More on that in a future post I suppose. I don’t think the importance of the Thingamabobber is truly understood. But I’m not in the business of giving biographies. Yarn often cannot support the weight of the nymphs below, and so they sink, thus negating the purpose of having an indicator in the first place. This device has a small plastic screw nut at the top that you can unscrew, revealing a threaded post with a slit in it. With so many choices, you’ll need to experiment to find which work best for you in which fishing scenarios. And the easiest place to start is to know your distances. Casting and presenting flies with yarn is easy, as well. Plus the tubing never fails/breaks…rubber bands will sometimes break/snap, etc. It floats very well and is available in a myriad of colors. Only work loose enough for one indicator. That’s how it works. It should show you what to do. And the river. On the site linked in the article, I like Kelly Green, Baby Yellow and Orange. The New Zealand Strike Indicator company came up with a brilliant product, with a cool little tool that uses small rubber tubing to attach the colored or plain colored wool to your leader without hinging your leader. Unavailable per item Pre-treated with Watershed™ for the ultimate in floatation and visibility, the Ultimate Indicator Yarn single dispenser contains 3 feet per package. They can be frustrating to use when you’re fishing bigger and heavier flies. Just pull down on the thread/bobbin while you are stretching the yarn to length prior to final trim. Usually attach to butt section of tapered leader with a clove hitch. The dark truth is that upgrading your fly fishing gear rarely catches you more fish. One variation of the sighter, “the slinky,” looks like a phone cord. The real benefit of this item is that it doesn’t kink the line, or only very mildly. So they don’t land as lightly and with as much finesse. This strike indicator has already been waterproofed so you don’t have to apply any floatant. Push the first silicon tube forward and pull the leader loop through the silicon tube using the tool. The fact our government in not in favor of clean water is beyond comprehension. You’ll be amazed how little yarn is needed to float our flies. But often the plug doesn’t hold, and it can be a line-catcher and tangle waiting to happen. I think overall I prefer using the tubing to attach Dorsey’s now. Yarn indicators offer great visibility and an acute sensitivity that the many popular indicators of today lack. Nothing is more important than the leader. Focus . But my first choice of suspender is usually Pat Dorsey’s yarn indicator, a.k.a. It’s easy to attach to the leader and makes for a pretty pleasant nymphing experience. And the marginal improvement you might see is probably a result of confidence and concentration rather than the performance of new gear. Peace. I have had trouble getting these to attach properly on 4x and I’ve found that fewer wraps ease the problem someone mentioned earlier with the light tippet twisting up in the ortho band and not seating up on the Dorsey. I now prefer 1/4″ bands over the 5/16″ because they are better for small Dorseys. Tuck. In recent years, I have heard of some guides and industry people claiming that sensitive, smart fish can feel the resistance of the indicator when taking the flies and that the size of it can cause some noticeable resistance. What makes your shopping 100% fruitful? More importantly, because they have less wind resistance, they’re easier to cast with lighter flies. It sheds water and doesn’t mat together like some Hi-Vis yarns and other things you might find in your favorite fly shop. Go HERE and buy a yard of whatever colors you want for $1 each. It cast better, floated better, was more visible, had many subtle behaviors to help me identify strikes and, what is most important when bouncing nymphing, held up a lot of split shot and “bounced” beautifully. It is fully adjustable, reusable, very easy to put on and extremely high in visibility. Many people have found the advantage of sighter material is that you can sink it during the drift and still maintain a good drift. It matters. Macrame yarn is more buoyant than wool, and I like that I can fish a wider range of sizes with the Dorsey than I can with the NZ system. Great help. And be nice. Six wraps on 5x fluorocarbon with a 5/16″ medium band. The ultimate material for indicators that floats high, is sensitive to the slightest strike, casts like a dry fly, lands without spooking fish. It doesn’t kink or damage the line and doesn’t move until you want it to, whereby it easily slides on any diameter of line. I fish light nymphs a lot, and I don’t need much yarn to hold them up. I’ve had an indicator fly off on a back cast before. Good question. At some point in the early 2000’s, the “Thingamabobber” came on to the scene. 