If you are getting into fly fishing or looking to advance your fly fishing abilities, indicator fishing is an essential skill that will help you catch fish in your local waters. In this article, we're going to break things down, step-by-step, so you can get out on the water and use this method yourself. We'll talk about:
what indicator fishing is.
why it's such an effective method of fly fishing.
gear you'll need.
how to rig it up.
tips on casting and using this method.
What Is Indicator Fishing?
In the world of fly fishing, indicator fishing involves using a floating device to suspend a fly (or flies) in the water. The floating device attaches onto your leader; the leader is the line that is in-between your fly line and fly (leaders are generally made out of clear material called monofilament).
In fresh- or saltwater, fish are often eating things that are swimming or drifting around in the water such as, insects, small fish, crustaceans, and even scraps of food thrown in by humans. So, it only makes sense that we should use flies that sink in order to get down to where the fish might be feeding.
When using a sinking fly, the floating device helps the fly (or flies) from sinking all the way down and getting snagged on the bottom. Importantly, the floating device signals (indicates) when a fish has taken your fly; if it twitches or goes down it could mean there's a fish is on the line. Indicator fishing is an effective method to catch all sorts of fish species, such as:
Panfish (i.e., bluegill, green sunfish, pumpkinseed, crappie, etc.)
Bass (smallmouth, largemouth, rock, etc.)
Carp (common, grass, silver, etc.)
Trout
Perch
Suckers (white, sonora, longnose, spotted, etc.)
Catfish
You can use this method in any body of water:
Ponds
Small waterways (i.e., creeks, ditches, streams, etc.)
Larger waterways (rivers)
Along lake shorelines
Although less common in saltwater than in freshwater, indicator fishing can be effective in specific scenarios, such as when strong tidal currents concentrate small fish or crustaceans in a confined area, making it easier to suspend a fly at the right depth.
Whether the water is moving or completely still, indicator fishing can work. It's also very practical in murky or discolored water where it's difficult seeing fish, or your sunken fly, in the water.
Indicator Fishing: Necessary Gear
Fly line and rod
3- to 8-weight fly rods and floating fly lines are most commonly used with indicator fishing based on the fly patterns, conditions fished in, and size of fish pursued.
Fly lines labeled "all purpose" or "all around" perform well for indicator fishing, and these lines also work great for other fly fishing methods such as streamer fishing and casting large dry flies or small poppers. If you really get into indicator fishing, there are some fly lines specifically designed for this method, but there's no need to go out and buy a specific indicator-style fly line unless you are really dedicated to this method.
Longer fly rods, 9 to 10 feet, offer improved performance for indicator fishing because the longer length makes it easier to roll cast and mend line (we'll discuss both roll casting and mending line later in this article).
Fly reel
For freshwater, an inexpensive disc-drag reel covers most of general-purpose fishing.
For saltwater, you'll want a corrosion-resistant reel with smooth drag.
Leader
For general-purpose freshwater indicator fishing, choose a 9-foot 2X or 3X (nylon) leader.
I'll also discuss a more advanced way to rig up a leader for indicator fishing.
Flies
Any fly pattern that sinks and that you can cast with your fly rod and line.
Choose a mix of fly patterns that look like small fish, insects, worms, or eggs.
Sometimes, anglers might refer to indicator fishing as nymph fishing or nymphing, which specifically involves using small flies that mimic aquatic insects in their nymphal, pupal, or larval stage.
Floating device
Such as indicators and bobbers.
Floating Devices: "Indicator" VS "Bobber"
Floating devices are available at fly and tackle shops and most box stores. They come in all shapes and sizes—from plastic or foam balls to simple pieces of yarn or wool. Floating devices are commonly labeled as indicators or bobbers. Here's a short rundown of the differences between indicators and bobbers, along with some advice to help you make an informed purchase on which one to buy:
You can use indicators or bobbers when fly fishing.
However, most floating devices labeled "bobbers" are clunky and unnecessarily large for fly fishing.
A huge advantage with fly fishing is being subtle. Part of that subtleness comes from the ability to cast lightly weighted flies that easily sink in calm water.
In calm water, a lightly weighted fly paired with a small, light floating device lands more softly on the water than a large floating device that crashes down.
If you are trying catch easily-frightened fish, you'll want to use floating devices better suited for fly fishing.
