a little, but it's not like you're throwing gear.

It's sure not going to replace stouter strike indicators, but it so easy to make and rig, you might want to keep one for the lazy water we so often fish.

 

[Softouch333]

Re: Indicator--Ethnic?

Softouch
I like the looks of your indicator. Have to give it a try.
Don't worry about your Thingamabobber at 8600 ft. Actually, if anything they would explode with the rise in altitude. You should see what bags of potato chips look like at this altitude. I live at 8600 feet.:icon_lol:

That makes sense. I guess Death Valley might go the other way,but then what's to fish? :icon_lol: I'd be pleased to hear what you think, if you do try it.

 

[Jakeway]

My favorites have always been the ones by Scientific Anglers that look like little pieces of hollow fly line. They just slide on your leader and are held in place by a knot. Of course, if you don't have any knots in your leader they don't work too well. :icon_conf They don't float at all but can be seen for a fair distance under the water. I like to use one about 2 feet from the fly and another a foot or so above that one.

They cast well, go thru the guides and there is no need to adjust them because they don't float.

I really like these too. Where do you get yours? The only place I;ve found them is on-line at Murray's Fly Shop.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Jakeway and dshort,

You guys must have young eyes to use the hollow slip on you are talking about. I used them years and years ago when I could see them. They are not a favorite of mine.

RIO has one and should be available from a lot of shops. You can buy the
RIO KAHUNA LT STRIKE INDICATOR from Feather-Craft.

Frank

Rio Lt Strike Indicator

RIO KAHUNA LT STRIKE INDICATOR is .095" Diameter FL-ORANGE fly line with no core. Simply cut a piece to any length and slip on your leader. We get lots of requests for this kind of indicator. Approx 18" per PAK.

 

[dboyd]

I've being trying an indicator this Spring and thought I'd post it to see what any trout bums, that occasionally use light indicators, think. (No lectures from non-indicator users, please.) It's simple to make, floats without dressing, retrieves through guides, casts and retrieves with streamlined efficiency, and is sensitive. I think it has a real edge over yarn.

It's made with a 2-3 mm. strip of foam (I use Hi-vis yellow). One end is folded over and the tag is wrapped and whip finished. (I just clamp it in my vise and wrap, though wrap gently at first, so you don't cut the foam.)

In use, I just insert my hemostat and pull a loop of leader or tippet through. Then I drop the loop over the longer end of the foam and tighten. If you tighten so that the leader ends up above the thread wrap but in between the tag and the standing legs of foam, it is easy to retrieve the leader when adjusting depth and doesn't kink much at all.

In the 1 1/2 to 2 inch length I use it won't hold up more than a weighted nymph or a BB shot, but that's all I need for slower water.

Anyhow, if any of you guys or gals tries it in some softer water, I'd appreciate the feedback.

I'm just now seeing you post and wonder if after all these years are you still using your foam strike indicator creation?

 

[SantaFe-an]

I've being trying an indicator this Spring and thought I'd post it to see what any trout bums, that occasionally use light indicators, think. (No lectures from non-indicator users, please.) It's simple to make, floats without dressing, retrieves through guides, casts and retrieves with streamlined efficiency, and is sensitive. I think it has a real edge over yarn.

It's made with a 2-3 mm. strip of foam (I use Hi-vis yellow). One end is folded over and the tag is wrapped and whip finished. (I just clamp it in my vise and wrap, though wrap gently at first, so you don't cut the foam.)

In use, I just insert my hemostat and pull a loop of leader or tippet through. Then I drop the loop over the longer end of the foam and tighten. If you tighten so that the leader ends up above the thread wrap but in between the tag and the standing legs of foam, it is easy to retrieve the leader when adjusting depth and doesn't kink much at all.

In the 1 1/2 to 2 inch length I use it won't hold up more than a weighted nymph or a BB shot, but that's all I need for slower water.

Anyhow, if any of you guys or gals tries it in some softer water, I'd appreciate the feedback.

These strip indicators tend to come with the Tenkara systems and others. Very simple and functional. What I have been using is these:

Oros Strike Indicator

- Oros...It's the orange ball that splits(white). These can be had in different sizes. It stays true in line with the tapered leader.

- The pinkish indicator has a gasket that often gets lost; a bit cumbersome while wading.
- The rest tend to mar the line with its hooks n' bends.
- Lambs wool)Yarns) is another good indicator as it does not cause a "splash" when the cast lands on the water. NO spooking of fish.
However the wool will eventually absorb water and sink.... application of a floating is needed.

This is how you attach wool indicators to the line using this tool:

Pull in the tubing... pull on both sides of the line to tighten the fit!

I find the OROS the most versatile and convenient strike indicator in my fly fishings.

Cheers...

 

[LePetomane]

New Zealand indicator here. Mainly because I fish small nymphs in slower water.