Hi Johan, a very good instruction on our Kiwi indicator. Before these commercial indicators came out we use to use the K1W1 indicator using wool collected from sheep paddock fences (free of charge and included lanolin as a bonus), we scrounged the tubing from old fish aquariums and used a coloured Sharpie Pen to put in a bit of colour when the sun was too bright. Worked wonders for us! By the way, I do believe that floating bubble indicators are not allowed in Taupo waters. Many outsiders get caught out on this regulation as the very same bubbles are sold in the Taupo area tackle shops! Take care, read your local regulations as they do change them from time to time. Good work, cheers mate. Harera
Thanks Piere, the wool off the fence trick is how I started as well but I didn't get onto the tube much later. I Just looped the wool into the leader. It works great just means its not adjustable. It's a handy trick for when you forget stuff. I haven't used anything other than wool for so long I forget Taupo doesn't allow anything else. Curious about whay K1W1 means?
Great job on video... i was actually close to throwing my kit away... i now believe im using too little of an amount of wool.. thankfully I have a river near by to try your tricks... THANK YOU
Awesome glad it helped. Another tip is that the wool in the kits are often not that great. Natural wool picked off a farm fence often works a lot better. It tend to be more fluffy and the natural oils help it float. A bit of dry fly floatant always helps too. Tight lines
I keep hearing people saw to put in on the leader, but if your fishing shallow water would you put it on the tippet? I'm new to this and confused lol I'd appreciate any information on this. Thanks!
It really depends on your setup but if I am fishing shallower than 3 feet I tend to use a dry dropper setup instead but you could easily use the the thin size tubing and create a small sliding indicator on the tippet close to the fly. The key is thin tippet thin tubing and smaller indicator. Thicker leader , bigger indicator for fishing deeper and heavier flies. Rule of thumb.
That’s easy ! Cool! Thanks a lot for that explanation and video! That’s really I think the best way to go for a light indicator. What kind of wool you take for this? What material?
We have a lot of merino sheep wool here. I often just pick wool off the farm fences when I fish as I find it naturally floats better because of the lanolin. The more processed it is the more it soaks up water. Non absorbent synthetic fibres work as well. You can also pre soak materials in water repellent/floatant and then let it dry. Still I find natural wool the best
@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing aaaaah Great. Funny we have sheep here too from my neighbors. New Zealand breed even 😂👌🏻. Then I will ask them. For sure I can collect a bit. :) Thanks a lot for your fast reply!
Great video mate, any particular set-ups for backcountry fly fishing? Going backcountry in December not really familiar with any set-ups so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I mainly use two setups in the backcountry. Dry dropper for when its clear and shallow, especially when I can sight fish. Have a read of this blog post - www.crazyaboutflyfishing.com/post/fly-fishing-with-a-dry-dropper-rig The other setup for when it is deeper the same as the dry dropper but with one heavy and one small nymph and this indicator up the top. Hare and copper and pheasant tail are my goto flies. I have a few backcountry vids on my channel if you have a browse. Enjoy heaps the backcountry is just awesome.
Yes, natural sheep's wool is the best. Especially unwashed with the lanolin still in it. I pick it off farm fences when I am out an about or if you ask an sheep farmer I'm sure they will have a handful lying about. Just brush it out thoroughly so the fibers aren't all matted and tangled up otherwise it will sink. A cheap comb works well.
The easiest is looking for natural sheep's wool caught on farm fences while you are out fishing in rural areas or get some from a sheep farmer. It works extremely well when cleaned up and combed out. Don't wash it as the natural oils in it (lanolin) help it float. Any other fine fibre/yarn that does not absorb water would potentially work if pre-treated with a good floatant. Something like polypropylene yarn I think. An interesting option would be thin strips of foam. In theory that could work well too provided foam is allowed where you fish. We have one region (Taupo) that only allows yarn indicators. If you intend to DIY then just do a lot of trail and error until you find what works best.
This was handy, Johan. I normally don't use indicators when nymphing, but I did try it this past Summer on the Madison River in Montana. The problem I ran into was that the tungsten weight putty I used to quickly sink my ( weighted ) flies pulled the NZ indicator under. The weight putty was formed around the leader above the tippet ring. I then used two beaded flies about 20 inches apart. The Madison appears to be as wide of a river as the Tongariro, but it's fast where I fish it and it has some really deep runs and pools. ( It's not really safe to cross it. ) So I wonder what you do when fishing with lots of weight on your line. Can you still use the NZ indicator system?