Floating devices labeled as "indicators" are tailor-made for fly fishing.
Indicators are typically more expensive than bobbers, but they offer several advantages—they cast more easily, stay securely attached to the leader, reduce tangles, and provide greater sensitivity for detecting when a fish gently takes your fly.
For all-purpose fly fishing, my current preferred indicator is the Oros indicator (size medium). It is very durable and lasts multiple seasons which makes up for the higher price. Oros indicators are also typically sold in a package of three or more and in a variety of colors. Having a few different colored indicators is very helpful when light conditions necessitate swapping between colors so you can better see the indicator when it's floating on the water.
Below are two examples of indicators, an Oros indicator on the left and an Air Lock indicator on the right:
Indicator Fishing: Setting Up a Basic Rig
There are many ways to set up an indicator rig. By far, the simplest is just attaching an indicator onto a tapered monofilament leader bought from a fly shop or online. A tapered monofilament leader has three sections:
The leader starts with thick monofilament at one end (i.e., the butt section).
The butt section is where a perfection loop is tied so you can attach the leader to your fly line.
The monofilament gradually gets thinner in the middle portion of the leader (the tapering section).
Then, the leader ends with a couple feet of thin monofilament (the tippet section).
The end of the tippet section is where you tie your fly on.
A leader that gradually tapers from thick to thin monofilament smoothly transfers energy from the fly line through the leader. During casting, this smooth transfer of energy reduces the chances of midair collisions happening between the fly line, leader, indicator, and fly.
When first learning to cast and use an indicator rig, a gradually tapering leader, such as a standard 9-foot 2 or 3X leader, will be easier to learn with rather than trying to use a leader that quickly jumps from thick to thin monofilament (as we'll see with another rigging option later in this article).
Placing the Indicator onto the Leader
Let's say you just bought a standard 9-foot 2- or 3X leader along with an indicator like an Oros or Air Lock. Simply take you indicator and connect it onto the leader (the package your indicator came in usually has quick instructions on how to attach it).
You'll notice that after attaching the indicator to the leader, the indicator might just slide around and not stay in place. In order for the indicator to stay in place, it has to be attached where the monofilament is thicker (i.e., the butt section of the leader). The butt section of a standard, store-bought tapered leader (like these leaders) is typically around three to five feet long. That gives you a few feet to reposition the indicator along the leader before it slides uncontrollably.
Where exactly should you place the indicator on the butt section of the leader? The are a number of factors to take into consideration, but here are some general guidelines to simplify things:
The closer the indicator is to the fly line, the deeper the fly will be allowed to sink.
Experiment with the indicator set at different spots along the butt section of the leader. Fish feed at all sorts of depths in both calm and moving water, so it takes moving the indicator up and down the butt section of the leader to find where the fish are feeding.
To start, set the indicator as far away from the fly line as possible (without the indicator slipping around). This will position your fly just a couple feet under the water in order to target any fish that might be feeding a few feet below the surface.
If you aren't getting any bites, progressively move the indicator closer to the fly line so the fly is presented deeper into the water.
If you still aren't getting any bites, and haven't snagged bottom yet, you can get your fly deeper by adding weight or more monofilament to the end of the leader (which we'll discuss later in this article).
If, on the other hand, your fly is getting snagged and you've tried moving the indicator as far away from the fly line as possible (or you see fish feeding on or very close to the surface of the water), then a better option would be using a dry-dropper or hinge-indicator rig (I'll discuss the latter at end of this article).
Indicator Fishing: Casting Tips
Learning to cast an indicator rig takes practice because placing an indicator onto a leader, even a gradually tapered leader, increases the chances of getting into tangles. Below are some tips to help cut the learning curve down:
Practice the Roll Cast
The roll cast is a simplified casting method, ideal for tight spaces or situations when you can’t perform a traditional backcast (such as near trees, docks, or many urban settings like when someone is standing right behind you). With a roll cast, your line stays mostly on or near the water, eliminating the need for a full aerial cast.
The roll cast is a foundational cast to learn, not only for indicator fishing but for so many other situations in fly fishing. I highly recommend watching this video and then finding a spot on the water to practice. Many city/neighborhood ponds or wide-open riverbanks around downtown are great places to practice the roll cast. When practicing the roll cast, save yourself the headache by not attaching an indicator or fly onto your leader until you feel comfortable with this cast.
