Fishing Anchovies, in-line or dummy flasher?

[Chuckin Flies]

Just wanted to get everyone's take on whether fishing anchovies in a teaser head is more productive fishing it with an in-line flasher or dummy flasher? Obviously, in-line flashers fished with hoochies, chovies and even spoons can work very well. I much prefer to fish with a dummy flasher when using spoons, as I love to feel the fish and not be impacted by the flasher.

I am aware of the breakaway flashers, however, I am not a huge fan of them. So, does anyone have experience fishing chovies with dummy flashers and whether that method is as productive as the in-line method??

Cheers!

 

[Karma-Kazi]

I have been a dummy guy for just over a year now! I will never go back.

The only thing I can say is the fish no longer trip the downrigger and go for a blazing run. Fight seems to stay closer to the boat so I find it better for fighting in crowds down here in Sooke. I play around with distance above and distance back from flasher and have hit alot of my larger fish with the anchovie about 18-20 ft back of the dummy. Smaller fish and teens will come right in and take the bait only a few ft from the dummy. Im sure big ones will too but I haven't got a 20+ in close to the dummy yet. I usually run one close and one back a little ways.

Cheers KK

 

[finaddict]

Dummy Flasher for sure. I don't think it is any more effective or deadly, just would rather fight the fish and not the flasher. I think you actually lose more fish on the dummy system as the flasher provides drag against the hook that you might not otherwise have with a "naked" lure, but I'll take that trade-off for a great fight from an less encumbered fish

 

[hambone]

Do you guys experiment with the leader on your dummy flasher?? Found that one length works better than another or does it not matter.

I personally use breakaway flashers and find them to work just great.

 

[777]

How do you rig up the dummy flashers? Is it just as simple as a piece of mono and snap swivel to the flasher, and the the clip higher up off the downrigger cable so they don't foul each other?

 

[hambone]

How do you rig up the dummy flashers? Is it just as simple as a piece of mono and snap swivel to the flasher, and the the clip higher up off the downrigger cable so they don't foul each other?

Yes, you got it

 

[sly_karma]

I had this discussion with the guide on a charter last summer. He preferred dummy flasher personally, but found too many clients were losing fish like Finaddict says. Hamfisted guys like me lose fish either way though...

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Do you guys experiment with the leader on your dummy flasher?? Found that one length works better than another or does it not matter.

I personally use breakaway flashers and find them to work just great.

I have both of mine on 7 ft leads with quick snaps and good swivels at both ends.

-KK

 

[Peahead]

I agree that a in-line flasher creates some drag to the hook set so can actually help keep hooks from dropping, especially if any slack in the line happens.

Funny coincidence as in the nootka /Eseranza reports thread there is a report the other day where FOJ is suggesting better conversion rate with an anchovy run by itself with a dummy. I think he explains they were 4 for 4 with no inline flasher and 1/3 as good as that with an inline flasher present. That could be though that the fish were hitting faster and harder on the bait with no inline......or that with the inline flasher ( due to rotation action) the fish may have been slightly missing the bait and not getting proper hook up. Whi knows for sure....

The inline flasher being 4-7' from your bait/spoon, it imparts additional action to the bait/spoon ( rotation of flasher ) and often assists and produces more hits ....as well in dirty water an inline flasher absolutely helps because there is more action and the flash is closer to the bait. The action a bait or spoon has without a inline flasher will rely on the bait/spoon action only.....and at times this produces better ( as in FOJ's result) , especially in clearer water. I believe sometimes Chinook are also spooked by too many flashers or one that is too close to the bait/spoon so in these cases fishing with no in-line flasher (with bait out 10-25' and up 5' from dummy works well.

My dummy tag line lengths vary but average is about six feet

 

[Karma-Kazi]

When an old scotty clip wears out I cut off the metal quick release end off and then I have a 6-8ft section of 80 pound mono and I tie a heavy clip and swivel at each end. I clip one swivel to the metal clip from the scotty release I just cut off and the other to my favorite flasher. I snap on right above the cannon ball. Its much faster then clipping the clip swivel to the ring on the ball and it can be tought to unclip in rough seas when clearing gear to land your fish.

