Indicator

[Dryrod]

[font "Pristina"][green][size 4][cool]What is your favorite way to tie on an indicator & what material do you use?[/size][/green][/font]
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[macfly55]

..I have never used one fly fishing even though I know I should.. so I am very interested in the answers from this post... makes me wish I had thouhgt of it first... []

MacFly [cool]
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[Scruffy_Fly]

Round foam ball with a hole through the center. with a piece of rubber band to pull through the hole with the leader. Does not slide on the tippet or leader. Some what easy to adjust for water depth changes. They are sensitive. Many fly shops carry them.

2nd is a Yarn indicator tied onto a o-ring.

But I think for streams I would try the new Thingamabobber with some Aquaseal or Aquaflex smeared around the hole. They sound promising.

Now that I am here in California I bet a Tthil will be come my favorite "indicator." The only place I have seen the ones I am talking about was at Charlies Fly Box in Aravada.
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[Dryrod]

[font "Pristina"][green][size 4][cool] S-F For a yarn do you like the McFlyLon material or do you have another preference?[/size][/green][/font]
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[Scruffy_Fly]

My preference is to buy the yarn indicator at the fly shop.
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[pa]

I use a indicator called Tip-Off. It is fuzzy yarn and works very well for me. It comes big which allows you to trim it to your specs. It is very buoyant and can be reused adjust easily and stays put. if used in fast water a small ammount of flotant works well. Cost is 2.00 for three in the fly shops in salt lake. Multiple colors and is easy to find. I did not chesc Walmart etc. [][][]

Pa
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[flygoddess]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]Here is this old girls take on indicators.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]My first choice is a DRY FLY. Double your chances.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]I prefer the small stryo balls and a toothpick tip for small streams.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]I have tried the twist ones, but can never remember which way I twisted and end up breaking them trying to take them off.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4] [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]I will use BIO-STRIKE when using a small fly on big water or if there is a wind. It adds a little extra weight to get it out there,BUT, the down side is it is almost impossible to use in the winter when it is cold and hard as a rock and when it hits the water it will hit with a splash.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]As far as YARN, I don't care for it or the foam counterparts. As far as the yarn, it will get water logged at times and WIND RESISTANCE to the max. I even have the indicators with this cool little plastic clip that you just squeeze and move. They do float a little higher. I couldn't find them anywhere on line so might be discontinued. Anyway, I hate adding floatant to an indicator.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4]Now for my favorites,[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4]I love this pop top cause if I want the fly suspended off the bottom, the top peg will stick straight up. If I am touching the bottom it will stay laying down. I use these more than anything.[/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4][inline "Pop Top 2.jpg"][/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4]Then there is the QUICK RELEASE for my deep nymphing with leaders over 10'. It is a must on this type of fishing.[/size][/font]
[inline "Quick release Indicatorsl.jpg"]
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[macfly55]

hmmmmm looks like a trip to sport chalet before Saturday is in order... []

MacFly [cool]
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[pa]

when you use a dry fly as an indicator do you have to be mindful of the size nymph underneath it?
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[Scruffy_Fly]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4]FG writes: My first choice is a DRY FLY. Double your chances.[/size][/font][size 1] [/size][blue][size 2]I whole heartly agree with this. It is my first choice. Actually Dry fly fishing is my FIRST choice. I also like to use a larger bushy fly as an indicator fly when using a very small dry fly which I can't find on the water. The large indicator dry I can find quickly and then see the small dry fly or at least know that I need to set the hook when ever there is a rise near the indicator fly. Plus you got the fly for the double chance.[/size][/blue][size 1]