Making a Standard Overhead Cast
A standard overhead cast consists of a backcast, which propels the fly line into the air behind you, followed by a forward cast that delivers the line, leader, and fly smoothly onto the water. When casting with an indicator rig, follow these steps for a controlled and effective presentation:
Set Up with a Roll Cast
Start by making a roll cast to position your line, leader, and fly on the water in front of you, ensuring the fly line is as straight as possible. Lower the rod tip close to the surface to reduce the amount of slack before initiating your backcast. Critically, performing a roll cast briefly places the fly near the surface of the water making it easier to initiate a standard overhead cast without the fly being anchored further down in the water. After making a roll cast you should be set up like this:
Caution: If you wait too long and allow the fly to sink deeper into the water, it will act as an anchor preventing you from making a backcast. Attempting to make a backcast when the fly is too deep often results in a tangle after the fly launches out of the water (click the images to expand):
When the fly sinks too deep, you'll know it immediately because it will feel heavy and resistant, as though you're trying to lift something submerged or stuck beneath the surface when starting your backcast. If this occurs, stop accelerating the rod and, instead, make roll cast to reposition the fly back near the surface of the water.
Initiate the Backcast
Before the fly sinks too deep, smoothly accelerate the rod up and back, stopping at about the one o’clock position. When making your backcast, it's helpful to think about trying to send the fly line up into the air like a plane taking off from a runway.
Allow the fly line, leader, indicator, and fly to fully extend in the air behind you before beginning the forward cast:
Make the Forward Cast
Once the line straightens behind you, accelerate the rod forward smoothly, stopping the rod tip at about the 11 o'clock position; this allows the fly line, leader, indicator, and fly to unroll in front of you:
As the fly line unrolls in front of you, follow it down to the water with the tip of the rod:
Indicator Fishing: Tips on Using this Method of Fly Fishing
Indicator fishing is commonly used as an "idle" method of fly fishing. In other words, this method is most effective when the indicator:
sits still.
drifts along with the movement of the water.
is gently retrieved back towards you as you slowly pull the fly line in.
Since indicator fishing is an "idle" method of fly fishing, it is best deployed when you know where the fish are: you see fish in the water or signs of fish on the surface (i.e., rings or swirling water forming on the surface), or you "read the water" and determined that fish might be in an exact location under the water (I won't cover "reading the water" since it's a longer topic, but it's something discussed in my upcoming book The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing).
Indicator fishing is not the most productive way to actively search for fish when you are not sure where they are. A better method for "covering the water" with a fly in order to find fish would be casting out a streamer or wet fly and retrieving it back across the water.
Indicator Fishing in Calm Water
Indicator fishing in calm water (whether that's a pond, lake, or calm section of a river or stream) requires careful, gentle casts to minimize disturbance and subtle movements to trigger fish to bite. Because fish can closely examine your fly in still conditions, it's essential to adjust your depth accurately and watch closely for even the smallest twitch or dip of your indicator.
Minimize Splash and Disturbance
Calm water makes fish more sensitive to disturbance.
Cast gently, aiming to have your indicator and fly land softly to avoid spooking fish.
Lightweight yarn or wool indicators, like the New Zealand strike indicator, land ultra softly on the surface like a butterfly. If you see fish bolting after your indicator lands on the water, switch to using a lightweight indicator and lighter fly.
Slow your casting stroke and stop the rod tip high on your forward cast for a gentle landing.
Use Small Movements to Attract Fish
In calm water, completely static presentations might be ignored.
Occasionally give your line a gentle twitch or slowly retrieve your indicator just a few inches, adding subtle movement that can trigger fish to strike.
Pay Close Attention to Subtle Strikes
Strikes may be subtle—just a slight dip or twitch of the indicator could mean a fish just bit your fly.
Stay focused, watching for tiny changes in the indicator’s movement, keeping the rod tip close to the surface. Gently raise the rod tip at any unexpected motion. If you feel tension on the line, after gently raising the rod tip, swiftly set the hook by sending your arm up and back (much like the motion of making a backcast).
