Skip... I about punched my computer screen after seein that bug avatar out of the corner of my eye.

Good Thread, I'd like to highlight some good info
 
 
BugGenius: "try very hard to avoid using strike indicators, but when I do need one, I don't use anything fancy, just the little styrofoam slip on ones you can pick up pretty much in any tackle shop.  I have even used the ones you can put the glo sticks in.  They seem to work fine."
 
I am no doubt with you for being a high stickin' fien and not a fan of indicators, but somtimes they are just neccessary, especially (for me anyway) in hard to reach eddies, and somtimes very fast riffles that are about knee deep.  I have gone with the styrofoam floats and had moderate success with them I just hate having to take them off and usually ruin my tippet.
 
Sculpin 14: I like Fish Pimp indicators............I try to avoid the ones that use wooden and plastic sticks, they can tangle up you leader
 
Sclup IMO fish Pimp Indicators are probably the worst thing on the market today, which I have heard they are gone. I too was a fan of them until I realized they are one time use only.  I have had countless numbers of these things pop off when fighting fish, setting hooks and casting, probably why you reap the benefit of finding them everyhwere.  If u did a survey fish pimp would be at the top of this list gauranteed.  I have heard they stopped production of them.  Also, what other designs do they make?? I have only seen the ones with the plastic sugrical tubing as a peg.  Lemme know.
 
Double Taper: "the ones that kjh makes are out of poly yarn. they do sell these in stores and they're great in slower water and drifted unweited or light weithed flies."
 
I have never used a yarn indicator nor have i seen many people use these, but i'd be willing to give them a shot.  Do they screw up your casting?  (like having a leaf on your leader)  It seems these things would catch wind and possibly be a disaster if tangled into...
 
Good Posts' though guys. 

 

loomis, the poly yarn indicators do not mess up your casting at all. roll casting or overhand. they don't get caught in leaves any more than any others. once you catch a few fish though i've had them get water logged and they don't dry very fast. maybe unless you false cast. if you try them carry quite a few and add floatant before using but not much. like i suggest. i have had some of the store bought ones slide down towards the fly and then others i had some so tight i had to take a lot of time to loosen them. i don't know why but most of the time they work fine and don't fall into the water like a dead duck!!!

If I am fishing a deep hole or eddy, I do use a strike indicator and the styrofoam has worked, but I will try some of the indicators mentioned here to see if they work better.  As an aside, I do float fish often and when doing that I usually use the Blackbird phantoms http://www.fishusa.com/Blackbird-Phantom-Floats-by-Redwing-Tackle_p.html?i=40F50922ADCD4382804FCD8F526304CE.  I have never thought of using one on a fly leader.  I would tend to think the float would interfere with the cast, but it might be worth a try.  I also have some very small balsa floats that might work. 

I would agree about false casting with a plastic or wooden float...  You might end up with a mess. 

problem with fishpimps is the coating (blocks the slit)... and material (easily destructed)...
 
 

i agree whole-hearted... i only use them when ness...
I have a combo high stick/chezh nymphing style that i use sometimes...
 
but there are times when they will help you catch fish...
 
then i use my yarn
 

I take back what I said.  I think those yarn balls make the best indis.  And I also agree, I'd urge more people to not use one at all - it will make you a better fisherman... 

what about dry-dropper rigs???
 

I use a foam float that's similar to the yarn floats.  I'll occasionally use the hard plastic ones or the foam floats.  Never seems to make a difference.  Never notice one out fishing the other.

so thats just a hairy bobber...
 
huh... hairy bobbers...

ORIGINAL: Bughawk

Hariy bobbers????  That gives me an idea.  What about tying up a HUGE dry fly, something that would look like a dragon fly and then drop your fly off of it?  That might be a pretty neat way to go.

that would be the dry-dropper method...
 
i have used foam skating flies with nymphs are trailers... worked with marginal success...

I have never caught an Erie steelie on a dry... (someone had a thread on this awhile back)
 
Real steel will most certainly take a foam fly that is skated... so will bronze-backs...
 

earlier, in oct. seen smaller steelies coming out of the water as if going after  emergers. i also seen a few bigger steelheads, in the same area, come up to the surface and slurp down something. there were leaves floating so wether they were going after insects i couldn't determine. i have read that steelhead that have been in the same streams in previous years will adapt to the same creeks food source and feed. thus, stoneflies might be the best dry flies to use. i used both dries and emergers for the steelies i seen feeding. no luck. but i am determined to catch one, one of these days on a dry!!!!   

That would work.