What’s Your Indicator Really Indicating? by Beau Beasley

Seasoned Colorado guide and fly designer Greg Cunningham gazed intently at a particular section of the river that he knew from experience held fish, and then decided to make his play. “We’re going to use indicators here, Beau,” he said to me as we walked back to his truck. “We’re also gonna catch some nice trout.”

After stringing up our Loomis rods, we headed back to the river. I surveyed the water while Cunningham pulled out a pattern he designed called appropriately Greg’s Emerger. He then proceeded to place not one but two brightly colored yellow indicators about 18 inches apart on the leader, starting about 5 feet above the fly. I cast my fly into the river with some difficulty, as I had never attempted to cast dual indicators before, and waited with anticipation as I watched the indicators bounce merrily along. Nothing. Again and again I cast upstream and watched my indicator intently, and again and again I was disappointed.

Cunningham seemed unconcerned that we had not as yet struck pay dirt. I made a few more casts upstream, when Cunningham’s expression suddenly changed. He looked at me with certainty and said, “You’re gonna get a strike on this drift.” Just as I turned to respond to him he shouted, “Now, Beau—strike now!” More out of reflex than skill I immediately pulled up on the rod and set the hook. Much to my amazement my line went taught and then began swimming upstream at Mach one.

I had a great time landing that 20-inch rainbow. After the fish had been photographed and released, I had a moment to reflect on what had just happened: Cunningham had known that my fish was going to hit before the indicator had moved. “How did you know?” I asked in wonder. “Simple,” he replied with the confident smile that only an experienced guide can wear without looking insufferably smug. “I could tell where the fly was going before the fish did because of the indicator.”

What’s in a Name?

Some anglers look down on their compatriots who use indicators, suggesting that they need a “bobber” to help them cheat. This is utter poppycock—nothing could be further from the truth. Indicators are essentially anything an angler uses to indicate that something is happening to the end of his or her fly line. In this article I am talking primarily about colored pieces of foam, plastic, yarn, or putty, but one could just as reasonably list things like different-colored leader materials or brightly colored fly lines as indicators. As a matter of fact, many older anglers remember cutting up small pieces of old floating fly line and stretching them over their leaders to use as indicators before indicators were officially sold as separate pieces of terminal tackle.

If the thought of using a commercially made indicator sends chills up your spine, you can always use a dry fly and a dropper. This technique consist of using a larger floating pattern like a hopper on the surface and trying some type of bead head or nymph pattern to fish below the water line. By the way, anyone out there who has ever used a dry fly with a parachute or post tied in any color other than that of the fly has in fact used a type of indicator.

What’s Your Flavor?

Indicators come in every shape, color, and size today—to say that one is better than another is like saying that one fly rod is better than another. The truth is that the best indicator for you depends on your style of fishing and your casting ability. And different indicators have their advantages and disadvantages. Using indicators made of putty, for example, gives you the ease of moving your indicator up and down your line multiple times with little effort. The drawback of putty, however, is that if you aren’t careful you may fling it off when casting. Plastic indicators float extremely well but may be awkward to cast and may feel, ironically, quite heavy. Yarn and cork indicators are easy to use but often take on water and may require constant adjustment. Just as one rod won’t fit every angler, one indicator won’t fit every fisherman or fishing situation.

Fishing Indicators Effectively

Ultimately what you’re fishing for and your fishing style determines how and where you use your indicator. On the East Coast, and particularly in small trout streams, anglers generally place indicators about three feet above the fly. You may move the indicator up or down the line depending on the water depth and the current. A rough rule of thumb is to double the depth of the river you’re fishing and place your indicator that far up your leader. Remember that current plays a significant role in how far up your line you place your indicator.

In larger Western rivers, or where you expect significant current, many anglers use two indicators. The first might be as high as six feet above the pattern with the second a few inches to a foot above the first. Anglers use dual indicators where they suspect they may get a bunch of false strikes—by waves or currents, for example. If the first indicator slips out of sight, it may just be the rough water giving it a tug. If the second goes under, set the hook—and fast.

You may also use indicators to slow your pattern and keep it at the right depth so that your prey can see it and strike. Recently I used an indicator this way while trout fishing this summer. I saw an undercut bank above a large downed tree with several roots hanging into the river—a perfect trout hangout. But try as I might, I could not get my pattern to go where I wanted it to go. The water just swept my fly downstream too fast or weighed it down so much that my tiny pattern couldn’t overcome the current and just hit bottom before it reached the strike zone. After several frustrating minutes I exited the river and tied on a streamer with an indicator a few feet above the pattern. I quietly repositioned myself, and on the second swing a nice brown trout rewarded my persistence and creativity with a terrific fight.

Fishing indicators is a lot of fun, but it does take some getting used to at first. Keep in mind that you’re probable casting more weight than usual on your fly line; you may need to wait an extra second or two on your back cast to let the line play out behind you. And remember that an indicator doesn’t tell you where your pattern is but rather where your pattern has been and the likely direction it’s headed. It may be a good idea to practice casting in your backyard (sans hook) just to get a feel for what it’s like to use an indicator. If all else fails, find an experienced guide who can read the fish’s mind and has subsurface patterns named after him. It sure worked for me.

Beau Beasley is a contributing editor for Fly Fish America as well as the Conservation Outreach Officer for the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival (www.vaflyfishingfestival.org), held in Waynesboro each April on the banks of the South River. In real life he is a full-time firefighter who lives in Warrenton, Virginia. Beau may be reached at beau@beaubeasley.com

Copyright ©2008 Beau Beasley