6mm Bonnie Braid, to be specific. No, they hardly ever come up for the Dorsey on my waters. Ok I am confused. The Thingamabobber is offered in several colors and sizes for all types of fishing scenarios and the Black and Glow-in-the-Dark models have a cult following because they offer extremely low-profile options for spooky fish. I was using a thingamabobber, but I decided to experiment with a Dorsey indicator I had with me. … I have a number of thoughts for what might be giving you trouble: The Dorsey floats well without any treatment, but I do like to add Rain-X at the tying desk and Mucilin once I get on the water. The first indicators were most likely made of cork, and there are still several options available in this style. Angler Types in Profile Big Trout Commentary Dry Fly Fishing Fly Fishing StrategiesGear Reviews Night FishingNymphing Stories Streamers Tactics Troutbitten Fly Box, Gear Review Policy Terms and conditonsPrivacy PolicyAffiliate Link DisclosureAmazon Affiliate Disclaimer, Gear Review Policy Terms and conditons Privacy Policy Affiliate Link Disclosure Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer. I used various tubes for the yarn as well. Some trout grab a nymph and quickly turn back to their position, making any type of suspender dunk under the surface. The use of the dental rubber bands is a definite improvement, easily adjustable and no kinks to the line. If I may ask, what diameter of tippet are you using? Tight loops are a nymph rig’s worst enemy. Airflo Airlock Indicator. Most often, I fish the Dorsey on the Mono Rig. . Yes, it’s fine. Did you let the Rain-X dry completely before you applied Mucilin? Specially sourced and dyed New Zealand wool is available in: Stealthy White, Hi-Vis Orange, Super Bright Florescent Green, and Black. Did you check out the video link above? Not at all. They don’t really wear out — they just get more crinkly and float even better. I will give the Dorsey a try. domenick@troutbitten.com, Dom, tip : if you leave the thread attached until you trim the yarn to length, it helps you to pull the yarn tight for the trimming. So let’s fix that. Trim it to any size needed. Thanks for all your great instruction articles. Some people elect to simply cut it off with their nippers. I fish dry/dropper a lot too, so yeah, I’ve tried making dry flies that are basically a Dorsey with a hook on it. Which leads to my question. At least, they were in the kit that I received. They are typically painted in hi-viz colors. To make the most of the Dorsey, it’s best to carry them in a few different sizes. Yarn Break off the tag end. Sure it will, Mark! Thanks! Rods, reels, fly lines, expensive tippet and overpriced hooks hardly improve your catch rate. This review is for the New Zealand Strike Indicator. This article is part of the Walk Along series. I recently compared this technique to the NZ strike indicator, while impressed I simply wasnt getting the same “height” during use as I was the NZ. Are blood knots used to attach all the different pieces of the mono rig together? I’m glad people out there are thinking about this stuff, though. The attachment method leaves a kink in your leader. One thing is for sure: the indicator is here to stay. If it just snugs up against the Dorsey doesn’t that kink your tippet and ride poorly in the water? I’ve tried some other styles too, some with rubber legs and things. Again, I urge you not to substitute whatever elastics bands you have laying around from the time your daughter wore braces. 1) Is the orthodontic band supposed to be rolled down onto the actual yarn indicator or merely “snugged up” against it? Strong tippet, Mark. However, I don’t like that very much. Sounds simple but like almost every other rule in fly fishing strategy there are exceptions. (I do.). With just a bit of practice, attaching the Dorsey becomes second nature — like tying a knot. You can make your own New Zealand style strike indicators for less than half the cost with a quick trick to your local hobby/craft store. Know your tippet diameter. Cut a short section of braided macrame' yarn from the skein (which will provide several lifetime supplies of indicators to you and your friends). The wet fly or nymph will sink to desired depth and the slip-bobber stop will float. Let’s start by asking our DCNR and EPA to follow through with clean water policies, responsible fracking waste disposable, more stringent sewage treatment, more responsible farming fertilizing practices, construction runoff awareness, and water extraction for Nestle plants. I’m assuming this system won’t work with tungeston bead nymphs. Another, often not-talked-about advantage of these types of indicators is the minimal resistance they put on your rig while you’re fighting fish. I pre-build my Dorseys at the tying bench, but you can just take chunks of yarn out on the water and slip them into the small rubber band. Thanks! Dom, tip : if you leave the thread attached until you trim the yarn to length, it helps you to pull the yarn tight for the trimming. -Scott. It’s what long-term anglers love about this game. I also constantly refer to the thing as the DORSEY! I’m not sure if I have medium or heavy rubber bands, I just have whatever came in the kit from Blue Quill. Worrying that maybe the Rain-X and mucilin had messed with it, I tried a plain one. I want it sitting just below the yarn, snug against it. Size Matters. The best yarn for indicators is fairly coarse in texture, and macramé yarn—if you can find it in appropriate colors—works very well. Fish on! You can even use yarn with hard-to-see tiny dry flies, such as Baetis, trico, and midge imitations. First paragraph! Before inserting the yarn, release the loop and allow and twists below the band to unravel. Sensitivity. I like to fish suspenders as an extension of tight line nymphing on a Mono Rig. Some pieces of water just beg for a suspender, and with how easily the Dorsey attaches and slides to adjust for depth, it’s a very efficient solution. You are not going for the magazine cover shot with an indicator on your leader. I don’t like mounting and sliding the Dorsey on 5X or smaller because it can cause the problem you’re mentioning if you aren’t really careful. 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