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Yarn indicators

23K views 196 replies 37 participants last post by  rabmax 
#1 ·
Does anyone know were I can get the little plastic tubes which are used to make a loop to hold a yarn indicator.

I have plenty yarn (and the little hook thing) but only a couple of these tiny tubes

Hope this is understandable.



Douglas
 
#128 ·
Natural sheep's wool. It's free, easy to use and when you've finished with it you can just drop it one the ground because it is natural and you can be sure some mouse or bird will rapidly make use of it. No plastic microfibres to worry about.

I Gink my indicators as a matter of course. They do get a bit soggy after two or three hours & then get treated with Frog's Fanny or equivalent.
 
#129 ·
#132 ·
#142 ·
I’ve been trying these Dorsey indicators over the past couple of days.
Im foll the instructions to the letter and it sort of works, except mine don’t seem to slide up and down very easily.
Im doing the five turns of the loop then pulling the band down, insert my indicator etc, but it’s really tight on the mono tippet.
Twice I’ve snapped the tippet today because of the friction between the band and the mono, I’m wetting the mono first but it just won’t slide easily like it does in the clip?
Any help from anyone who’s tried it please.
S.
 
#143 ·
Any help from anyone who's tried it please
I jad the same problem at first S.
Are you using this video?

Make sure you do the step at 3:45 - 'pull snug to seat the band' : pull on the tippet either side of the wool - the coils of rubber flip off the tippet loop and onto the base of the doubled wool. This will now slide easily.
 
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#149 ·
Just had another ten tries, and not one worked, I consider myself a very practical person who can turn my hand to most things, making intricate furled leaders for one, but I can’t for the life of me get this rubber band to sit right and I’m following the video clip to the letter.
I can’t afford to sit on the bank having several attempts to get one right so it’s back to the NZ method for me.
A very defeated old man.:ROFLMAO:
S.
 
#150 ·
Just had another ten tries, and not one worked, I consider myself a very practical person who can turn my hand to most things, making intricate furled leaders for one, but I can't for the life of me get this rubber band to sit right and I'm following the video clip to the letter.
I can't afford to sit on the bank having several attempts to get one right so it's back to the NZ method for me.
A very defeated old man.:ROFLMAO:
S.
Steven I use the same method but with float rubbers, the cheap ones that have little or no stretch. Once you get used to the tuft size and tension required it's easy. I wonder if the bands you have are either too big or too flexible?
B
 
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#154 ·
The ones suggested in troutbitten i tried years back with no luck.The ones suggested on here I just tried & they work.Pull it to seat it & it's not good.But when you roll it between thumb & forefinger it sorts it out.I think i will stick to my normal yarn indicators anyway though.I use a dry fly most anyway.Cheers
 

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#160 ·
Stick with the NZ indicator It is quick, simple and effective. Hunt up some natural sheep's wool. I have quite a lot of the stuff & all I do is to pull out a decent amount, roll it to form a spindle & stick it through a loop in the line that already has the plastic tube in place. Slide the tube down and pull the wool into it. Do not pull the wool right through or it will not stay put on the leader. You need that wool about 2/3rds of the way through. Then take hold of each strand of the leader and pull them apart to lock the wool into place. Trim the wool and give it a small dollop of Gink worked into the fibres. Go and catch fish.
 
#161 ·
That's what I do Bob, I just use fence wool no end of it around me.
I don't have a problem with the NZ style I've used it for years, it's this Dorsey method with elastic bands that I'm finding difficult at the moment.
Thanks anyway. S.
 
#164 ·
The benefit over NZ for me is twofold; no tool needed, and very cheap and easily sourced bands.
The systems are identical in that they rely on squeezing the wool into a constriction that provides friction against the leader to hold it in place and allow sliding to change position.
 
#166 ·
I’ve just been playing around with The NZ and Dorsey methods although I haven’t got a genuine NZ kit, just a small latch hook and some 1mm ID silicone tube.
Maybe the Dorsey way is slightly more fiddly but no more difficult than tying a knot. I found it actually gripped the line more tightly than the NZ rig. I’ll end up carrying both when travel restrictions finally allow me to get to the river.

I’m making up some of the indicators though with different colours of polypropylene yarn, sheep’s wool and alpaca wool.
No need to use tying thread like in the video. Just fold your material of choice around some mono and tie with your regular tippet to fly knot. Tighten and trim.
 
#167 ·
I've just been playing around with The NZ and Dorsey methods although I haven't got a genuine NZ kit, just a small latch hook and some 1mm ID silicone tube.
Maybe the Dorsey way is slightly more fiddly but no more difficult than tying a knot. I found it actually gripped the line more tightly than the NZ rig. I'll end up carrying both when travel restrictions finally allow me to get to the river.

I'm making up some of the indicators though with different colours of polypropylene yarn, sheep's wool and alpaca wool.
No need to use tying thread like in the video. Just fold your material of choice around some mono and tie with your regular tippet to fly knot. Tighten and trim.
That's why I like the Dorsey method as it doesn't slide down the line when casting.
S.
 
#172 ·
That's a fantastic indicator and there has to be a good way to make it adjustable on the leader. I did see a method on troutbitten but didn't fancy it myself. Anyone on here got any method they'd like to share?

To clarify the method I saw I think it was on a sliding dropper between 2 backing barrels and I didn't like the idea of a good trout taking it and sliding it down the leader at speed and effing up the whole leader into a curly ball.
 
#171 ·
Well lads I’ve finally cracked it, I tried a few using some 20lb coloured mono.
I wasn’t getting all the rubber band onto the wool hence it wouldn’t slide easily.
Phew I deserve a large glass of Merlot.
Thanks for advice.
S.
 
#173 ·
Well lads I've finally cracked it, I tried a few using some 20lb coloured mono.
I wasn't getting all the rubber band onto the wool hence it wouldn't slide easily.
Phew I deserve a large glass of Merlot.
Thanks for advice.
S.
Cheers ?
 
#175 ·
See if this works.Been using this for a little while.I have even been using this as a nymph dropper.I place a fo8 knot on my leader below the dropper.Have noticed this dropper doesn't tangle much.Another bonus.For the dropper for the dry I place the backing barrel below this dropper.Have used the troutbitten one for years.But this is my favourite now.Cheers
 
#188 ·
My experience of this thread is different to yours. This is one long running thread that, refreshingly has no arguing, just informed debate about indicators. Indicators are evolving, as you know. I mean you don't use bits of quill anymore anymore do you?
All is good. The problem with silicone tubing is it can split, it's not straightforward to get the right size, you have to cut it to length and sometimes it needs a tool to thread onto the leader. Some find the dental band (Dorsey) approach easier and quicker, but both achieve pretty much the same thing.
Debate is good. Dogma is not.
 
#186 ·
Bob I think half the fun of these threads is getting into the geeky minutiae, especially when so many are locked down! If everything were kept ultra simple we wouldn't have all the threads and different opinions to keep us all engaged!

Of course though I take your point and Occams Razor is always a good philosophy
We could alway's have another discussion about what fly rod to buy.?
 
#192 ·
It's all just peoples preference.I prefer using pre made yarn indicators.Or ones from booby cord.I can use them over & over many times.I can loop them on.They will work with the tubing or the bands too.I could just pull wool of fences & use that.But I get more enjoyment using something I made.Just the same as I enjoy catching fish with flies i have tied.
 
#196 ·
I used to hang my baiting needle/tool on my vest but it constantly got stuck in either my net, my vest or my jersey.
I now keep it in a vest pocket, it drove me mad.
S.
 
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