New Indicators

[mirvc17]

I'm not sure how long these have been out, but anyone try Trout Scout Indicators?  Google TroutScoutOutfitters and you'll find them....

They are a plastic pinch on indicator... (almost like two ovals that snap together pinching the line)...allegedly:  
Natural Stealth Design
No Line Kink
Aerodynamic Cast
High Visability
Easy on, Easy off
Natural Stealth and Hi-Viz Colors
Directional Functionality
Made in the USA

I'm gonna give them a try...

[glitchmo]

Hmm.

I actually like the sticky tape ones the most, except the adjustability. If these are like that but movable I am fully on board.

[Smallfry]

Those look so fancy!! I got to try the new air lock foam indicators, those were ok but I wish I had bought the smaller size and grey. Dummy me grabbed the pack that didn't have grey. Also used those little foam palsas for the first time and I loved them till I had to take them off, now I know about that. I still liked using them though and it didn't affect the leader any other than looking ugly.

[mirvc17]

How are those new Airlocks? I meant to get some of those too but forgot. Supposedly lighter and floats more weight. The normal airlocks are a bit clunky and don't cast as well as a Thingamabobber IMO.

I love Palsas for small flies... Also, those Big Kahuna "fly line" indicators by Rio are not bad for small stuff too. I used them quite a bit last summer.

[Smallfry]

The one I used from the pack had issues but did the job. I'm not sure how I feel about the texture, seems to stick to the water surface more than the previous version but that could just be me being paranoid. The quality on the nut and post (is that even the right word, bolt, is that right, no clue here) aren't as smooth as my plastic ones. There are some jagged bits. I hope that it's only because they're early runs and I can always smooth it out myself with a nail file.

You can kinda get an idea of the fuzzy texture and see a poky bit on the end.



There's lip on the edge that is pointy.



Another unfinished edge on the inside.

[darrelln09]

That’s some pretty poor quality control right there.

[mirvc17]

Ok, I got the indicators in the mail the other day... I haven't used them yet, but here are some initial thoughts and a little geek testing....

I'd say they are volume-wise, somewhere in the neighborhood of a 1/2" Thingamabobber, probably a little less. Watch the video on how to open them... at first I was trying to pry them apart...but there's a little ridged area you just press down with your thumb to get the separate halves to start coming apart. Then it's easy.

The slot where you run your tippet through seems like it will keep the bobber in place pretty well, even on some fairly thin tippet. I was able to slide it with some effort on 6X (I think) and it may very well slide on you during casting with 5 or 6X. Thingamabobbers slide sometimes on thin stuff too.

Then I geeked out and did a little float test. With a fairly heavy stonefly, only about the top third of the pod is breaking through the surface film. With a 1/2" Thinga, half the bobber was above the surface. The shape of the indicator and probably slightly less volume contribute to this. I don't think you'll be able to suspend as much weight as a Thingamabobber. In fast, broken water, it will probably get sucked under on occasion with too much weight. To be fair though, either bobber is really too small to suspend a large stonefly and an additional fly effectively--this was just to see how what would happen.

Not having a means to weigh the TroutScout bobber, it feels a little heavier in hand compared to a Thingamabobber, probably due to the beefier plastic walls that are required since it snaps together.

Conclusion: These will probably be good for medium (maybe 3mm TH bead or less) to light weight flies. I am imagining that they will be slightly clunkier to cast compared to the Thinga, similar to the older Airlocks. I bought the Stealth Pack that has some interesting colors that could work well in different lighting/sky/water color conditions, so I like that idea. As far as "aerodynamics" go in casting...OK maybe..but I think weight here will be more of a factor than the pod shape vs sphere design. The directional function will point to where your tippet is dropping off into the water column--that could have it's uses as the drift progresses.

Hope to test them out in a week or two...

[mirvc17]

Gonna be able to try those new indicators tomorrow. I also found these guys tonight and ordered a pack to try ....interesting design.

ghostechsi.com/

[mirvc17]

Tried the TroutScout Indicator today after quite a bit of using the “Dorsey” yarn indicator. The TroutScout is sort of clunky like a half inch Airlock...it plops on the water as expected but it does “point” to the direction of the rest of your leader/flies. I wouldn’t call it sensitive at all. It’ll have a purpose in my line of other indicators, but I don’t think it will be my go-to....

[mirvc17]

New Ghostech indicators arrived. Seem very light.......

another package from Amazon arrived...it appears as though the indicators are just made from Amazon (or other) bubble plastic bags with a hole cut in the middle and a small plastic screw with a notch cut for leader/tippet. Pretty clever idea in that they are light and the pedal floats are stackable. Now I have a near endless supply of pedal floats.  

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[jonbo]

The rest of us have moved on to long-leader "Euro"-nymphing.

[mirvc17]

Euro style is one of my "clubs" in my golf bag....

You could get creative with rigging and weight, but drifting the tiny bugs these heavily pressured tailwater fish eat so much of might be more challenging than using typical Euro patterns. I have not had much success in the Deckers area with Euro... yet....

The majority of anglers are short-line nymphing with indicators and very fine tippets. The Dorsey indicator is my go-to.

Back to these Ghostech.... I'm thinking these might be in the realm of an adjustable Palsa pinch-on... I'm not sure how well 2 or 3 of them stacked together is going to cast.

[jonbo]

Well, I fished last week at the 'Fork. There seemed to be a good hatch of some kind of midges. There was definitely fish activity. I fished swinging midge, mayfly and caddis emergers with only a little luck. I mostly fished two flies together with the midge trailing. The midge never got taken. Now I wonder if a very small indicator or a dry with a midge on a wispy dropper tippet might have been the way to go. Hmmm, yeah I have been ignoring indicators lately and they can be useful, especially on a lot of the Evening Hole.

[mirvc17]

I sometimes use a small Palsa pinch on 12-14” before a small dry that’s hard to see.....

Remember the “no indicator” of various European styles is because the rules do not allow their usage. Which is a little comical to me because dry flies can be used as indicators, as can sighters treated with floatant paste, or curly Q style sighters that are designed to “float.” I guess what I’m trying to say is, why not allow indicators? Sure, often times a drift will be better without a suspension device, so what’s the harm? Sometimes it’s not.

There is a lot be learned from competition style techniques. Trust me, I take it to heart and pay attention to it. I’m trying to be a well-rounded fly angler—using the technique that makes the most sense given the river conditions before me. I’ve cleaned house on small streams with Euro style to the point it got boring. I’ve also fished with longer casts with small flies and indicators on the same stream and tried to read the water better and use stealth and delicate presentations.

Choose your own adventure I guess I’m trying to say. And most importantly, have fun doing it.

[mirvc17]

Ghostech Indicators tried today. Stack of 2 of them casts decent and suspends a size 16 TH Perdigon and an unweighted dropper just fine. Tough fishing around Deckers. Crowds, bright sun, and fish just ignoring junk thrown at them.