That's when I use the big tubing and make a rather large indicator. Putting a gel floatant on it helps too. It's all we are allowed to use on the Tongariro and I often fish with double 4mm bead flies or 4.5mm with split shot as well and don't have any problems normally as long as the indicator is fairly big.
I don't have the exact diameters unfortunately and I don't have any to measure with me now. These days I tend to use the NZ Strike indicator brand and just pay the price as it's a pain to find the right tubing. They have a large and small size. I tried to DIY the tubing but had trouble sourcing the right size and stiffness. Most were either too soft or too stiff but if you do find the right stuff (through trial and error) you can generally get a lifetime supply with a 1m length or so. Shops with aquarium supplies are generally a good starting point. The main thing is to make sure you find good wool/yarn to use and treat it with some sort of floatant. Good wool/yarn will float all day. Bad stuff will sink in seconds and just frustrate you. Hope that helps.
A nice concise video with all the attributes and pitfalls. Well done and thanks.
Thanks John, much appreciated
I've had trouble getting the right amount of wool. Your comments were quite helpful in that regard. Thanks
Great thanks, glad it was helpful.
I found the video very helpful. Thank You.
Excellent glad it helped. Tight lines.
Hi Johan, a very good instruction on our Kiwi indicator. Before these commercial indicators came out we use to use the K1W1 indicator using wool collected from sheep paddock fences (free of charge and included lanolin as a bonus), we scrounged the tubing from old fish aquariums and used a coloured Sharpie Pen to put in a bit of colour when the sun was too bright. Worked wonders for us! By the way, I do believe that floating bubble indicators are not allowed in Taupo waters. Many outsiders get caught out on this regulation as the very same bubbles are sold in the Taupo area tackle shops! Take care, read your local regulations as they do change them from time to time. Good work, cheers mate. Harera
Thanks Piere, the wool off the fence trick is how I started as well but I didn't get onto the tube much later. I Just looped the wool into the leader. It works great just means its not adjustable. It's a handy trick for when you forget stuff. I haven't used anything other than wool for so long I forget Taupo doesn't allow anything else. Curious about whay K1W1 means?
Dankie Johan! Best instructional for wool indicators on UA-cam. Keep it up!
Thanks Riaan, much appreciated
Lekker instructional Johan.
I use this indicator system successfully but enjoyed your vid as a refresher.
Thanks Sean, glad you did. It's a handy method and if you ever run out of wool there is normally plenty to pick off farm fences along most rivers.
Great job on video... i was actually close to throwing my kit away... i now believe im using too little of an amount of wool.. thankfully I have a river near by to try your tricks... THANK YOU
Awesome glad it helped. Another tip is that the wool in the kits are often not that great. Natural wool picked off a farm fence often works a lot better. It tend to be more fluffy and the natural oils help it float. A bit of dry fly floatant always helps too. Tight lines
Nice ...will give it a try... looks very practical ...thanks
Most welcome 😊
That was very clear and succinct! Got it!
Thanks 😊
Easy, thanks for such a clear explanation 👌 👍 👏
You are welcome 😊 thanks for watching
Nice video here mate, good on you and keep up the great work
Thanks mate, much appreciated
very useful!!!! thank you Johan
Glad you found it.
I keep hearing people saw to put in on the leader, but if your fishing shallow water would you put it on the tippet? I'm new to this and confused lol I'd appreciate any information on this. Thanks!
It really depends on your setup but if I am fishing shallower than 3 feet I tend to use a dry dropper setup instead but you could easily use the the thin size tubing and create a small sliding indicator on the tippet close to the fly. The key is thin tippet thin tubing and smaller indicator. Thicker leader , bigger indicator for fishing deeper and heavier flies. Rule of thumb.
That’s easy ! Cool! Thanks a lot for that explanation and video! That’s really I think the best way to go for a light indicator. What kind of wool you take for this? What material?
