I was talking to a fishing partner today about fishing flashers and we both felt the same way in that we're not convinced of our own opinion. 😁 When trolling I almost always run an 11" Hot Spot, Gibbs, etc but I've always wondered if the color of the flasher really matters? After all these decades I have superstitious preferences but I'm no closer to being sure than I was 40 years ago.

What do you guys think? Does flasher color matter? Does a particular color or pattern work better for one species than another?

Not in my opinion.......the flash is intended to mimic the flash of other fish participating in a feeding frenzy......color doesn't matter IMO

When power trolling in SE back in the 80s we convinced ourselves color mattered a great deal. Bright colors on bright days, dark on all others?!?!

I always fished dodgers

Never used dodgers, always run short bus flashers, last year "sweet Abby " was a hammer. I think color does matter.

I used to fish dodgers but have gotten away from them over the years in favor of flashers, thing is I don't know why.lol I picked up a bunch of brand new but old dodgers at goodwill the other day and may give them a go again this year.

I run a dummy flasher off the ball when fishing spoons for coho and don't have to fight the flasher. The flasher stays in the water when fighting and landing a fish and I've had schools of silvers following me around all day. Take the flasher out and they'd disperse but as long as they had something to follow they did.

Dodgers with herring - Flashers with hootchies.

Like the #2 Abe & Al with herring for kings, though. Slow troll with the flasher wagging, not spinning. 40"+ leader.

That's how I used to fish dodgers, with bait. Over the years I got away from bait but have started to use it again and it seems I almost always catch more with bait. Last year I fished bait while my partner stuck with hootchies and coyote spoons, I out fished him 5-1 that day.

Nothing outfishes an 11 inch flasher. That is not even debatable. Color does matter, but not as much as other things. They are coming out with new color/tape combos every year. The new glow stuff is good but different boats fish differently. As far as species, cohos are dumb and bite just about any color flasher. You can improve your king score slightly with a different color flasher.


But there are a lot of variables in catching kings and flasher color is one of the more minor ones.

In my opinion, when scratch fishing, bait will usually come out on top in terms of bites. I will say that at times, they just prefer bait and you better have it down. But, when over a good amount of fish, plastic will always put more in the boat because you can get it down faster, and not have to deal with missed strikes etc. You also lose a lot more on herring, which can end up giving the edge to plastic at the end of the day too. Threading herring is an art form, and guys who can do it right, catch a lot of kings. I run mostly plastic, but definitely believe in the hot hoochie color which changes every year.

Calvin, threading herring? Whole? Cut plug? I've caught my bigger kings on whole, but more strikes more fish on cut plug. You guys brine em? I brine, dye blue with anise. Later

I was hoping you'd give your opinion. So flasher color definitely improves king numbers? Agreed about silvers, they'll hit anything when they're on.

I've always used red or some combination of red for kings out of habit and rarely deviate but this year I might do some non scientific experimentation. Green/chartreuse has always been what I go to for silvers off the ball with a coyote spoon.

I don't think you'd notice with sportfish numbers, IMO. With commercial you can put a whole lot more out there and catch a lot more fish and start seeing some definite trends. I know I can't really tell when sportfishing and only catching 6 kings a day. I have been using a green big shooter on one side, and a black hot spot on the other. I've been hard to keep up with this year.

Interestingly, the hot flasher in lower SE right now is a black flasher and it has been a real king catcher the last few years. They sold out of them the last few years. FYI, a lot of trollers have gone to big shooters now too, as they are a bit tougher and don't bend as quickly.

Whole, sometimes with the tail fillet'd out. Depends on the hook. Mouth shut with either a petite fastener, wire, or some other contraption. I know when I've threaded a good one, and it don't wobble. I've tried anise, but it just ends up making a big mess.

Heres my riggin, I think diver color matters too. I also cut the leader in half and put a bead swivel in, whole and cut plug spin better..

Calvin, is this the 11" style your talking about? Thanks

Thanks for your input Joel. I figured you guys that run big spreads on your trollers would definitely see a preference or trend while us sportfishers might be hard pressed to get a definitive idea. Having a lot of gear in the water gives someone the chance to get a better feeling for what works best. I'll have to keep my eyes open for the "Big Shooter" is that a brand like HotSpot or Shortbus?

