Corkies Indicator Mod - Later Toothpick!

I've made my own home grown indicators for the last 12 years, and while they have their high points there is a flaw in the design - And I'll be the first to admit it.  The attachment method is of the first indicators that were available on the market where a loop of rubber comes out and your leader is doubled up and wrapped around it.  It works great and does not slip until you need to change the distance down to your fly.  Being able to change the distance between your fly and bobber is everything whether it is fishing a river or a lake!  It allows you, the angler, to pin point at what depth the fish are feeding by trying different distances.  Being able to quickly do this without any hassles is what you want and you'll spend more time fishing!

There is a new indicator on the market and these "Quick Set" bobbers do just that.  So with a bunch of Corkies and a few miscellaneous items around the cabin I copied them and came up with this;

All one has to do is thread a fresh rubber band through the hole on the Corkie and your ready to go.  To load it with the rubber band I take a 20" length of 3x tippet and put both tag ends through the hole.  Then      pull both ends so a loop is formed by the 3x, load the strip of rubber band through the loop and pull it all the way through to the other side.  Trim the tag end of the rubber band to your desired specs.  To use the improved Corkie slide your leader through the loop of rubber band, set your distance, and pull the tag ends of the rubber band - This will tighten the rubber loop and will "set" the indicator.  To move the Corkie just pull the rubber loop and move it to where you want and re tighten.  The rubber bands will wear out from use and UV rays, but a bag of rubbers is a cheap date.

It's ideas like this I love to share with my readers and the entire fly fishing world, the sport is what it is today due to some innovative anglers that thought outside the box and did not care about making a quick buck but rather just shared a little info.....



Lake Davis Fishing Report - 6/20

What a gorgeous day at the lake today, warm temps, sunshine, and just a ripple of wind on the water.  Surface water temps ran 62.5 to 66.8 and this is a big spike since a few weeks ago when water temps were much colder.  The north end of the lake is still a bit off color from runoff.  rainbows are adjusting to water temps and surface area/habitat and are still spread out through the entire lake.  Some pods of rainbows are rising in 19-22 feet of water for blood midge adults and emergers.  I also sight fished to active trout in 1-3 feet of water hunting tadpoles.  There is many ways to fly fish the lake right now but fishing midge and calibaetis patterns under an indicator in deeper water is having the best results.  I only saw a few damsels nymphs today, and there is not many adults flying around at all, this seems to tell me that the hatch still could happen, or be a complete bust.  Skeeters were out and these small dark and fast flying bugs were bad!    Effective patterns are Blood Migde pupa, emerger, and adult size 10-12  Pheasant Tail bead head flash back size 14-16 - Chocolate Snowcone Midge pupa 12-18 - Wiggle Tails in Black, Brown, Olive, and Burnt Orange size 10.  Use floating lines for the skinny water and clear Int. lines for stripping in the deeper water.

With the full moon phase passing expect the fishing to improve on a daily basis with having productive evenings just around the corner! 

Eagle Lake Article Featured In Sierra Fisherman

The new Summer issue of Sierra Fisherman magazine features an article on Eagle Lake I wrote. It's a piece that touches the basics of this grand stillwater and to get you, the reader, so pumped on the pond your leaving in the morning!  There is so much more to Eagle Lake than a 1,000 words can say, and in the near future I plan on writing a book on this great treasure.  Besides my article there is a great piece that Frank Pisciotta did on "The Big Truckee River", Lance Gray's "Fly Fishing Is Easier Than You Think", and Bill Forward's "On Trout Vision" plus a slough of other interesting articles.  Sometimes the pen or keyboard I should say, is mightier than the rod.

Sierra Fisherman

Frank Pisciotta

Lance Gray

Bill Forward