Fishing Without Indicators

HBGMarine

HBGMarine

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Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
119
I was wondering how many people out there use a strike indicator while fishing with nymphs? Lately I've been trying not to because my casting seems better without one on but I seem to miss more fish? I've tried just watching the tip of my fly line instead and that has worked sometimes. I'm going to try to start using a dry with a nymph as a dropper. Does anyone have a particular technique they use that works?
 
I dont uise indicators and the key for me is to keep one finger on the fly line. Not enough to impede the drift but rather have it tug my finger when I get a strike. Kind of similar to catfishing. It takes practice, not to much tension but certainly more than too little ;-)

I Dont use them and never had to.
 
Never used indicators. I think they can cause drag because if fishing a nymph on the bottom, the water on the surface moves faster than the water on the bottom. I just try and keep the line tight enough and watch the leader where it enters the water and pretty much set the hook with a slight pull of the line with my free hand at the slightest bit of unnatural movement. I also don't make 50 foot casts - I try and keep casts to 25 feet or less.

I do use dry/droppers under the right circumstances but I think a dropper off a dry is different than using a dry as a strike indicator on a nymph.
 
I go indicatorless when high sticking pocket water. I like to use indicators in runs over 3 feet deep. Have been leading the flies much much more lately and use the indicator to see where my line is rather to "look" for strikes.

Not gonna be an "always or never" for me.
 
Keep in mind -- watching the end or your line is a form of strike indicator by definition. (it indicates when there was a strike, or twig, grass, or rock)
 
MKern wrote:
Keep in mind -- watching the end or your line is a form of strike indicator by definition. (it indicates when there was a strike, or twig, grass, or rock)
Click to expand...

Yes but he is talking about adding one which affects his cast. I think NOT adding one would not affect his cast.
 
Thanks guys! I figure it will be like anything else in the fact that practice makes perfect (or practice makes slightly better in my case :) )
 
I never used to use indicators. I learned to "high stick" from my days bait fishing..and then didn't use them for a long time after i switched to fly fishing. Just this past year i started using them. I think i catch more fish with them.

I don't always use them though - if my casts are short or the fish are spooky i don't use them. I high stick instead.

But if i need long casts or the fish are reckless, i prefer to use them.

Either method has the risk of unnatural drifts:

1. No indicator - if you keep your line too tight, you end up pulling the fly along the bottom or worse - lifting it off the bottom. (with practice you can learn just how tight to keep the line so you get a natural drift / bottom bounce for what you want).

2. with an indicator - the indicator could pull the fly unnaturally(usually too fast due to the faster surface water speed as noted above). With careful mends and general casting technique/approach strategies you can reduce this - and adding enough weight to slow the fly down can compensate for the faster surface drift asa well. Its a game of balance.

And also - as mentioned - even when highsticking - you are still using an indicator - watching your line! Some even use a length of red mono in their leader for this purpose. The typical "strike indicator" just makes it easier giving you something that floats so you can watch it from a longer distance.
 
This is something else I did backwards in my "progression" (so-called) as a fly angler. I learned to nymph without one simply by watching my line/leader junction. I did it that way for about 30 years.

Now I use an indicator, but usually not one of those garish things you attach to the leader. I use a loop to loop connection between leader and line and often put a small piece of yarn in there.

But I don't see any problem with them if they help me catch fish and have a higher hooking percentage on the take.

I mean, I *could* go check the mail by hopping out there on one foot. It just works better for me to use two...:)
 
I use line indicators as well, meaning in-line. They don't affect casting but they give you a better visual when your line stops. Sure helps reading depths. Lately I have no idea what I'm fishing, I'll have to ask. My son makes his own leaders and somewhere this past weekend he tied a different color I think was Strein Gold before the tippet. He uses the same line to make curly Q's. I'm not going there ask someone else. I got beat up last year trying to describe making them.

But I pretty much need to see the line, and about the "bragging" topic that's how I know the bump was indeed a bump. Somehow the stop happens when I'm not feeling the nymph hit the bottom. The fun thing about nymphing. Some eyes and some feel. Don't ever totally trust either. I am still happy about my fish this weekend.. I have a picture and will have to put it up.

You're not backwards at all!
 
Call me a sometimes:

Pocket water, runs, etc.: No indicator

Long distance nymphing/ultra slow water: indicator

And when I wanna test if topwater will work, dry fly as the indicator...
 
I've got to start reading beyond the first line. I'm going to get Lasik surgery on my eyes and I'm wearing glasses which just are so uncomfortable and are 3 scripts past what I should be wearing.

I don't use dry droppers much but they are Very effective and I wouldn't pass up pcrays offer. The curly Q's I mentioned work similar but I'm going out on a limb here, may be more effective than dry droppers. I'd start with a dry dropper and try them later. I am like reading a magazine but no expert, I see things and learn about things and it doesn't mean that if I don't have it all together that it's not worth an ear. Do the dry dropper. I am not that advanced. I'd prefer to just straight nymph, but when the water is deeper than the streams I fish I'd wish pcray would extend the same invite.. Color or no color on my line I watch for that stop and set rock or fish. That stop is truly only defined to the fisherman or fisherwomen that decides what it is. Fishing a dry dropper will be the similar. My best fish ever was a minnow. The tiniest hit and I caught it. Such fun! :) Have fun! SPRING is closer. Hitting the stream this weekend again. Work is suffering!
 
Call me a sometimes:

Pocket water, runs, etc.: No indicator

Long distance nymphing/ultra slow water: indicator
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I'll go along with above--Try splicing a piece of yellow stren in the middle of leader, and keep a tight line .(I lead my flies)

JAD
 
I'm always confused. As will I certainly do that to any man. But does anyone have any strein Gold (sp?) in their wardrobe they would part with or know of anyone that sells it. Need some right away.
 
Stren

I prefer Amnesia mono built into the leader - when I remember to do it.
 
Can you use smaller words? What the heck is that?
 
I like gold and florecent in-line leaders.
The red works great if your holding it above the water, but if you want to go deeper it starts to vanish. We should all know by now that red is the first color to disapear under water because of how far light rays and penetrate.
 
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