Used properly Strike Indicators lead to more fish being caught. Used improperly they can actually hamper fly fisher's ability to catch fish. How can one tell if their strike indicator is helping them or hurting them? Well that is question we will try to answer here.

I was introduced to strike indicators about 15 years ago. A friend of mine had been fishing on guided trips in Montana, and came back with them, raving about them. Of course not wanting to be on outside of latest edge in fly fishing, I had to try them. I hated them. They interfered with my casting, they did kept my nymph off bottomw, and everytime I wanted to switch over to dry flies, I had to take off strike indicator. Further I had 'set hook' on several false indications.

It wasn't until several months later, while fishing a deep swift riffle, that indicator really paid off. And I mean really paid off. Fishing at about a depth of six feet, in water faster then I would care to wade in today, indicator would literally stop in mid-drift. Doubtful I would set hook, after a few large trout, my doubts disappeared and I loved that little orange float on my leader. These strike were virtually undetecteable without it, water so fast, and deep, by time I felt tug fish would probably be gone.

From then on everytime I nymphed, I used an indicator. Until one early spring on a drift trip, I was quickly falling behind my indicatorless fishing partner. All his hook-ups were on very bottom, he said. And I reasoned my indicator was keeping me off bottom. I dropped indicator, and voila, I began catching fish on bottom. I am sure I was missing some strikes as well, but missing some strikes was better than none at all.

By far best method of covering big rivers is drifting them. If river is huge, and laws allow one could also use a pwerboat, but unless you are with an experienced guide or know river well yourself, you are likely to miss many a fine fishing opportunity speeding passed them. Drifting allows you to get a feel for river, allows you to observe them diligently, learning niuances of specific river and fish that inhabit it. If water is clear, you can observe them right beneath you, type of water they concentrate in, how easily spooked they are and their size. You can watch for risng fish, as well, and water they prefer when actively working surface. All of this is hard to see in a power boat, and it is hard to cover as much ground on foot. But one can be an even more carfeul observer on foot.

Breaking up river:

The big rivers need to be broken up, at least mentally in order to successfully fish them. It is better if they are broken up topographically as well. Islands are by far easiest feature for anglers to recognize. An island provdies a break in current, and a natural place for gravel bars, tailouts, riffles, and pools. Islands in short turn big river into two smallers ones, temporarily. Provding bug and fish habitat and if you are drifting, they provide a less prssured fishing spot, in theory. Although if your river is heavily dirfted, islands are apt to recieve a lot of fishing pressure.

Change in current and river depth, also provide natural fishing spots. A river that has been churning slowly will likely hold fish right above a slight drop, as current begins to speed just slightly, fish are likely to lay in great abundance above a rapid. Likewise if depth has been deeper than normal say 20-30 feet, and then turns to gravel, or smaller sized rock bed, fish also are liely to gravitate.

Also look for close in seams in river. A seam is an area where water is moving slower then water farther out. Fish love to layin seams, and feed on nymphs that heve been carried down by faster moving water. If you can find a seam on an inside cirve in rier all better.