Hillbilly Sonar

[flygoddess]

I went to Sportsmen's today looking for some fly hooks. I saw these little gizmos. I guess you Ice Fisher's are aware of these, but a light went on in my head.
I fly fish and deep nymphing is my favorite on stillwater. BUT, you have to know the depth to do this, so sonar is FANTASTIC. The idea is to suspend the fly about a foot off the bottom.
Well some small lakes it would be nice not to have to haul a small battery and the sonar.
Getting back to you ICE people.

This little weight attach to a clip. I am thinking, clamp it to the leader (In my case on deep nymphing I have used a 30' leader before) and let it slide down to the bottom, then raise it a little and set the indicator. Then bring it up and stow it. Great idea to find the bottom, but you ICERS already Knew that.[laugh]


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[okbow68]

I think I understand what you are saying. Clip that to the leader where it will slide and let it take you nymph to the bottom fast so you can then pull the line up a foot or two from the bottom, fix your strike indicator there then pull it all up and take this and the clip off.
Where did you get that thing ?
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[flygoddess]

In the ICE FISHING section of Sportmen's Warehouse. I guess this is exactly what it is for, when Ice Fishing, but HEAY it can work year round for us Fly Fishers.
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[smallmouth89]

Joni,

What kind of indicator allows you to do this?

God Bless,
Don
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[flygoddess]

Are you talking the LONG leaders? I use what is called a BREAK AWAY indicator. You lock it in one position with a loop and when the fish hits, the loop straightens out and the indicator slides freely.
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[tlspyder13]

About anywhere they sell icefishing tackle carries them. Many stores have them on clearance this time of year.
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[smallmouth89]

Have to keep my eyes open for those. I don't believe I've ever seen them.

God Bless,
Don
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[idahopanfish]

You can do the same thing with a sinker or one ot the bullet rubber grip sinkers.
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[smallmouth89]

I'm thinking of the indicators. After seeing Joni's demonstration I may have to make some of those up for deepwater use.

God Bless,
Don
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[prvrt]

I actually seen a video where the guide was explaining how to use this little device for fly fishing on a lake. They used the weight just like you said, to determine the distance to the bottom. The guide lowered it to the bottom on his lowest fly, then marked the top of the water on the line with his finger, then adjusted the float/strike indicator 1 foot below his finger. What was funny about this demonstration, is while he was explaining what he was doing, he hooked a fish. I wish I could remember the video I seen this in. I know the lake was local to around here like Henry's or IP, but the ol memory is not what it used to be.
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[forgiven]

Using that "redneck sonar" I would be careful not to abrade, nick or otherwise damage my leader. Looks like it would be easy to do.

I've never tried the floatng line - long leader & strike indicator while deep nymphing. I have always used a real high density - ultra fast sinking line to drege the bottom with nymphs - toss in out there let it sink to the bottom and trolling & stripping REALLY SLOW. I can usually feel the fish take the fly or at least feel/ notice a "change" & set the hook. Must come from 15 years of tournament bass fishing!

I seldom use strike indicators even when nymphing with floating lines. I can usually "see" a strike on the floating line itself. When I do use a srtike indicator I usually use one of those foam press on types.
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[flygoddess]

Stillwater is a little different. The indicator is to SUSPEND the fly off the bottom, not to indicate hits although it does do that, or PROMPTS the hits.
Even Phil Rowley and Chan now use and sell the break away indicators. They use to deep nymph by using fast sinking line. Drop it straight down then slowly retrieve usually prompting hits on the up with an occasional on the way down.
But now they use the same style I have been using for years. I use to use a regular indicator but when fishing depths over 10' you had to release the indicator to get the fish close enough to net. With barbless hooks I lost allot.
Then I read about Rowley's and Chan's breakaways and bought some. Soon allot of people were using them so Dennis Brakke found a place to make them for him and he sold them
(note: to all that knew Dennis and his shop "the Fly Desk", I would just like to say, it will be open for business very soon)

There is no way this could damage your leader as I am a concerned that it will slide right over the fly. It is not that small of a hole, unless you clamp the line. I am thinking more of clamping the fly and lowering it. Put the indicator a foot down from water mark, and maybe a foot higher on windy days to allow for drift.