Color maters here UV for sunny conditions this is a custom 10" Spin doctor I had made up fish with a meat rig behind it

Another with a 2 faced UV 10" spin doctor and meat

10" Big Weenie flasher with twinkie rig and meat

Nice fish George! After you'd mentioned those flashers last year I've kept my eyes open and recently noticed they're around here now. I'm going to have to pick up a few and give them a try up north this year.

Joel, A black flasher? Like all black on one side and silver on the other? I saw a HotSpot the other day that was a UV white scale pattern with a black stripe like the "cookies and cream" color from Silver Hord. I'm going to do some tackle shopping this week and pick up a Glock20 I think I'll buy some more flashers too.

Today 3 fish on this rig

How long a leader to bait with that rig? How fast are you trolling? I've never fished the Great Lakes so I have no idea how similar things are to our coastal fish. Looks like you've got the formula figured out. Nice job. 👍

I just noticed you're not using bait but an "Ace Hi"?? And about 24" leader?

24" from flasher Atomic SS Stud Fly today
when running meat with bait head any where from 60"-72"

http://atommik.com/s528-s-s-stud-2017/

Speed 2.4- 2.6 mph

Not sure if you use divers there like dipsys but these Chinook divers will get you down over 100' with 7 strand wire line

http://chinookdiver.com/

I'm running Scotty electric downriggers with 900 feet of 200# braid dragging 15# balls. I have a lot of dipsy divers and deep sixes that haven't gotten wet in at least a decade. As I recall you run Canon downriggers? Or are you using divers?

Yes cannon Mag 10's and Chinook divers as well as copper lines
for every 100' of copper out it gets you down 22'....I have 200',300',400' and 500' copper spooled reels and run them off Otter boat planner boards to keep them out off the way and off to the side of the boat
In idea conditions I can run 10 rods but that gets to be work 8 is perfect . 4 downriggers 2 divers and 2 copper rods

This will give you an idea of my set up

Wow! That's a lot of gear in the water. I thought you had the white Canons for some reason. I have a buddy that converted a 21' Bayliner into a power trollers but he's got poles to spread out his...spread. 😁 That's a lot of things to keep straight, my hats off to ya. The more gear the better. Do you bring it all up when you've got a fish or just one side? I imagine that should you get your lines crossed there's a lot of cutting and tying rather than trying untangle everything. A fellow could get a doozy of a tangle with all that gear gyrating and spinning. 😉

Can you guys run as many rods per angler as you want?

Cool video George. That fish came right in between the goal posts (the 2 rods of the stern) and looked pretty cooperative. You've got a very nice set-up.

Pretty sure they can run 3 rods per person now. The most we ran on ontario was 14 rods off the back of a 19' sylvan. We ran planer boards and 3 downriggers. You ever run cheaters on your rigger rods George?

When sport fishing, I rarely fish deeper than 75 feet. But I have the luxury of fishing lots of shallow spots that hold a lot of fish. I still run 15# balls though.

Too tired to deal with photobucket, or I'd post pics. Today was a slaughter.

You're killing me Joel. One more month and my son and I will be there permanently. Been getting the boat rigged and it can't come soon enough.

Fed a little intel to Mike and he came over and killed it. Coffman is dead.

I'm planning on spending a lot of time out of Craig. More fish and more "spots". I'll get halibut and other stuff out of Coffman but I like kings and Craig is hard to beat for that. Driving an hour or so doesn't bother me but my time spent fishing should be more productive. I've spent enough time dragging gear on long boat rides down here that I am going to get after it and learn the area. Looking forward to that aspect. Finding my own fish and paying attention to the details makes it fun. I'm sure I have many more days of long boat rides dragging gear in store for me but I'm good with that since there's no place I'd rather be than on the water.

Damn that'll keep a guy busy...

It got pretty sporty a few times.

