Nymph with or without Indicator
- Thread starter willdeb
- Start date
Most people now seem to connect nymphing without an indicator with real short line nymphing, i.e high sticking.
But if you've never tried nymphing without an indicator, making medium or even longer casts, 25, 30, 40 feet etc, just try it, it's interesting.
Back in the early 1970s no one used indicators, and I don't think they existed. So we fished nymphs without them, when fishing a short line, medium line, long line. We didn't have indicators, so didn't know we know we "needed" them!
But if you've never tried nymphing without an indicator, making medium or even longer casts, 25, 30, 40 feet etc, just try it, it's interesting.
Back in the early 1970s no one used indicators, and I don't think they existed. So we fished nymphs without them, when fishing a short line, medium line, long line. We didn't have indicators, so didn't know we know we "needed" them!
PennKev
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Exactly.
A lot of fisherman seems to think nymphing is only one technique or method. They learn one way and that is it. There's actually a lot of diversity in nymph fishing and learning at least a few different methods really creates a lot of opportunities to catch fish in conditions or locations where you would not do as well with only one method.
Kev
SBecker
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You can't get it wet! No freaking joke. The colors run when it gets wet. I made this mistake once. I emailed and called Umpqua for my $20 back and they never returned my messages. It is a pretty well known problem if you look at reviews for it.
WildTigerTrout
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I have used Gold Stren, Maxima in Flo. Pink that I have never seen anywhere but was given some by a mighty generous fellow flyfisherman, and more recently the Cortland Bi-Color Indicator Mono. I don't use any flotant on my leader. The Cortland seems to work really well and I can and do recommend it.
I'll nymph fish with both indicators and without.
I voted for "with" since I usually have some form of indicator. I also use indicators when fishing streamers, esp for bass fishing. Have also used bright colored Stren line for visibility since the 1980s.
I voted for "with" since I usually have some form of indicator. I also use indicators when fishing streamers, esp for bass fishing. Have also used bright colored Stren line for visibility since the 1980s.
Troutbert,
That's the non-glamorous way I put fish in the net on the Delaware. With some riffs being 200-300 yards wide and a mile long, I drift through the riffs casting 25'-70'...depends where ther structure or deep pockets are located. Typically, no weight other than a beadhead. You usually face multiple hatches at once so I fish 2-3 different patterns trying to cover all bases. Can't constantly adjust the depth since it changes every cast. If it's shallow, flies above indi and pull it with current until I see a pocket. Then I'll drop some slack as I near the target. In deeper sections, indi upstream of flies since the surface tends to move faster than water 4' down in the column. Never had to guess if I had a take....they'll rip the rod out of your hands if you snooze.
Back when I fished more often, sight nymphing on the spring creeks was fun and effective. Drag the bottom but if it hung up, let it dangle in front of them for a minute or two. They can't resist checking it out.
That's the non-glamorous way I put fish in the net on the Delaware. With some riffs being 200-300 yards wide and a mile long, I drift through the riffs casting 25'-70'...depends where ther structure or deep pockets are located. Typically, no weight other than a beadhead. You usually face multiple hatches at once so I fish 2-3 different patterns trying to cover all bases. Can't constantly adjust the depth since it changes every cast. If it's shallow, flies above indi and pull it with current until I see a pocket. Then I'll drop some slack as I near the target. In deeper sections, indi upstream of flies since the surface tends to move faster than water 4' down in the column. Never had to guess if I had a take....they'll rip the rod out of your hands if you snooze.
Back when I fished more often, sight nymphing on the spring creeks was fun and effective. Drag the bottom but if it hung up, let it dangle in front of them for a minute or two. They can't resist checking it out.
Usually I have some weight tied into the nymph. But often I have split shot on the leader too.
Most of the time I'm just trying to get as long of a drag free float as possible.
And try to read the water and look for the really good spots, and just try to get a drift into those places anyway possible.
fisherboy3
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I usually use an indicator when fishing faster/ deeper water when i totally am not sure where the fish are, especially on new waters. When i can see the fish, then no indicator because they will spook fish in shallow water. But when i do nymph with an indicator white yarn works very well because a lot of the time it looks like foam or bubbles and wont spook the trout. -Kev
ryguyfi
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For me it's not depth but water type. If it's slow pools or longer casts then I use an indicator. I would say that takes up less than 10% of my nymph fishing. Not saying it isn't productive at times, it just doesn't interest me. That's the nice thing about improving your skills. You can do many different techniques at times but then if you prefer one over the other then you can do what you want.
I mainly nymph in faster water and high stick without an indicator or swing nymphs through the current.
I mainly nymph in faster water and high stick without an indicator or swing nymphs through the current.
fishingn00b101
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I would rather stand in the stream not using an indicator and not catch a fish all day than use one and feel like a bait fisherman.