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[/size][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]I prefer the small stryo balls and a toothpick tip for small streams.[/size][/black][/font][size 1] [/size][size 2][blue]I prefer the ones without a tooth pick but with a rubber band as I was always having trouble with the tooth pick breaking off or pulling out when casting (bad casting technique probably but its what I got so I deal with it). I was always running out of tooth picks or loosing the balls. So I prefer the rubber band and styro balls. The rubber band points directly up when the flies are dead drifting and point at some angle when the being dragged by the current. Being careful not to pull the tippet too far into the ball I can quickly slide the ball up or down the tippet by just pulling on it. There it will stay. Downside is that doing this without wetting the tippet well can cut the rubber band. But I always have lots of extra pieces of rubber bands that I have cut up.
[/blue][font "Comic Sans MS"][black]I have tried the twist ones, but can never remember which way I twisted and end up breaking them trying to take them off.[/black][/font][/size][size 1] [#ff0000]Me too.
[/#ff0000][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][/black][/font]
[/size][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]I will use BIO-STRIKE when using a small fly on big water or if there is a wind. It adds a little extra weight to get it out there,BUT, the down side is it is almost impossible to use in the winter when it is cold and hard as a rock and when it hits the water it will hit with a splash.[/size][/black][/font][size 1] [blue][size 2]Never used this. [/size][/blue][/size]
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[/size][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 4]As far as YARN, I don't care for it or the foam counterparts. As far as the yarn, it will get water logged at times and WIND RESISTANCE to the max. I even have the indicators with this cool little plastic clip that you just squeeze and move. They do float a little higher. I couldn't find them anywhere on line so might be discontinued. Anyway, I hate adding floatant to an indicator.[/size][/black][/font][size 1] [blue][size 2]Yup! Yarn indicators can get blown around a lot on gusty days. Definitely not that good on very windy days. I always have them in my vest and they keep finding their way on my line when I am using a lot of heavy nymphs. I like them real bushy with floatant on them. Sometimes on really windy days I cut the height of the indicator way back to reduce wind resistance.
[/size][/blue][font "Comic Sans MS"][/font]
[/size][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4]Now for my favorites,[/size][/font][size 1]
[/size][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 4]I love this pop top cause if I want the fly suspended off the bottom, the top peg will stick straight up. If I am touching the bottom it will stay laying down. I use these more than anything.[/size][/font][size 1] [/size]
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[blue][size 2]I have some very large one of these I got from Orvis on sale but I have never figured out how to actually use them and now they always seem to be way too big so I never seem to have them with me. I broke one appart trying to pull the post out of the ball because i did not realize the post was glued in. [crazy] They do come in various sizes but I don't have smaller sizes. Probably should try them for lake fishing. The round foam balls with the rubber bands act the same. The rubber band points up when dead drifting and be tilted when the ball is drifting slower or faster than the flies.[/size][/blue]
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[#0000ff]Like everything else in fly fishing we all end up with our own preferences for various reasons[/#0000ff]
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[Scruffy_Fly]

Pa writes: [size 1]when you use a dry fly as an indicator do you have to be mindful of the size nymph underneath it? [/size]
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Basically yes but not overly so. Heavy nymphs need more buoyant flies. But the depth of the water, speed of the water, and the turbulence on the water also affect this. The only way to know is to do it. Then adjust according to what is happening. Once you do some then you get more of an idea of what you need to do before hand.

In fast shallow water without a lot of turbulence on top you can get a way with more nymph weight and smaller and/or less buoyant flies.
At the same time skinny water can also mean you don't need a lot of weight to get the nymph to the bottom.

In Slow deep water heavy nymphs will drag a small dry / less buoyant fly under.

In Turbulent water on the top surface you are going to need more buoyant flies even if you don't have a nymph at all.

The faster the water more weight the nymph rig must have. The more turbulent the water is below the surface the more weight in the nymph system you have to have.

That is the extent of my finds from doing this.

