October 31, 2019How To Fly Fish

Indicator Thoughts | Three Tips For Better Indicator Nymphing

"If it so much as twitches, set that hook!"

Many anglers rely far too much on the indicator dipping before lifting the rod. Remember, especially when there’s a greater distance between your fly and indicator that by the time your fluff moves, the fish has probably already had that fly in its mouth for quite some time. Sometimes it will check in its drift, sometimes it may simply slow, or even just tilt. If your indicator does anything but drift naturally with the flow, set that hook!

THREE QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER INDICATOR NYMPHING

1. Always set your indicator as close as you can get away with to your flies as depth, flow, water clarity and fly weight allow. When you need to rig it closer in clear conditions, consider a hi viz dry as a less conspicuous option to a bright hunk of yarn.

2. Keep your rod tip as low as the drift allows and retrieve any line with shorter, faster strips. This will increase your strike time and ensure your hands are closer together, ready for that hook set than if your hands are spread wide apart at the end of a long strip. And keep that line beneath your trigger finger will you?

3. We all want that perfect slack line presentation to get our flies drifting just so. However, remember the more slack you have outside of the rod tip, the more you need to remove before you make contact on the hook set. Keep your slack manageable and prepare to strike fast. Remove slack with a low, horizontal set of the rod tip and set the hook with a haul from the line hand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Dore is a battle-tested fly fishing guide with over 20 years of professional guiding experience, battling the demanding, ever-changing conditions that our New Zealand rivers throw at us.

In 2006 Chris became one of the first New Zealanders to successfully pass the internationally recognised Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructors examination and has since taught many thousands of anglers to up their skillset.

For more in person and on river fly fishing advice and upskilling why not book Chris for a day or three?