Bobbers

I just saw a new indicator that Headhunters is featuring and it is a true bobber, now that is just not right. We have seen a long line of indicators come down the stream from the fold over stick on ones to the mold on your leader ones and who can forget the Thing-a-bobber? Every one of these things is designed to tell us when a trout takes our subsurface fly but there is little concern about how they cast or kill your leader and some of them really are hard to take off or take the kink out of you leader after the day is done. I remember when Merican nymphing was nothing more that high sticking but now getting close to fish on some high pressure streams is just not that easy or you could use a 10-12' rod to keep your distance, then try to land a fish. I remember that we just used to add some shot and fish seams, maybe we took some shot off or added some but we never used any indicators then along came the pinch on stuff, good idea but hell to get off your leader as is the paste stuff, just too much trouble. We were on the Big Horn with a very young guide from George Kelly's lodge and he had me in a soft run and I could see that he was getting frustrated with my missing fish-so on went a large wool indicator and it worked very well but he never adjusted it all day. Well that indicator style was long forgotten, hell I can't remember how to do it but it did work. We made the move to dry droppers and had success but if you used a larger fly or a longer dropper set up your casting stroke had to be slow with a wide open loop something that I just am not good at. Then along came the Thing a bobber, yes they do work and in the smaller sizes are a bit easier to cast but they do kink your leader up. I do love the smaller black or white ones but hate the red & white ones ( a joke from the mfg. to suggest your using an old fashion bobber)! All of them have there place and maybe one of them is your favorite and that's fine keep using it if it works but you may want to try the "strike indicator.com " it's from New Zealand and uses wool in different colors, comes with a neat little tool and is easy to use and if you need to move it up or down no problem and the wool after it's treated is a high floater and is super sensitive. Any way you look at it indicators are here to stay just find one that works for you and stay with it. Try the New Zealand set up. it costs about $15.00 delivered to you door and has enough material to last for a few years, I'm sure that you could make a home made version pretty easy but what the heck we are all pack rats and love to buy new shiny things. A small BWO emerger with a nymph tied on the bend extending down about 6-8" is still killer when the Olives are on.