I am sure FG can add more enlightenment.
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[flygoddess]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]Scruffy you said it all. I will throw on a big old foam flies knowing fully well that this bug is not out at this time of year, but they occassionally they will hit it anyway.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]Royal Wulffs and Kaufman Cripples are my two favorite DRY for a dry dropper. They are both very bouyant, but can use smaller ones.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]I usually go with a #16 - #18 Dry and a #20 to #24 dropper and experiment with how long of tippet to put between them. Takes a few tries to figure it out, but once you find the zone, it is usually good to go for a few hours till they change their zone again.[/size][/green][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]Another good way to find a zone in moving water is a wet fly or soft hackle or to even nymph with a HIGH STICK. [/size][/green][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]That is the fun about fly fishing and the frustration....you can see the fish but they don't want anything you offer![/size][/green][/font]
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[pa]

thanks scruffy. this has been explained to me before but it never clicked. it did this time. it all seems so simple. [blush][blush]. do u tie on the bend of the dry or elsewhere? cant wait to try this again.

pa
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[flygoddess]

I want to hear from Scruffy also on this one. I myself tie off the bend or off the eye of the first hook. Depends on how I want that first fly to float. With nymphs like haresear, PT or CJ I will tie off the bend, doesn't seem to hurt with them. Just have to be careful cause I do fish Barbless.
For wet flies or scuds I go off the eye.
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[macfly55]

do you ever use a drop loop off of your line for the drop fly??

MacFly [cool]
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[Scruffy_Fly]

Pa Wrote: [size 1]do u tie on the bend of the dry or elsewhere?[/size]
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[blue]I generally tie off at the bend of the hook. Sometimes I tie off at the eye of the hook. I do this more typically when I have a emerger. On occasion I have lost the tippet and fly off the bend of the hook when the barb is pinched very smoothly. I presume it is because of poor time execution of a cast from back to forward. At that time I either switch to a different lead fly or tie the dropper onto the eye of the lead dry fly.[/blue]
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[size 1][blue][size 2]Some people leave a very long tag end, 9" upto a couple of feet on the knot which ties the large fly to the tippet. Then to the long tag end they tie the nymph. This makes sense in that you now have one piece of tippet which one would think is stronger than having two seperate knots but I am not aware of any tests that prove this to be so. It may or may not be quicker. Dealing with the extra long tag end may eat up most of the time saves of having one knot as opposed to two knots and cutting a second tippet length. I have only tried this once or twice.[/size][/blue] [/size]

Most of the guys I fish with tie off at the bend of the hook. Probably more by that is what they learned than anything. That is what I learned when I first started fly fishing.
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[Scruffy_Fly]

[size 1]do you ever use a drop loop off of your line for the drop fly??[/size]
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[blue]It is shown a lot in the literature. I have never used it. My reasoning has been that it is hanging out there in the middle of the tippet pieces and can get hung up on lots of things. In dirty or mossy areas it looks like an spot that becomes hard to clean off. [/blue]
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[blue]I have not observed any of my fellow fishing buddies using this method so I presume it is not very popular.[/blue]
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[#0000ff]The only advantage I see in this method is that you can add or take off either fly without affecting the other fly or two flies. I can see where the appeal of this method would increase if you are trying to fish 3 flies. Messing with three flies seems to lead quickly to tangled tippets. It goes up drasticly with increase in wind speeds. I do three flies once in a great while. When the wind is blowing even moderately I find myself spending more time untangling things than fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[macfly55]

as usual my bad.. I said drop loop and I meant dropper loop ... from what I just read the drop loop is used more salt water fishing where you want to attach additional weight.. especially when surf fishing..

the [url "http://www.animatedknots.com/dropperloop/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com"][font "Tempus Sans ITC"][#800000]DROPPER LOOP[/#800000][/font][/url] is illustrated on this page and it mentions specifically that it is used to help prevent tangles..

...I am the newbie here so any advice is welcome...

MacFly [cool]
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[Dryrod]

[font "Pristina"][green][size 4][cool]Good site MacFly. Had to turn off my ZoneAlarm inorder to see the animation in progress.[/size][/green][/font]
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[macfly55]

...t/y.. I have found that site is pretty simple to follow... even I can keep up with them.. []

...sorry about the ZoneAlarm thing but at least you know it is working.. []

MacFly [cool]
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