I tried the indicators. I followed the instructions, but the indicators kept moving down the leader. Is there anything I can do to keep them in place?
Randy
They make a new one now with a peg that will lock them on your leader. Check the catalogs or fly shops. I’ve had the same problem before. After taking the loop of your leader through the hole in the indicator I will put a twist or two in the loop after passing it back over the indicator and just make sure the twists don’t go back through the hole when you pull it tight.
Kelly.
I use a furled leader with a tippet ring. To that I tie a small piece of braided line, again ending in a tippet ring. A fluoro tippet is tied to the second ring and the thingamabobber is looped onto the braid. It stays put that way. Downside is that you can’t adjust it up and down the leader, but it’s easy to lengthen the tippet in order to accomplish the same thing.
I also do the twist method. That keeps it from moving for me, but also allows for easy adjustments.
The small ones don’t come with the attached toothpick. That only comes in the mediums and larger I believe.
Try using small orthodontic rubber bands; this link shows how to do it better than I can explain (go to post #28 ):
http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/general-discussion/12508-what-kind-strik-indicator-do-you-use-3.html
Regards,
Scott
Putting a twist in the line sounds like a good idea, so does the small rubberbands, but they’re very expensive. I’ll also try using a toothpick.
Thanks,
Randy
Both of my kids wore braces and we had bags of those rubber bands; now I can’t find a single one or I’d send you some. Sorry.
Regards,
Scott
Use stouter leader material. I vary it up quite a bit, but anything from #8-#12 leader mitigates the problem, the larger the better. I tend to use Maxima, which is pretty thick stuff. I loop a length of leader to the butt section, and this becomes the area where the indicator resides. The length is determined by the range of depths I’ll be fishing. I then tie one or two more smaller sections below that initial section depending on how small I want to get, and depending on depth. Rig works just fine for most depths. For really deep or very shalllow, I tend to use a different bobber system. System can still be a pain if the depths you are fishing vary widely, but in such situations I’d typically high-stick without a bobber anyway. YMMV.
I’m not going to knock the ‘indicator’ (aka ‘bobber’) that you mentioned, but here’s a very, and I mean Very, inexpensive alternative: At the ‘Dollar Tree’ store in the childrens section the store has plastic containers full of different shaped closed cell foam shapes. There are several shapes and sizes, like 3/4" x 1/8" discs, 3/4" square x 1/8", and 1/2" cylinder x 1/4". Each of these shapes has a tiny hole through the center. Each shape comes in a variety of bright colors that are easy to see on the water. Each container has hundreds(100s) of these shapes. You can also take the larger shape foam and cut to whatever shape you want.
On the water just fold your tippet/leader and slide it through the hole in the shape. Take the extended fold from its exit out of the shape and flip it over the shape. Slide till tight and fish. When I’ve used this as an indicator I haven’t had any problems with ‘slippage’.
Allan
I’ve always liked these indicators. I’m wondering how they compare to the thingamabobbers. More drag? Less? Sometimes they’re
not as easy to see, and I don’t think they can suspend a weighted nymph as well, but they don’t move.
http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=28RT
Randy
If your Thingamabobber is sliding, you need to beef up your leader material (up the # test). Don’t bother with tapered leaders when nymph fishing.
Randy… I love the Thingamabobbers over those turn on strike indicators. I find turn ons expensive. They pop off from time to time. It doesn’t take a lot of weight to sink them. The elastics break down. In general, I don’t like them. Thingamabobbers float better. In fact I haven’t found anything that floats as well. I can run a lot more weight on the line. I find them easy to control. The colors are more muted, and light can penintrate them…making it look more like a foam bubble instead of something solid. My favorite for clear water and spooky fish is the white one.
Other than the “things” I’d have to say my favorites are yarn and closed cell foam (I use white closed cell weather stripping with the one sided sticky stuff…and I’m picky about the kind) They are both cheap but effective.
Randy, I use to use the turn on indicators you linked at orvis. Worked ok, used two about a foot apart for heavier stuff. Problem I had, is that they seem to break easily.
I never really had a problem with thingamabobs slipping. After looping through and over, I give the line a good tug in both directions simultaneously. Seem to bite into the plastic enough to hold securely.
The new ones with the peg work great. No sliding or moving up and down the leader. They will even stay put on the thinner mono on a leader.
I think if you use them on very thin mono, that’s just going to happen. They should be used up more toward the butt-end.
Not to be snide, but the answer really is to tie your own leaders. Even if the indicator does slide, your blood knots will stop any substantial amount of movement
I have not had the problem of them coming loose. When not using thingamabobbers, I use the colored floats that are used to make “Lindy” rigs for walleye fishing. Most tackle stores sells them. I think they cost me $.89 for a package of 10. The have a hole thru the middle and I just peg them using a tooth pick.
my only gripe about the “things” is that the tab with the hole gets cut off while fishing by the leader anyone else have this problem i also like the slotted tapered strike indicators witht he tooth pick in the top those work well for me
Nope. I’ve never even heard of that happening.