-KK

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I find this thread interesting as i rarely run anchovies without a flasher, i too think the drag of the flasher helps to keep the barbless hook set better, only time i run dummy flashers is when i am running jughead beacause i believe juggy has WAY better action without the inline flasher.

 

[Fish on John]

Dummy Flashers for sure. We are using Delta inline flashers 2ft back of ball with good swivels on both ends & between flashers.
We set the release 3ft above ball. Get lots of flash without the sweeping circle motion of the regular type flasher.
Our boating fish record is far higher using this method especially when the rigger is down less than 50ft. No fighting the flasher & no crazy Stuff when the flasher breaks the water & the fish is off at an angle which often gives the fish slack if the reeler is not right on top of the situation. Admittedly a fair share of our anglers are not as good as most of you are. We evolved to this method to get more fish in the tub.

 

[Seafever]

I'd fish them without flashers if possible..

Without a flasher you have direct line of pull to the fish and can control the tension.

With a flasher:- the flasher is rotating around no matter which way the fish goes, yanking away at the hook and making the hole bigger...which means the hook comes out easier.

Dummy flashers would be the way to go.....

 

[dance a jig]

Fish on John,
so are you using more than one Delta inline flashers so they look like one of the konezone daisy chains of flash? DAJ

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I also have never run a delta flasher , guess I should pick one and giver a try...

 

[Peahead]

I much prefer to fish with a dummy flasher when using spoons, as I love to feel the fish and not be impacted by the flasher.
Cheers!

Just one thing to ad for CF in response to his original post - I have used a buddies rod/reel a few times now and it was my first experience fishing chinook with braid instead of mono - if you really want to feel the fish and its reaction time, try switching to braid as well as no flasher. Mono with its stretching properties "softens" the fight.

With a flasher:- the flasher is rotating around no matter which way the fish goes, yanking away at the hook and making the hole bigger...which means the hook comes out easier.
.....

With Sockeye and Pink there certainly is more concern about that "hole" getting bigger but IMO not a problem with a chinook too much due to their tougher palate- maybe if very lightly lip hooked, it could make a difference but split'in hairs - I feel a flasher and the drag it provides (in otherwise equal situations) will help keep hook set.
Re: your suggestion that a flasher rotates and drags the same in either direction - a fish pulling a flasher (backwards) pulls the flasher quite true with much less drag and very little , if any rotaion as compared to the rotation that happens when its pulled in its proper trolling direction( forwards).

 

[fishin_magician]

Wow, fishing must be super slow on this coast for how long this thread has carried on.

If you are losing more fish one way or the other, then you need to be better on the rod.

Dummy flashers are a waste of time if you are not fishing them correctly...and in many cases in clear water, a total waste of time.

Fellas are hooking, playing and landing 30-50 Chinooks a day in the Charlottes at certain locations with no flasher in the water. Many are novices that have never played a fish until they got to the lodge.

I have guided at some of these lodges...and when it really counts, flashers can be a big hinderance in favor of the fish. The biggest lodge fish, are NOT taken with flashers.

 

[high tide]

I have guided at some of these lodges...and when it really counts, flashers can be a big hinderance in favor of the fish. The biggest lodge fish, are NOT taken with flashers.[/QUOTE]

Done the Same and Agree to some degree ........ but the concentrations of fish were guiding for while there can be MUCH greater then what were used to around these parts of the Goergia Straight. Fun way to fish with no flashers when there are LOTS of fish around ...... heck why use the rigger, mooching it is dynamite !

Trolling with flashers in line or not ... there are ways to use them, or not ........ more hookups that stick ?? ... who knows. We all loose fish from time to time and its the better person operating the rod that hangs onto the fish, that determine the catch or not. flasher in line or not.

 

[Fish on John]

YES we hook 2 inline together. Same idea as a konezone with way less exspence.

 

[dwflyrod]

as do i two hooked together works great