Rio "Slinky Indicator"

[Bazzer69]

I find the comments very interesting, I hope others do to.
Hi-sticking is undoubtably a deadly method of fishing, in the right hands. It takes a great deal of skill to see the subtle takes but since it requires no casting, just lobbing the leader and flies I can’t see how it can be defined as fly fishing.
If you want to see how to make a “ slinky “ sighter” go over to the Rio website and look for the YouTube video. I’m sure there are plenty of other videos both describing how to make them and how to use them.
Barry

[redietz]

... since it requires no casting, just lobbing the leader and flies I can’t see how it can be defined as fly fishing.

Because it involves using flies?

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines "fly fishing" as:
the activity of trying to catch fish using a hook made to look like a fly or other insect in order to attract the fish

Collins English dictionary defines it as:
to fish using artificial flies as lures

Dictionary.com:
to fish with artificial flies as bait.

Macmillan dictionary:
the activity of catching fish by using artificial flies on the end of a fishing line

Vocabulary.com:
angling with an artificial fly as a lure

Miriam-Webster's:
the activity of catching fish by using artificial flies

None of those say anything about how the fly got in the water.

And yes, I know different state have their own definitions. It's really hard to find one that everyone agrees with, especially when the state have different motives for designating a stream as "fly fishing only".

Personally, I have a hard time viewing using articulated streamers as fly fishing. (Not that I have don't use them from time to time; I just think of it as lure fishing when I do.)

[Mike62]

Are we still 'fly fishing' if we're using a mouse? Isn't this where it all went so wrong for Alice? The rabbit hole awaits...

[Trevis]

Fly fishing, fly casting, fly rod fishing, fly line casting are all similar but different subjects I guess.
I fly rod fish, sometimes with flies.

[redietz]

Fly fishing, fly casting, fly rod fishing, fly line casting are all similar but different subjects I guess.
I fly rod fish, sometimes with flies.

Exactly.

[Johnno]

If you are using a fly rod, flyline, fly reel and at the end of it all there is an artificial fly, then it’s fly fishing in my book.

Please let’s not start discussing what an artificial fly is....

[Trifly]

Euro nymping or swinging wets. In my opinion it is all fly fishing. Since it's my opinion that makes me happy, I will keep using different fly fishing techniques to pursue trout.

[bassman]

Hey Ken, don't post here much but this kind of interested me because I used "slinky leaders" for walleye fishing with leeches. They were marketed by the famous Lindner brothers and the idea was the leader would allow enough time for the walleye to get a good grip on the hook when the slinky would unravel and you'd feel it and set the hook.

Since I have had a hard time since getting back into fly fishing hooking fish this might just be something the could help me out without my feeling guilty about using a bobber like every guide wants to put on your line.

Nick