I'm not against sight indicators or any other means of fishing for that matter, we fought a 6 year war in the belief of freedom, so whether one fishes with indicator or hand grenade it's OK by me, very recently, under great pressure, I did put on an indicator, much against my will, now and again the thing vanished and I was in to a fish, that's fair enough, but at the same time I didn't get much pleasure out of watching that thing on the water, I missed the ouch!! one gets when a fish pulls. I must admit the indicator thing probably caught, or maybe detected is a better word, more fish, But I wasn't after catching a truck load of fish, I was there to fish and enjoy my days fishing, I don't expect many folk will agree with me, not many do as a rule, what does the panel think!!???


Royal Navy Submarine Museum

Are you talking about stillwater fishing/ buzzer under a float/indicator?

If I'm nymphing upstream in a river, most of the takes are very subtle and wouldn't register as a 'pull' . On smaller streams I use some sea fishing red Amnesia nail knotted to the fly line as an indicator. Otherwise a yarn indicator on a big rivers.

Maybe its just my experience, but I think I'd miss 90% of my takes if I waited for a pull when nymphing upstream, even without a yarn indicator - watching the end of the fly line, or having a indicator like red mono - most of takes are subtle, stop or sideways movement of fly line, or leading moves down ... without something to indicate it would be very very tricky.

Sorry,Yes Michael, I am talking about lake , or still water fishing, and I fully understand what you are saying regarding river fishing, that's an entirely different type of fishing, I fish a similar set up as you, I have a colored tip on my fly line, cheers

Hello,

Have read lots of posts on this subject on this and other forums and my opinion is that whatever you want to do is fine as long as it falls within fishery rules.

If someone wants to relax on the bank all day watching their indicator and it makes them happy then that is fine and if they never want to use indicators then that is fine too.

Each to their own. The world would be a very boring place if we were all the same!

I Upstream Nymph using Loon Strike Out and I think 90% is an overstatement. Don't think I've ever felt an Upstream Take and my eyes are not sharp enough to detect one visually without the Loon.

I don't normally use an indicator on Still Water but I do use an Orvis Thingamy Bobber when I'm with my Grandchildren. I set up a Rod each for them with one on and they think it's hilarious when the Little Thingy runs off or disappears under the water.

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Roy

There are so many variables here it's untrue. The only rule is that there is No rule.

You won't get a pull that can be felt in the hand from a fish when casting nymphs upstream in a river. They have moved only a few inches to intercept your fly, so that's all the line will move. You'll see it stop dead, or move to one side - indications that can just as easily be a stone or other rubbish on the river bed as a fish. If in doubt - strike. You lost nothing by doing so.

Instead of using an indicator you could try holding your rod a bit higher up above the water surface and watch the "swing tip" effect. Track the flies as they trundle down past you, and at the end of the drift just give a half-strike. You'll be amazed at how often you'll find one hanging on the end.

I'll use an indicator on a river in poor light conditions when seeing the line is difficult.

At the end of the day we go "fishing". If anyone wants to sit in the sun with a rod in his hands you can do that just as easily in the local park or on your back lawn. The name of the game is to catch fish and any fair and legal means that enables that to happen is OK with me. If I don't like it I won't do it, but I'll not criticise someone else for doing so.

Roy I agree you will never feel a take when upstream nymphing as you are essentially fishing a slack line. If you want to help you see the takes whether it is on a river or a stillwater but don't like the idea of using an indicator get some pole float rubber from the tackle shop and thread it up over your leader and on to the tip of your fly line. To help some more grease the tip of your line with mucillin. You could also grease you a section of your leader to help with controlling the depth of your fly.

Frank

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Frank Williams APGAI

See Classified for;

Flouro Drop Style Indicators ¦ French/Czech nymphing leaders ¦ Hi-Vis tippet for indicators ¦
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We put restrictions on ourselves by fly fishing anyway. Part of the attraction is catching fish in spite of those restrictions. If you want to make life easier, why not but some of the charm goes out of it.

However, if your eyesight is beginning to deteriorate like mine, an indicator can be a necessity in fading light when even seeing your line tip is difficult.


Another thing. Some days you want to do it the hard way, just for the challenge. Other days, you want to get into a fish, so whatever makes it easier to get stuck in is fair enough.

We fish for our own pleasure, not to appease the shade of the long departed Halford.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

Personally, i'd like to see fish pimps, thingummy bobbers, butterfly foam sticky ones and any others like that you can buy dissappear. I think indicators should at least take the form of a fly, be it a sedgehog, Klinkhammer, cdc shuttlecock. In other words the surface fly should be capable of catching fish.

Upstream nymphing without an indicator can be tricky, depending on how far ahead of you you are landing the flies. I fish upstream nymphs a lot, and the closer, the better. If you can cast them about 3 meters ahead, lift the rod, and alow the flies to drift back to you, with as astaight a line as possible between the flies and the rod tip, you will be surprised at how many fish you will pick up directly under the rod. I personally don't like indicators much, especially the floating yarn type. I find them restrictive, and inhibiting. It tends to lose the dimension of bite detection by feel. My way of thinking is that if you can feel and see the take, you have more chance than if you were only seeing it. Indicator nymphing is the lazy mans way of fishing. Someone who can nymph properly without an indicator, will always have more success than the guy with the indicator, as the better you become, the less you are going to need an indicator. Remember the key to success with any type of nymphing, is to try do it as close as possible, and have as straight a line possible between flies and rod tip. Any slack line will work against you. If you can get this right, you will find that the indicator will actually be a liability.