Nymphing

[Rocketfish]

Hi:

I usually start my day of fishing with some dry or streamer. Are my favorite ways to check the water.
However, when I decide to go with nymphs is always a hard decision to use strike indicators or not. Many years of fishing and I can't say if its better with or without them. I feel that a long fluoro leader, a correctly weighted nymph, a split shot and good control (cast short as possible) do the job fine.
Guys, do you use s.i. or not?
Good fishing!
R.

[Jayatwork]

It depends on the water. Some places lend themselves to tight-line techniques other places are better suited to indicator fishing.

[johnstoeckel]

If I'm able to fish close-in, less than 25'-30', I'll skip the indicator (or suspender) and tight line, high stick nymph. I have a bright mono section in my nymph leader that serves as sighter or visual indicator. When I need to fish farther out on bigger water, I'll use a suspender style indicator (eg, Thingamabobber). Its good to be comfortable with both methods and be able to adapt to conditions.

[Taz]

The depth of water usually determines which method I use. If I am fishing pocket water with a wide variation of depths, I skip it. If I am fish long run outs and riffles I'll use one. It sure makes it easier. I do hate moving and indicator up and down, up and down, up and down though.

[sagefisher]

I usually use strike indicators when nymphing rivers, and most of the time I am nymphing on fairly fast and deep waters.

I did have an example of nymphing in very shallow water that was moving fairly fast and this was right up against the shore line drifting a very small nymph over weed beds that were bent over by the flow of the water and were only about 4inchs below the surface.

A few years ago I was on a guided trip on the Missouri River below Craig, Montana. Per normal, there were many, many other people out there, drifting and wading when the water allowed wading. It was rather maddening with so many people and the fishing was 'off', not a lot going on. My guide suggested using a different form of nymphing. He tied on a very small, maybe size 18 or 20 fly, black thread body, thicker black thorax and a white tuff for the gills. He then placed the smallest strike indicator he had, around 1/4 of a inch (you do the conversion for metric ). I guess a 3/8 inch would work. Anyway, this was placed about 12 inches above the fly. No weights. He had me cast right up to the edge of the river and allow the fly/indicator to flow right over the weeds. That is where the larger Browns were hiding and feeding. I spent the better part of the rest of the day fishing that way, when the shoreline allowed it and I caught a lot of nice sized Browns.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Rocketfish]

Thank you guys! All very interesting answers.

[Rever]

On two occasions I used a size 12 stimulator dry as an indicator, taking nice rainbows on a beaded zug bug and hares ear nymph. The stream I like to fish has holds trout larger than 18-inchers. My largest fish have been on the nymph and streamer (12-14 inch). After rises to the dry s.i., my attention gets drawn more to dry flies (and usually smaller fish)! The water and solitude become what really matters. . . . .