Thinamabobbers kind of suck. What's better?

I've caught a lot of fish on thingamabobbers. They are good for straight forward trout water drifts in water that is 2-6ft deep. I have been searching for a better alternative for a long time. I've tried the yarn indicators, but they face some of the same problems as a thingamabobber.

The biggest issue I have is that the thingamabobbers don't indicate whether the flies are fishing properly. Meaning, with a vertical bobber like a balsa float, I can see when the flies are in the prime position because the indicator is pointing straight up and down. Also, with a vertical indicator, I can see bottom ticks and sideways strikes much clearer. They are much more sensitive.

I've actually been using some balsa floats on my fly line - especially when the run I'm fishing is deeper than 5 ft. The bummer is that they're bulky and it looks stupid. Has anyone found something that works better than the thingabobbers? Something that shows a vertical indication of how the flies are moving?

Also of note - I tried the new screw on bobbers. The balloon versions are near worthless. The trapped air plastic ones are an improvement over the thingas, but there's no difference in terms of how they perform from thingas.

Thingamabobbers are worthless. They cut your line, miss half your strikes, and don't drift for crap. I switched to balloons for a while, because they are far more sensitive, but have other downsides.

This is the best of all worlds I've found:
http://www.lindyfishingtackle.com/productdetail.aspx?id=bitestrikeflyfishingstrikeindicator

I just picked up a couple of those from OE two nights ago! Been wanting to check them out for sure. The only bummer seems that they're super small and aren't going to handle the ridiculous 1/4oz jigs I like molesting my fly rod with.

Then buy the bigger ones!

OK!!!

Jesse did you see the kind I'm using now. Not to bulky and very sensitive.

In addition to the other complaints, Thingamabobbers are just about the worst for being popped off if you snag up on something and have to break off your fly. I have lost more of them than just about any other indicator I've tried.

Maybe it's something about the way I'm using them, but I' find it really annoying. So I'm just using up the ones I have and I doubt I'll be buying more.

thingamabobbers obly work well on 20+ lb maxima. anything else cuts them, kinks super bad, and lets them slip unless u double loop them, in which ccase its a pain to adjust them,

Josh - it's important to have the loop connector cinched into one small knot at the top of the thingabobber instead of wrapped around the step. I had been wrapping it around the stem for a long time and had lost a ton of bobbers that way - until docstash showed me that I was being stupid.

Anyhow - not sure if that's what youre doing.... just another reason to find a better bobber.

Using 18 inches of amnesia as a butt section helps relieve this - but again - another reason to find a better bobber

I'm a fan of the Frog Hair inline indicators. They're all I use.

http://www.swedesflyshop.com/estore/details/29501/0/4371

I have one of these but have never used it. So while I can't say how well it actually works, but it might be worth trying.

As for vertical indicators, when I used to fish ponds as a kid in the south, we used porcupine quill bobbers. I have never seen them for sale around here, but google should have them. I was usually using crickets for bait and fishing for bream (bluegill). What I liked about them is that they point straight up if the bait/fly is heavy enough and they are way more "sensitive" than any round bobber. Due to their shape, the fish can barely feel them and they telegraph a strike really well. May cast like shit on a fly rod though.

Jesse-I know you don't like the Sku-it indicators, but wondering why. I like them as you can adjust the amount of buoyancy to the weight you are fishing and they don't kink the line. Also pretty easy to cast. I was using dime store balloons before the thingamabobbers and they worked well but again kinks in the line and not easy to adjust the amount of air without re-rigging. I'm of the opinion that the best way to know if your flies are fishing right is to have enough lead above the flies and enough buoyancy on your indicator. Rick

I tried the sku-it indicators for half a day. My buddy used the balloon indicator and it lost the air twice. He took it off in frustration. The trapped air ones are "ok". But the round shape doesn't provide vertical information on whether the flies are fishing correctly.

+ 1 on either the Thill or Frog Hair indicators.
Put a rubber bobber stop on both ends for easy adjustment up or down your leader. They don't mess up your leader.
You can use a big cheater, corkie or winner as well in a pinch.

I used to use the Frog Hair bobbers exclusively, and in my drift boat or pontoon, that works fine as I have two rods, one for nymphing and one for dry flies. If you are hiking with one rod, the frog hair requires too much work to switch from nymphs to drys for me. Otherwise, they work fine. Rick

Balsa floats work great on a CP out fit. Just saying...

maybe use a centerpin float?

A dry fly.

We get it dude. You hate nymphing.