Fishing season has just started here in PA and the flys arent hatching yet. I was wondering that if I would use a dry fly that is not active this time of year as a strike indicator for nymphs if that would spook the fish or lessen my chance for a strike.
I prefer to use big busy flies for inidcators. Sometime the fish bite the indicators… might as well put a hook on it. You might want to check out regs for certain waters, and also flies dont float as well as some indicators.
A bivisible is a decent fly to use. Or whatever you like,
Phil
I was on the water yesterday and the fishing was tough with air temps in the mid 40s. I had numerous strikes on my blaze orange indicator and am thinking of tying up something that is blaze orange with a hook that floats like a cork. Anyone have any ideas? I think that this question is along the same lines as the original question of the thread and won’t hijack the thread too much. If you prefer a dry fly, which one?
Currently, I use these as my indicator of choice and peg them. I hated the yarn type indicators. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=30490&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults
Rick
tie up some “indicator flies”
http://www.feather-craft.com/wecs.php?store=feacraft&action=display&target=JF042
looks like a very bright madam x
Charles Meck recommends a patriot as an indicator fly. It doesn’t look like anything on the water I’ve ever seen and presumably it doesn’t spook the trout.
Clay, have you got any orange deer hair? Spin and trim. Actually I think one reason that indicators draw strikes is that the short twitching motion we often give them as we mend for a longer drift of the nymph. When there isn’t much going in the line of feed anything that appears alive (moving) and vulnerable will draw attention.
trout–
It won’t spook the fish. There is so much stuff floating in the water that any bug type object will either be ignored or they may come up and have a nibble.
Larry 
--sagefisher—
I think maybe an orange bug used normally for salmon flies. I know bloaks who use then up to size 16 I think. In a size 12 would be decent I think, but whatever you really want. You got to think that you are using it first for a strike indicator, then a fly. But if you are using it as a fly primarily, then tie up something that works in your area… maybe a humpy or something.
My suggestion would be to hone what works best for you, use one that floats well (maybe a foam fly) and change it depending on your experience.
TK:
If my fluorescent yarn indicator and chartreuse fly line didn’t spook the wild trout I was catching last week in Northeast PA; your dry fly indicator shouldn’t cause ANY problems.
Like sagefisher said; there is so much stuff floating in the water it doesn’t matter. If you are fishing in Southeast PA and want to try a more realistic indicator; use a cigarette butt.
Best dry fly action I ever had on Falling Springs (PA limestoner) was on a chunk of chartreuse Biostrike I was using for an indicator while fishing scuds/sowbugs. I was tempted to roll some on a bare hook and see if I could hook a fish but never did. If I’m using a fly as an indicator now, I’ll use something with enough foam to keep it on top even with a weighted nymph hanging off it, usually in muted colors, but a bright wing.
Regards,
Scott
Thx alot guys i tyed some bigger drys last night with white wings and i could see it great in the water and ended up catching 4 browns great tips
try some attractor flies, like the Royal Wulff or something. They aren’t designed to match a hatch, so they may even be effective for you.
killer,
Oftentimes though not always, I’ll use a larger than normal Elk Hair Caddis. Sometimes you get a surprise when it seems the fish are only interested in just the smaller stuff.
Sometimes…G
Jeremy.
I stoped using strike indicators a couple years ago. I figure, might as well use a real fly, as they sometimes catch fish…I go with a good floater, like an EHCaddis, or a big ol’ foam ant with a nice post type wing, somethin’ bright like yellow or white, like antron or calftail. a Chernobyl ant is a good choice, even if they ain’t anything like the present hatch, they often produce strikes if nobody’s interested in what ya got down below. I go with the other guys, I don’t think flies and such spook the fish, it just looks like more whatever floatin along, I don’t think there’s any worries there…
Up on the N. Umpqua, this year, ya can’t use indicators or two fly rigs anymore, just a single fly, no weight, no lead wraps, no beads, even plastic, must be barbless, the spin rod boys can still use a casting bubble, but that’s it…So…the whole indicator questionis a moot point up there. I think other fly only streams will mostly follow suit in time…ModocDan