I bought a few of these this past summer. The issue I have with them is that they do not stay on the leader. I followed the instructions on the package to the “T” and after several casts the indicator comes off the rubber tube. I contacted the company and they apologized and sent me some more.
For those that are using them if you have any suggestions on how to keep them from coming off I am all ears.
Dave
The only advice for keeping them from coming off the line is to not put them on in the first place:) I used those for a couple of seasons but no matter how many times i twisted them on they eventually would find a way to eventually come off. I switched to using the small sized thingamabobbers and havent had any complaints since…
This may not be what your looking for, but several years ago I fished with Charlie Craven out of Denver. He showed me a very simple strike indicator that I have used ever since.
I bought a piece of macrame yarn (it’s polypropylene) - and floats like a cork.
He taught me a simple knot to use on my leader that he has since put on his Web site.
Go to: http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/
Look up Yarn Indicator Knot
I really like using thingamabobbers for my strike indicators. Easy to put one - and off!! I wouldn’t think of using anything different.
JR
Gotta try that - I’ve used the knot alone to tie the indicator into, but not the method of tying it around the yarn - intriguing.
I use the Lightening Strike Yarn type. A piece of poly yarn with 2 little (different size) ‘O’ rings. Bought at a buck a piece ($3.99 for a 4 pack) awhile back. But when I was looking at another pack, I thought like alot of tyers, “I can make these cheaper”. Sure enough I had white and red poly yarn already. A trip to Home Depot got me a 10 pack of #60 O-rings (1/4"o.d, 1/8" i.d) and a 10 pack of #47 O-rings 11/32" o.d, 7/32" i.d. Each pack was $1.97 in the faucet repair section (O-rings way more expensive at Ace by the way). So I have 10 for $4 now. And when they start to get very worn, Just replace the Yarn.
thingamabobbers are the ticket. Not only do they stay on but they are light and don’t affect my cast.
thingamabobbers, a balloon or make your own
You and everybody else.
I go back and forth between the Thingamabobber and Micro-Balls. The advantage of the Micro-Balls is that the visible end of the rubber band that holds the leader in place is always tilted in the same plane as the angle of the leader between the indicator and the fly.
In effect, the rubber band lets you know where the fly is.
Like everybody else said, that’s a very common problem with those. I’ve stopped using them and gone to Thingamabobbers primarily. So that you don’t have to throw the Fish Pimps away, you can do what I did with the last few I had. After you lay the leader in the slot the first time, loop one end under the back of the indicator and back up and through the slot a second time. Then snap the rubber tube in place. You will have basically created a loop that will keep it in place. After you catch enough fish, the strain upon that loop will eventually cut through the indicator, but it takes longer than you might think. Won’t last forever, but it will last a heck of lot longer than it would have taken for the dumb thing to fly off the leader if you hadn’t done it!
Thingamabobber = $1.25 each
Foam plug you might use for a popper = 10 cents
Think about it. The Thingamabobber has a hole to attach your line. Just make a hold in a foam plug (you can do it near an edge on the diagonal) with a needle file or a hot bodkin and you save a buck fifteen per.
Besides, the foam is lighter, floats just as well and can be in a wide variety of colors.
If you are hell-bent on using the slit foam type indicators, I have found that Fish Pimps use a rubber insert that tends to collapse and after a while it will deteriorate. The Lightening Strike brand football indicators use a different kind of rubber tube insert that holds much better and lasts longer. I normally twist the rubber insert along with the tippet within the indicator so that it holds tighter. Attaching them in this manner, I can’t remember a LS indicator ever flying off.
Of course as of this season, I too have started using Thingamabobbers, they are great for bigger tippet. They seem to slip on 4x or smaller though. I have been playing around with using rubber bands to attach them more securely, but I have not come up with a decent solution yet.
Hope this helps.
Fish Pimps were great when they first came out. They were a pain to put on because the rubber tube was fat and you had to really stretch it to get the fly line through.
But the “new” versions seem to have a smaller rubber tube in them which means they’re easier to put on but they also fall off like crazy. Worthless in my opinion.
I use twist on strike indicators. They don’t move and they’re easy to put on and off. I also use the thingamabobber but find on smaller leader sizes it slips.
I had the same problem with the Fish Pimps. When I use a foam indicator I keep going back to the Lightening Strike brand football indicators adam talked about. They are the best foam ones I’ve found and they work. I use either the footballs, macrame yarn with orthodonic bands, or thingamabobbers. Depends on the situation.