Fly fishing strike indicators were banned.
Many Catch and Release waters are being successfully pounded by Fly Fishermen. Guide trips carry 2 anglers in their guide boats drifting down the rivers, tossing a nymph double rig and a strike indicator. Usually, an egg fly and a San Juan Worm are attached. Maybe a Brown Rubber Legs or another stone nymph.
There is no doubt that strike indicators are an effective way for inexperienced and minimally skilled fly anglers to catch fish. What happens is that fly guys get in a rut and never explore other ways to fly fish. There are days when the fish will not bite on bobber drifted flies. There are also many other wonderful ways to catch fish without the need for a bobber.
Strike indicators may be yarn, balsa wood, plastic bobbers, foam, or stick on styles. When the bobber goes down, the rod goes up. It’s like a kid with a cane pole and a bobber. When the drift boat is moving mid channel, no casting is even needed. It’s like trolling with a bobber and a worm. Fly guys generally seem to hate “Bait Angers and Worm Dunkers” but that is what they are doing when using a strike indicator.
Strike Indicators are a great way to teach nymph fishing. You can easily see the drift and know when to mend the line. Visible strikes are when you set the hook. At some point, you need to get rid of the crutch and learn how to really nymph fish. Once you throw away the indicators, you will be amazed how much better nymph fishing can be without them.
Nymph fishing is an art. Using the fly line to see strikes takes practice and a 6th sense to know when to strike. Before strike indicators, most fly anglers focused on Dry Fly fishing or stripping streamers. They could see or feel the strikes.
Nymphing was effective but few fly anglers mastered the skill. The diet of trout is mainly subsurface. They feed on the surface less than 10% of their feeding time.
Let’s say that the guided fly anglers are catching too many fish on the overfished Madison River. If clients were not allowed strike indicators, their catch count would drop drastically, until they learn how to nymph fish or use other strategies. Fly Guys are all about selfies and Catch Counts. Somehow these are their ego boosts.
If they hire a decent guide, they may hook well over 25 fish a day. Of these fish, Caught and Released, 10% will die due to stress. Other fish will die if they have been repeatedly caught. After 5-6 Cand R’s, selfie sessions, drops in the dirt or gravel, suffocating selfies, squeezing, and over playing, more fish will die. This is why the trout numbers are declining in our most popular fisheries.
What fly anglers don’t understand is that they could catch more fish if they take off their bobbers. Once you understand how to mend and drift the flies, you don’t need a float. Instead, use a paste fly flotant to coat the front few feet of your fly line. Now you have a 3-foot-long strike indicator that can been easily seen to ensure a natural drift and show when to mend the line. You can also use colored leaders that have attractive butt sections.
The more you nymph fish, the better you will become and the more and bigger fish you will catch. A special instinct will begin to surface as you discover when to expect, see, and feel the strike. Your drifts will be deeper and more natural.
There are also other tips and tricks that will make you a better fly angler. Sharpening your hooks will help you gain 3 times more hook ups. Great polarized fishing glasses will help you see the strikes better. Be a student of the sport and grow with new ideas and techniques. Don’t just get stuck on bobbers.
Adapt and adjust to the fly fishing art as you evolve.
Montana Grant
