Casting Long Leader Indicator Rigs

SurfnFish

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
anchorless wind drifting indicators can work well providing the drift is no faster than a slow walk, will skiff fish that way at Crane Prairie and East Lake with tungsten balanced leeches when the conditions are right...the takes are usually quite decisive.
 
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Bambooflyguy

Life of the Party
Unless that’s your favorite honey hole.....I’d move to a shallower area and not have to hassle with all that line under the bobber. Besides casting all that line, if your indicator doesn’t release, pain in the ass to try to net the fish. I chironomid fish in water up to around 14’ max....my .02
 

Wetswinger

Go Deep
Forum Supporter
Unless that’s your favorite honey hole.....I’d move to a shallower area and not have to hassle with all that line under the bobber. Besides casting all that line, if your indicator doesn’t release, pain in the ass to try to net the fish. I chironomid fish in water up to around 14’ max....my .02
Yup, I need to go to another lake to learn this technique. My local favorite really has no shallow area, 20ft deep, 10ft off shore.

Thank you all for your never ending help...
 

wanderingrichard

Life of the Party
Yup, I need to go to another lake to learn this technique. My local favorite really has no shallow area, 20ft deep, 10ft off shore.

Thank you all for your never ending help...
@Wetswinger :
How much vegetation is around the spot you like so much? I know you say you're not fond of dropping anchor, how about taking a page from kayak anglers, and use a branch clip instead?

You can make one by using a section of hollow core 3/8ths polypropelene rope, braiding a snap link to one end and a large alligator clip to the other then hooking it onto overhanging branches when you don't want to bother with a regular anchor.

On second thought that might not work, since you're casting a long line... use a drift sock, maybe ?
 

Buzzy

I prefer to call them strike indicators.
Forum Supporter
If I'm fishing over 20' deep with a chironomid I don't use a floating line or indicator. I use my sinking line and drop it straight down. It's fun to feel that strike on that straight line presentation.
The lake where you and I met is where I first learned the vertical sinking line technique. We'd anchor up, put a hemostat on our fly, find bottom and reel up to where the rod tip was at the lake surface and the hemostat just on bottom, then strip the line in, get set and make a roll cast without pulling anymore line off the reel. Those big cutthroat takes were rarely a "strike" more like this subtle slight dip of the rod tip. We'd do a slow finger twist retrieve until the fly line/leader connection came into the rod tip then repeat (sometimes we'd see jaws following our presentation up - really cool).
 
In addition to what has been said, perhaps try a floater that is made for indicator fishing or use a floater that is one or two weights heavier than your rod. Flopping it out there is about all I can do with over 20 ft of leader. If there is moderate wind and you are fishing in 20 ft you may need to have at least 24 ft or so between your fly and indicator to be near bottom.
 

troutpocket

Stillwater strategist
In addition to what has been said, perhaps try a floater that is made for indicator fishing or use a floater that is one or two weights heavier than your rod. Flopping it out there is about all I can do with over 20 ft of leader. If there is moderate wind and you are fishing in 20 ft you may need to have at least 24 ft or so between your fly and indicator to be near bottom.
That’s a good suggestion. My deep indicator rig with 25+ leader is a 10’ 5wt rod with a 7 wt SA Titan taper floating line. The extra mass really helps. But I only fish this setup out of a boat where I can stand up to help with managing the “cast”.
 
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FishyJere

Nee Jerry Metcalf
Forum Supporter
Just don't do that.
Although, I overline by one wt and use indicator lines. Still, at about 16', it is time to start fishing straight down. Really, it works.
 

Buzzy

I prefer to call them strike indicators.
Forum Supporter
Just don't do that.
Although, I overline by one wt and use indicator lines. Still, at about 16', it is time to start fishing straight down. Really, it works.
I like having the advantage of being able to cover more water than right straight down by the boat - I think it's a HUGE advantage at times. Being able to spot fish in your side scan sonar and make a cast in that general direction can be rewarding, gives me the opportunity to twitch a jig over a longer distance.
 

Crawbugger

Steelhead
Need some tips on casting long leader rigs from a sitting position. My lucky spot at my local lake drops right off the shore to 25ft deep right off the weed line. I went last week for my first attempt at indicator fishing. Tried to keep it in the 20ft zone while using a 25ft leader. Of course, after a short retrieve, I couldn't get the flies out of the water even trying roll cast. If I was standing up in a boat maybe but from the sitting position, no way. It felt like the first time a person goes from a floater to a fast sink line. What the hell's going on down there? Needless to say, it was a frustrating intro. to a lake indicator...
10ft rod. Overlined I.e. if it’s a 5wt throw a 6wt. Roll casting is very effective in these situations with the over lining it really helps. That and practice.
 

Engee

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
The lake where you and I met is where I first learned the vertical sinking line technique. We'd anchor up, put a hemostat on our fly, find bottom and reel up to where the rod tip was at the lake surface and the hemostat just on bottom, then strip the line in, get set and make a roll cast without pulling anymore line off the reel. Those big cutthroat takes were rarely a "strike" more like this subtle slight dip of the rod tip. We'd do a slow finger twist retrieve until the fly line/leader connection came into the rod tip then repeat (sometimes we'd see jaws following our presentation up - really cool).
Those were some fun times. I learned that technique from you and another old fishing mentor. Super super slow vertical retrieve.
 

ABITNF

Steelhead
I maybe see things a little differently because I don't find casting long leaders all that hard. The weight in fishing with any other kind of rod is provided by the lure or the lead attached to the line. The weight in fly fishing is provided by the fly line. If you start by getting about six feet of fly line outside of your rod tip, with a few false casts you'll have the leader off the water and you're in business. I fish out of a low profile pontoon boat, an old JW Outfitters Scout. For chironomids I run 2 10 foot Echo Ions and often run leaders over 25 feet.
 

Ron McNeal

Sound, Light, and Frequency...............
Forum Supporter
I maybe see things a little differently because I don't find casting long leaders all that hard. The weight in fishing with any other kind of rod is provided by the lure or the lead attached to the line. The weight in fly fishing is provided by the fly line. If you start by getting about six feet of fly line outside of your rod tip, with a few false casts you'll have the leader off the water and you're in business. I fish out of a low profile pontoon boat, an old JW Outfitters Scout. For chironomids I run 2 10 foot Echo Ions and often run leaders over 25 feet.
If you're in a JW, you're also lower in the water....:p
 

onefish

Steelhead
Use your sounder to find the travelling area and park your boat on top of them. Hang two type 7 or type 8's over the side and hang on. Actively work your lines as the upward movement of your bugs tends to illicit plenty of action.

The alternate is to just have one hung rod and an indicator on the other rod. Tie your leader rig in such a way as to keep the indicator within a foot or two of the end of the fly line. You should be able to do a few roll casts to get it far enough out for your liking.
 
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