Hi folks
I am always a tad wary of posting in threads like this, as it is obviously easy for me to become the "bad guy fishery owner come purist"
I know of one local fishery that bans indicators in competitions and another that only allows their use with bonafide buzzers. I also know of a couple of local clubs that don't allow them in their competitions. So I am confident that I am not the only person with concerns regarding their use and of course, I do not
currently have any rules against them at Haddo.
For the moment I will do my very best to keep an open mind and allow folk to enjoy their sport as they wish, but, if I see as many folk using them with lures and blobs etc as I did last winter ...... I will ban them altogether as I can't see any alternative way forward.
My main concerns obviously being aggressive striking and flies being left in the fish when the leader breaks. Aggressive, bad casting is another issue, anglers desperately trying to cast with heavy lines to carry the indicator, which disturbs the water and puts the fish down. I remember very clearly a cracking morning at the loch one day this year where everybody was enjoying great sport with dries, spiders and nymphs and 4 anglers came along and started fishing just after midday with indicators in this manner, within about 15 to 20 minutes nobody was catching fish on the whole loch
and I can remember feeling quite embarrassed that I had let these anglers on the water and spoilt everybody else's sport
Best wishes
Mike