Make a loop in your leader and hook it to the tool, slide a plastic ring off the tool onto the loop, slip a tuft of wool into the loop, slide the ring up the tuft, pull the leader straight.
I choose the colour, size and position of the indicator, and the plastic ring against the leader holds it in place. This is the first time I’ve tried a gadget like this and it’s easy, intuitively easy; using this needs very little explanation.
I like that, rather than attaching a pre-made indicator, I use this tool to make an indicator, in the same way I like tying and using my own flies. Extra tube comes in the pack with the tool along with a couple of ‘lumps’ of wool, with a little care I can re-use both the tube and the tufts of wool. I can, of course, buy packs of wool and tube.
The wool is rather coarse, un-carded fleece, springy and easy to handle. It makes a tuft naturally and takes floatant very well. The tube looks like a clear vinyl tube I used to use on the rear of metal tube-flies, but narrower. Key to the ‘tool-ness’ of this tool, that tube must slip snug onto the hook/tool – hopeless if the wee lengths fall off the hook. A simple, practical, extremely well thought out tool.
See below for an excellent video-clip demonstrating the New Zealand Strike Indicator tool.