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We fly
fisherman are lucky in some ways, in that we can choose whether
to fish right on the surface or underneath the water surface for
trout. When the hatch is on, there is nothing like putting a dry
fly on the water's surface and watching it float down to a
rising trout. The nice thing about dry fly fishing is being able
to see the fly as it naturally drifts along with the current.
When a waiting trout eventually takes an interest, he will slurp
the fly with a gentle splash and the excitement of the fight is
your reward. |
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But when you
fish below the surface everything changes. It becomes a game of
“feel”. The nymph floats below the surface where you can no
longer see it and when a strike happens, many times they can
possibly go unnoticed. Trout are pretty good at picking up a
nymph and letting it go without even the best of anglers even
realizing it. To compensate for the lack of “feel-ability” many
fly fishermen prefer use some sort of strike indicator.
In truth,
strike indicators are nothing more than a glorified bobber. They
are attached to your leader and they float along the surface of
the water. When a trout takes your nymph the strike indicator
may go under or simply stop and this will let you know that it
is time to set the hook. Many different types of strike
indicators are available for fly-fishing and are made up of
differing materials and ways to attach them. The important thing
is, they work. |
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I have used
many strike indicators over the years and recently a friend
introduced me to a strike indicator that I have found to be the
best of the bunch. I like it because it is easy to attach to the
leader, easy to adjust and is extremely sensitive. It has a
funny name, but don’t let that influence you against a great
product. The “Thingamabobber” as it is called, is a small
balloon of sorts and yes; it is actually filled with air. They
come in four sizes: (1/2 in.), (3/4 in.), (1 in.) and (1 ¼ in.).
You attach them to the leader by looping your line through an
eye or grommet. |
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This is
really great because you can attach it, move it or remove it and
you don’t have to remove your fly from the leader to do so. |
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Additionally,
they cast very well and land on the water quietly. They stay in
place too, which is a plus. They have several colors to choose
from making them easy to see on the water in various situations.
As I mentioned earlier, they are really sensitive. I’ve noticed
that on a very calm stretch of water that you can tell when your
nymph has bumped into something just by the shake of the
Thingamabobber. Strikes are more easily noticed which in turn
means your catch ratio goes up. Oh, and one other thing, I used
to use strike indicators that you would thread your line through
made of Styrofoam. After time these types of indicators would
become water logged and not float as well and strikes would
become much more difficult to see. The Thingamabobber is unable
to become water logged and floats well all the time.
I strongly
suggest you give one a try and see the improved fishing results
for yourself. In my opinion, anything that will help me lure an
extra fish or two is the "thingamabobber" to use! |
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