Indicator Fishing in Moving Water
Moving water is not limited to rivers, streams, or even ocean shorelines where the tide ebbs and flows. The movement of water can be caused by many things such as:
Wind creating waves on the surface of a pond or lake, which generates "surface current."
Fountain ponds bubbling and moving water around.
Smaller waterways or pipes (like from a wastewater treatment plant) spilling into a larger body of water.
Indicator fishing in moving water takes a bit more practice than fishing in completely still water. The key is to minimize how much the fly line influences the indicator’s drift. If the fly line pulls on the indicator, then the indicator pulls on the leader which causes the fly to resist the natural current instead of drifting freely. This resistance is what fly fishers refer to as drag.
While a dragging fly can sometimes trigger fish to strike, indicator fishing typically aims to imitate wounded prey or other food drifting helplessly in the current—creating an easy target for fish. A dead drift occurs when the fly moves entirely with the flow of the water, without being pulled around by the fly line, indicator, or leader. To check for drag, watch your indicator on the surface—if it’s creating a small wake, that means it’s dragging, and the fly beneath it is being pulled out of its dead drift.
To reduce drag you can try a few things:
Switch to a smaller and/or lighter indicator.
The smaller the indicator means less surface area which then means reduced drag. Lightweight indicators, like the New Zealand strike indicator, will float higher on the surface which reduces drag.
However, small and light indicators also means having to reduce the size and/or weight of your fly.
Reduce the diameter of your leader, especially the tippet section.
Going to a smaller diameter tippet section, such as going from 2X to 3- or 4X, reduces the amount of surface area that is in contact with the water. The smaller the diameter of the monofilament, the less drag.
However, the smaller diameter the monofilament typically means it breaks easier. If you are wanting to use thin monofilament, choose fluorocarbon. It's not cheap, but it has a higher break-strength than nylon (and fluorocarbon is denser which helps it sink better).
Manipulate and reposition the fly line, which is known as mending.
Mending the fly line is a technique used in fly fishing to adjust the position of the line on the water after the cast, reducing drag and allowing the fly to drift with the movement of the water. It involves making an upstream or downstream repositioning of the line—typically by lifting and repositioning a section of the fly line with the rod—without moving the indicator or fly itself.
Proper mending helps maintain a dead drift, keeping the fly in the "strike zone" longer and making the presentation more realistic to fish. A mend can be as simple as raising the rod tip up and flicking the fly line to one side or the other.
Mending the fly line is an extensive topic. Rather than diving into all the details and nuances of it, let's cover one very helpful tip that will improve your ability to mend the fly line and catch more fish; and this tip builds off of something we discussed earlier in this article.
Roll Cast to Mend the Fly Line
One of the most effective ways to reposition your fly line on the water is by using a roll cast mend—a variation of the traditional roll cast that sends controlled "shock waves" down the line, allowing you to adjust its position without lifting the fly or indicator completely off the water. (The roll cast mend is also really fun to practice and play around with on the water.)
When you make a roll cast, the fly line moves in a loop that rolls out in front of you, repositioning the line smoothly onto the water. If you modify this motion slightly—applying more or less force—you can send subtle waves of energy down the line that shift its position without disturbing the indicator or fly itself. Here's how to execute a roll cast mend:
Cast Your Line and Indicator Out into the Water
Start with the Rod Low
After making your initial cast and your line and indicator are on the water, keep the rod tip low to the water and pull (strip) a couple feet of line off of the reel. Loosely hold onto this slack line with your non-rod hand.
Make a Smooth Upward Lift
Lift the rod tip in a controlled motion up to the one o'clock position. As you lift the rod up, let the slack in your non-rod hand slip out of your fingers; doing so prevents you from pulling on the line and moving the indicator back towards you.
Form a "D Loop"
Once the rod is at the one o'clock position, allow the fly line to drape behind you creating a "D Loop."
Perform a Roll Cast Motion
Instead of making a full roll cast (which would cause the indicator and fly to launch out of the water), apply just enough force to send a soft, controlled loop down the line.
The energy from this motion creates a wave-like effect ("shock wave"), repositioning the line while keeping the indicator and fly in place. Here's what the roll cast mend looks like:
And here's what that roll cast mend looks like from above looking down onto the water:
You can perform multiple roll cast mends in a row. In fact, when you are indicator fishing on moving water, I highly encourage you to experiment with making several roll cast mends to move and reposition the line.
