Thingamabobbers

I started out nymph fishing with a sink tip line and no strike indicator. I had good success but could tell I was missing a large percentage of takes. I experimented with different weight and line systems. This was about when strike indicators first became popular so I experimented with that system. I’ve been experimenting ever since and continue to do so. I certainly haven’t found the perfect system yet. There are two types of strike indicators I use and recommend.

Currently my favorite strike indicator is the Thingamabobber. The Thingamabobber is a plastic bubble with a loop for attaching the line. It comes in different sizes. The smaller ones are good when the water is clear and low. The larger ones are good when the water is deeper or faster and you need to use more weight.

The main things I like about the Thingamabobber are: 1) It floats very well and high. When I’m using a lot of weight to get my fly down deep, this is the indicator that will stay floating. Because it floats so high, I can get by with a smaller indicator. 2) It attaches to the line at a right angle so the line goes down from the indicator rather than continuing straight along the surface of the water past the indicator and then gradually going into the water. 3) You can take it on and off the line easily. You don’t have to thread it onto the line before tying on your fly and you don’t need to remove the fly or cut the line to remove it. 4) It is easy to adjust. If you need to move the indicator up or down the line you can take off the indicator and put it on at a different location. For small adjustments, I just loosen the leader, slide the leader up or down and tighten it back up.

There is one thing I do not like about the Thingamabobber. It causes a kink in your leader. When you adjust the indicator, it leaves a curl. This can be corrected somewhat with a line straightener, but it still leaves a mark where the indicator used to be and it never goes back to being completely straight. I end up replacing my tapered leader more often because of this.

I have also used styrofoam indicators for many years. These also work well and I recommend them. If the indicator doesn’t have a cut in the side so that it can be placed on the leader after flies are tied on, then I take a razor blade and make a slit on one side. These are held in place with a small stick or toothpick. The advantages of the styrofoam indicators are: 1) They do not kink your fly line. 2) They are easily adjustable. 3) You can take them on and off easily. The disadvantages are: 1) They don’t float quite as high as the Thingamabobber, 2) They wear out. The hole that the line goes through and where the line is held into place with the stick eventually becomes too big for the stick. 3) They don’t attach to the line at a right angle.

I have tried most other strike indicators on the market and have not found them to be adequate for weighted nymph fishing. Most the other indicators seem more suited for surface fishing of dry flies, emergers or for slow, shallow spring creeks.