We have a lot of merino sheep wool here. I often just pick wool off the farm fences when I fish as I find it naturally floats better because of the lanolin. The more processed it is the more it soaks up water. Non absorbent synthetic fibres work as well. You can also pre soak materials in water repellent/floatant and then let it dry. Still I find natural wool the best
@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing aaaaah Great. Funny we have sheep here too from my neighbors. New Zealand breed even 😂👌🏻.
Then I will ask them. For sure I can collect a bit. :)
Thanks a lot for your fast reply!
Excellent that is perfect
Great video mate, any particular set-ups for backcountry fly fishing? Going backcountry in December not really familiar with any set-ups so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I mainly use two setups in the backcountry. Dry dropper for when its clear and shallow, especially when I can sight fish. Have a read of this blog post - www.crazyaboutflyfishing.com/post/fly-fishing-with-a-dry-dropper-rig
The other setup for when it is deeper the same as the dry dropper but with one heavy and one small nymph and this indicator up the top. Hare and copper and pheasant tail are my goto flies. I have a few backcountry vids on my channel if you have a browse. Enjoy heaps the backcountry is just awesome.
@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Thanks mate, will have a read of your article now, love the salt-water fly fishing content btw!
@@thomasfryer3229 hope you find it useful. I love the saltwater stuff. Will try to make more when I get the chance.
You have to put floatent on these or it is useless after a few drifts.
Absolutely
Can I use normal sheep wool as this is the only material I can find to make these indicators
Yes, natural sheep's wool is the best. Especially unwashed with the lanolin still in it. I pick it off farm fences when I am out an about or if you ask an sheep farmer I'm sure they will have a handful lying about. Just brush it out thoroughly so the fibers aren't all matted and tangled up otherwise it will sink. A cheap comb works well.
Thanks appreciated
Hi
What can I use as replacement material if I can not find any yarn.
The easiest is looking for natural sheep's wool caught on farm fences while you are out fishing in rural areas or get some from a sheep farmer. It works extremely well when cleaned up and combed out. Don't wash it as the natural oils in it (lanolin) help it float. Any other fine fibre/yarn that does not absorb water would potentially work if pre-treated with a good floatant. Something like polypropylene yarn I think. An interesting option would be thin strips of foam. In theory that could work well too provided foam is allowed where you fish. We have one region (Taupo) that only allows yarn indicators. If you intend to DIY then just do a lot of trail and error until you find what works best.
Thanks for the advise. Appreciate
This was handy, Johan. I normally don't use indicators when nymphing, but I did try it this past Summer on the Madison River in Montana. The problem I ran into was that the tungsten weight putty I used to quickly sink my ( weighted ) flies pulled the NZ indicator under. The weight putty was formed around the leader above the tippet ring. I then used two beaded flies about 20 inches apart. The Madison appears to be as wide of a river as the Tongariro, but it's fast where I fish it and it has some really deep runs and pools. ( It's not really safe to cross it. )
So I wonder what you do when fishing with lots of weight on your line. Can you still use the NZ indicator system?
That's when I use the big tubing and make a rather large indicator. Putting a gel floatant on it helps too. It's all we are allowed to use on the Tongariro and I often fish with double 4mm bead flies or 4.5mm with split shot as well and don't have any problems normally as long as the indicator is fairly big.
@@CrazyAboutFlyFishing Thanks Johan. I'll give that a try next time. I do have the bigger tube. It came with the kit I bought.
Hi how big in mm is the tubing.
I don't have the exact diameters unfortunately and I don't have any to measure with me now. These days I tend to use the NZ Strike indicator brand and just pay the price as it's a pain to find the right tubing. They have a large and small size. I tried to DIY the tubing but had trouble sourcing the right size and stiffness. Most were either too soft or too stiff but if you do find the right stuff (through trial and error) you can generally get a lifetime supply with a 1m length or so. Shops with aquarium supplies are generally a good starting point. The main thing is to make sure you find good wool/yarn to use and treat it with some sort of floatant. Good wool/yarn will float all day. Bad stuff will sink in seconds and just frustrate you. Hope that helps.
Thanks appreciated
Your hat isn’t on strait
😂😂😂
Strait: a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.
@@rschreck876 strait: someone attracted to the opposite sex.
See: not you