Ya I'll bet, pard and I fish 4-6 he's captain I'm bait bitch, good stuff... I'm
Kinda anal, between weeds and keepin baits spinnin good... willapa is a weedy bastard, but we kill a few fish... definitely worth the vacation and makers mark! Grin

A few years ago I was having beers with an old charter captain. He said that after 20 some years of keeping notes from his 5 boats, the numbers came out almost exactly even for with or without flasher.
He came to the conclusion that dragging a good spinning herring behind a downrigger ball or banana sinker caught just as many fish as using a flasher in front of his bait.

That's interesting. I don't doubt it though. I've caught some pretty nice fish on some pretty boring presentations. If all I ran was bait I wouldn't need 6 saltwater tackle boxes and Tupperware bins full of extra gear nor would I have helped send several kids to college while feeding my sickness. 😁

Flashers on a gill net are counter intuitive....

My Custom Double D 11" protroll flasher has been on fire past couple weeks

so jealous of you guys fishing in shorts and t shirts. Nice fish too,

It's weird seeing nice bright fish with no sea lice.

Nice fish George.

Love that logo!

Twitty hound!

I was at dinner with my wife last night (without the kids for once) and was telling her about how I'm always impressed by the kindness and generosity of so many of the "regulars" on here. How that if a guy has a youngster in mind that is interested in fishing or hunting a thread about it will find that youngster outfitted completely with nothing asked in return. I've been in on the giving part plenty of times because of my gear whoreing nature but not on the receiving part, mostly because I don't want for things, I have been blessed in that way. A generous gentleman by the name of M. Stevenson offered to send me some flashers and various other salmon tackle and wanted nothing in return. I am always impressed by the genuine kindness from folks here. I can't wait to try out this new gear and look forward to returning the kindness when the fish gods smile upon me.

Thank you Mr. Stevenson for your gift and while I've never posted any pictures on here in all the years I've been here I have a good incentive to figure it out now and I'll hang some pictures in the future.

Awesome fish.

Send me one of those bad boys and I will run it

$27.00 for that flasher

Double D flasher today with meat rig off 500' Copper rod over 800' of line out when he stopped running and I couldn't move him over 40 minute fight 32 lb King

That's a nice one for sure . . .

That's a good fish George. The tides this last week were big swings and on the day of the eclipse a local fish farm (scourge that they are) was totaled by the tides and currents and dumped thousands of slimey, potentially diseased Atlantic salmon into the straits. The "farm" was up by Cypress island in the San Juans and the state is asking fishermen to catch all they can. No limit or restrictions on catching and keeping those invasive bastards, hopefully keeping them from getting to gravel. Between the Indians, the state and the fish farms some lucky angler will soon get the award for catching the last fish. Between pathetic management and the commies race to catch the last fish I long for the good ol'days.

Hell of a fish, for sure.

You fishing the LOC derby?

yes but my buddy I took out was not entered or I'd be in 4th place right now

In puget sound I always start the season with one white and one green.....it doesn't take long to see the green outperform the others...
This happins year in year out..there are times when white or blue will work on some days better ....but I prefer to fish without a flasher if possible...it's more fun to fight fish without the flasher drag....shhhhhhhhhTomic plugs...

I bought a couple black flashers from short bus after calvins recomendation, out fished our traditional favorites 3-1 most days, a couple hours this morning I had 9 hookups, pard had 2.... it appears they like black. Thanks Calvin

In my experience, you all have it backwards.

Hanging my banana weight out there as bait attracts the flashers.

Especially in Ketchikan.

That's the same setup my smith runs, runs whole herring instead of cut plug and does well.

Damn nice fish!! Grats

Lake Ontario is putting out slobs this season WOW!!!

Daniel Clinger from Jersey Shore, PA hoisting the new LOC Derby Grand Prize $25,000 leader that weighed 39 lbs 3 oz and is 47" in length! The fish was weighed in at Davenport & Son Boat Livery.

Daniel was fishing aboard the Why Knot and caught the fish on a copper/flasher/A-TOM-MIK meat combination.

Nice fish but it looks like if he'd weighed it sooner it would've gone even higher. 😉

They are starting to blacken up and stage in front of tributaries

👍