Make a roll cast mend in different directions, bringing the rod over one shoulder and then, on the next mend, start the roll cast with the rod over the opposite shoulder.
Use varying amounts of force, and with or without slack in your non-rod hand.
Observe your indicator as you execute these mends, see how the position of your fly line on the water affects the drift of your indicator.
Indicator Fishing: Getting the Fly Deeper in the Water
In calm or moving water, sometimes the key to catching fish is getting your fly deeper in the water. Fish try to avoid being near the surface because that's where avian predators (like eagles, ospreys, herons, pelicans, etc.) can snatch them up. Sinking your fly further into the water could get it down into the "strike zone" where fish are feeding.
Here are some ways to get your fly deeper into the water:
Reduce drag and allow the indicator and fly to drift more freely with the movement of the water.
We already touched on this concept, but here's a short video that covers the basics of mending the fly line.
Increase the weight on your leader by:
selecting heavier flies. Some flies have weight, like tungsten beads and lead-free wire, built into them.
adding split shot. Split shot is small, pellet sized pieces of lead or lead-free metal that you pinch onto the leader.
adding a second fly. You can add a second, or even third, fly to your leader to increase the overall weight. In this article, I discuss how to create a two-fly rig using a floating fly and a sinking fly. Read through that article and instead of using a floating fly, just tie on a second sinking fly.
Modify the length of your leader:
You can modify your leader to give more separation between the indicator and the fly.
An easy way to lengthen out your leader is by adding more (thin) monofilament to the tippet section. Read this article for information on how to do that.
Indicator Fishing: Setting Up an Advanced Rig
The last thing we'll cover in this article is setting up an advanced indicator rig known as a "hinge indicator" or "right-angle indicator" rig. This style of indicator fishing is more efficient at getting your fly deeper, especially in moving water, compared to a standard, store-bought tapered leader.
While a standard, store-bought tapered leader works for many situations when indicator fishing, its gradual taper hinders the fly from sinking efficiently in moving water:
On the other hand, a hinge-indicator rig uses a leader that quickly transitions from thick monofilament to thin monofilament, efficiently getting the fly deeper in moving water:
The hinge-indicator uses a micro swivel between the butt section and the rest of the leader. This allows the angler to use very thin monofilament beyond the swivel in order to cut through the water and help the fly get to depth. These indicators are available through some brands, such as Scientific Anglers. Or, you can make your own, which is something I cover in this article.
Another advantage of using a hinge-indicator is that you can shorten up the monofilament to use it in shallow water. If you attach a New Zealand strike indicator to the leader, you can tactically fish in areas with lots of aquatic plants:
However, there are disadvantages to using the hinge-indicator:
Changing the depth of the fly involves removing or adding thin monofilament below the swivel. Moving the indicator further back along the butt section of the leader defeats the purpose because that introduces thick monofilament below the surface of the water (which then increases drag on the fly).
It is more difficult to learn how to cast than using a gradually tapered leader, and angles are more frequent if you are not careful with your casting. You must slow down your cast and "open your loop up":
Slow down your cast: A hinge-style leader doesn't transfer energy as smoothly as a gradually tapered leader, making it more difficult for beginners. You must deliberately slow down your casting stroke so the energy travels evenly along the leader, allowing it to fully straighten and preventing tangles.
Open Up Your Casting Loop: A "tight loop" is the narrow, compact shape the fly line makes in the air, ideal for precise casts or cutting through windy conditions. However, when casting with a hinge-indicator leader, tight loops can lead to tangles. Instead, it's helpful to widen your loop by easing the acceleration and slightly opening your wrist on both the backcast and forward cast. This creates extra space, allowing the indicator rig to fully straighten out. A helpful way to practice this technique is to record your casts with your phone, paying close attention to how adjustments in your forearm and wrist movements affect the shape of your casting loop.
Indicator fishing is an essential skill for any well-rounded fly fisher. It’s a versatile technique that can be used on almost any body of water, in a wide range of conditions, to target various fish species. While this article introduced the fundamentals and touched on more advanced techniques, the best way to truly learn is by getting out on the water. Practicing rigging your own indicator setup, refining your casting and mending, and applying these skills to local waters will teach you far more than any article, book, or video ever could.
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