Nothing like hooking a PIG straight down on a #18 Chironomid.
I don't dredge, but I might troll to find the fish. Once found I stay in one spot and deep nymph.
I prefer Depth Charge Line for that TROLLING thing though.
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[forgiven]

I see. So you are in essence "bobber fishing" with a breakaway slip bobber! LOL

Seriously, I have heard of this rigging but have never tried it. Maybe I will this year. Have you tried it with snail patterns?

I like fishing deep and straight down with nymphs & leaches too. I have many times had a High-D line all the way out along with several feet of backing to get to the TOADS. []

Once we horse packed into the River of no Return Wilderness area and fish a deep lake in the cinder cone of an old volcano. Took float tubes of course. We were catching HUGE wild cutthroats way deep. One of my favorite High -D lines still remains in about 50 feet of water were I had to leave it hoplessly wrapped around something on the bottom of that lake.

Are the strike indicators you use like these in the PIX below?









I thought you were talking about clipping the alligator clip of the depth sounding weight onto the leader when I warned about abrasion. Sorry I misunderstood.
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[flygoddess]

I will agree it is BOBBER fishing. Anytime you use even the little foam squeeze together things it is still a bobber. And a great big dry fly with a dropper on it in water with nothing rising is a Bobber with a hook...LOL
But then trolling isn't old school either, or streamers.[]
Aw! Progress ....... and to think they only had ONE line[laugh][laugh]

Those are basically the same thing. Just cosmetics.



Come in all different sizes.
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[poky-mon]

I used to have one like that but it had feathers hanging on it [crazy][crazy]
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[mojorizing]

[quote forgiven]I see. So you are in essence "bobber fishing"[.img][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/happy.gif%5B/img%5D"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/...orum/happy.gif[/img][/url] with a breakaway slip bobber! LOL

Seriously, I have heard of this rigging but have never tried it. Maybe I will this year. Have you tried it with snail patterns?

I like fishing deep and straight down with nymphs & leaches too. I have many times had a High-D line all the way out along with several feet of backing to get to the TOADS. []

Once we horse packed into the River of no Return Wilderness area and fish a deep lake in the cinder cone of an old volcano. Took float tubes of course. We were catching HUGE wild cutthroats way deep. One of my favorite High -D lines still remains in about 50 feet of water were I had to leave it hoplessly wrapped around something on the bottom of that lake.

Are the strike indicators you use like these in the PIX below?

[.img][url "http://i15.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/ed/9a/772d_1_sbl.JPG%5B/img%5D"]http://i15.ebayimg.com/...772d_1_sbl.JPG[/img][/url]

[.img][url "http://i16.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/ed/9a/7829_1_b.JPG%5B/img%5D"]http://i16.ebayimg.com/...a/7829_1_b.JPG[/img][/url]

[.img][url "http://i23.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/ed/9a/7a2b_1_sbl.JPG%5B/img%5D"]http://i23.ebayimg.com/...7a2b_1_sbl.JPG[/img][/url]

[.img][url "http://i12.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/ed/9b/2720_1_sbl.JPG%5B/img%5D"]http://i12.ebayimg.com/...2720_1_sbl.JPG[/img][/url]

I thought you were talking about clipping the alligator clip of the depth sounding weight onto the leader when I warned about abrasion. Sorry I misunderstood.[/quote]
Where do you get your top indicators?

Nevermind, I saw surpluswilly- ebay. 4 for $5.95
Way too much for styro slip bobbers.
The Fly Desk is way cheaper.
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[forgiven]

I just lifted the picture from ebay as an example.
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[AdictedBassTard]

I thought a hillbilly sonar was wearing goggles and planting your head in the water at intervals "Jist so'z ya kin see waz mehbi down theya".

-ABT
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[flygoddess]

I know what you are talkin' bout...LMAO
Couldn't find the picture of that but the boat looked something like this:




Well, I have always said, the motor is the most expensive part of a boat!
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[macfly55]

is this what you meant??

[center][inline "redneck fishfinder 2.jpg"]
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