# Beginners question- strike indicators



## Spinky (Aug 11, 2005)

So I have a question about using strike indicators in saltwater. Don't see it at all on searches as well as here. Why? We use popping corks all the time, why not use an indicator to keep an imitation shrimp or baitfish fly suspended. I'm speaking basically about use in the surf and/or jetties. 
Just curious.

And the followup question- how DO you fish these flies in those situations?
Thanks for for your info and patience..:biggrin:


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## karstopo (Jun 29, 2009)

I really havenâ€™t done much of any indicator fishing, but I never enjoyed fishing popping corks all that much. Still, no reason it wouldnâ€™t work. Iâ€™d say fish it like you would a DoA shrimp or something. 

I do like to drift shrimp and baitfish flies in current, they are suspended by the floating fly line. Let them drift, mend enough to maintain control of the line and drift.


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## Spinky (Aug 11, 2005)

karstopo said:


> I really havenâ€™t done much of any indicator fishing, but I never enjoyed fishing popping corks all that much. Still, no reason it wouldnâ€™t work. Iâ€™d say fish it like you would a DoA shrimp or something.
> 
> I do like to drift shrimp and baitfish flies in current, they are suspended by the floating fly line. Let them drift, mend enough to maintain control of the line and drift.


I was hoping you would chime in, thanks. Yeah, I figured letting them drift like freelining shrimp would be the way to go, was just thinking a flotation device might keep them from sinking too far down, wasn't sure how much the line would keep them suspended. I know it might not be a "purist" way to go about it, but it was just an idle thought I had the other day. 
Thanks for your input!


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

I see no reason you cant use a strike indicator(float). The only concern I have is most saltwater flies well hang vertical. Unless you give it some action. It will also be somewhat harder to cast.
My suggestion is to rig one up and see what it looks like in the water, you may come up with a new way to fish. Experimenting is the only way to find out if it works.
Good luck , and let us know how it turns out.


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## Bird (May 10, 2005)

One of the issues I see is lack of action. If the water is clear, the fish might be sight feeding but we don't get a lot of really clear water on the upper Texas coast. Unless you use scent on the fly, it might be hard for a fish to even find your fly much less trick it into taking a bite. The other issue is casting with an indicator will suck in windy conditions. If you can find a fly pattern that sinks level and slow with some good movement from the material you could be on to something. I suspect that it has been tried before and there is a reason no one is doing it...


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## Spinky (Aug 11, 2005)

Bird said:


> One of the issues I see is lack of action. If the water is clear, the fish might be sight feeding but we don't get a lot of really clear water on the upper Texas coast. Unless you use scent on the fly, it might be hard for a fish to even find your fly much less trick it into taking a bite. The other issue is casting with an indicator will suck in windy conditions. If you can find a fly pattern that sinks level and slow with some good movement from the material you could be on to something. I suspect that it has been tried before and there is a reason no one is doing it...


Me too:rotfl:

Thanks for the input guys. I have some shrimp and crab patterns that I may play with a little. Not sure how the baitfish pattern clousers/small streamers would work, though. Never know until you try. And yeah, making casts with the early summer winds might be an issue.
That's why I'll have my conventional setups and arties along!


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## 2thDr (Jan 25, 2014)

*strike indicators in salt*

Strike indicators are generally used in freshwater trout fishing to suspend an offering near the bottom in moving water and to let you know if you have a customer. Popping corks in salt are generally used for the same reasons, along with the sound generated attracting fish. Problem is flycasting an indicator rig is not so much casting as it is chucking and ducking. Not so much fun, but effective. Much of the joy of salt water flyfishing is the casting part, especially sight fishing. I'm sure you could suspend an offering under an indicator at the jetties and be effective. Perhaps even under lights with a moving tide. Surf? Likely rig would be overwhelmed by current and breaking waves. Most salt fly fishers adjust depth by weighting flies and using various sinking lines. But who knows? You might start a new trend. Good luck!


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## easoutdoors (Jun 4, 2004)

*Bobber*

Fishing in moving or still water. Fishing to fish rising or fish suspended.
In fishing a river with fast or barely moving water it depends on if the fish are rising or suspended. Either way the most important thig is to get the fly to match the bug the fish are eating. So the fly selected is important. The dead drift making it look real is just as important or more. A strike indicator in salt water would have to be a good idea in the right application. But the size of the indicator would have to match the weight of the fly to allow it move naturally. 
Fishing the mouth of a back lake drain with a lot of water moving would be a great spot for this. I think it would be better to match the hatch and adjust the sink rate with the weight of the fly. Unless there is no way to keep from getting snagged then add the strike indicator.
If we looked at fishing a cork with jig head and gulp or tail. The cork keeps it from snagging and keeps the bait in the strike zone. By popping the cork it adds movement and noise. You have to have the right cork that will grab water and not move to far with each pop. You have to have a rod with the right flex in the end of the rod to not pull the cork too far with each pop. 
A fly rod is not designed to work like this.


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## noise.boy (Mar 7, 2012)

I recommended this technique to a friend a while back. He was stuck casting from a dock. The Flymen Co even markets a foam popper for this for fly rods. IMO not a back technique for blind casting. Iâ€™ve never used it sight fishing. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Worm Drowner (Sep 9, 2010)

Seems to me that tying a dropper in a shrimp pattern from a gurgler of some sort might just work.


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## Spinky (Aug 11, 2005)

Appreciate all the additional info and ideas, guys. Was hoping to be able to give it a shot while we were in Port A this week, but the wind was howling on our days to fish. Will be going back multiple times this summer/fall so I'm sure I'll get a shot at it.
The popping corks wore the trout out, though!


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## Capt2716! (Aug 26, 2020)

Most fly fisherman are sight casting so you should be seeing both your fly action and the response of the fish. It is obvious when they strike, but keep on stripping until you feel pressure then set with your stripping hand only. Dont lift the rod until the fish is running and you are trying to get line to reel.


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## Cozumel Annie (Jan 13, 2018)

Lets call a strike indicator what it is. It's a bobber.


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## Spinky (Aug 11, 2005)

Cozumel Annie said:


> Lets call a strike indicator what it is. It's a bobber.


Ha! Just trying to use the correct terminology for the purists!:biggrin:

but I agree...:wink:


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