Written By: Pete - Photos By: Jamie Keown
I have to say I was skeptical of the New Zealand Strike Indicator when I first saw it. I just had a hard time believing that a wool indicator could hold up to a full day of fishing. However after reading countless reviews from people I trusted I was interested enough to shell out the $30 plus dollars to get what I thought I needed to get started.
I started with the whole setup. I know most people probably by the pack with the tool the small tubing and the little amount of wool but I figured if I was going to give this an honest try and write about it I should do it right. I bought the XL tubing and the extra wool to go with the starter kit and also purchased a bottle of Fly Agra to help it float all day long.
I decided to put it to the test in North Carolina this weekend. The fish on the particular river that we enjoy tend to spook easy and I thought even if it helped a little I would give it a shot. I honestly didn’t expect a single indicator to last all day but even still if it helped me catch a couple more fish it would be worth it.
Boy was I impressed! Not only did I fish two days straight with one piece of yarn I caught a bunch of nice fish. With multiple fights in a trophy stream lasting minutes each I thought for sure that I would need a new indicator but every time I put it back out there it rode high and dry. I think Fly Agra or a similar flotant is a must but the whole package together was outstanding. The indicator entered the water without a splash and was easily visible. I even had a fish rise on the white yarn early on the second day. The takes were easy to see and the indicator handled the water well. It’s one downside may be in faster water but I don’t think the difference between that and a smaller indicator is enough to create any concern. I would also say that the XL tubing is a must if you are going to use weight. I used the regular tubing the first day and while it worked I think the XL is much better. While the indicator is easy to adjust it will kink your leader slightly if you leave it in the same place for an extended period of time but nothing that I think would cause it to fail or perform outside of the norm.
Overall I found this to be a great product and would highly recommend to those who fish any water but especially those who like to chase spooky trout. I know many of you have probably read something on these indicators already but I figured as someone who actually had to shell out the money it would be nice to write from the perspective of not only does it work but is it worth it and my answer is an absolute yes!
Tight Lines!
-Pete
