What’s the best type flasher to use with downriggers? Everyone talks about using 18” to 24” bumper with 360 flashers like the Shortbus or Pro-troll and I was wondering if people are using same type flashers with their downriggers and if so what kind of setback are you using from their release?
Retired11
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The 360 flashers are just the latest version of old-school dodgers, and they were originally developed ocean and Puget Sound salmon fishing behind downriggers. They give a lot of "thump" and vibration as they work, and as they swing side to side they give action to otherwise unmoving lures (hoochies, cable rigged herring). For that side to side action to work, you need a short leader of a very stiff material (super short actually gives more wild presentation, the longer you go the more moderate the dancing around is). I go very short for coho (18-24"), and longer for chinook (24-32" or so). They create a ton of drag, and a downrigger is the only effective way to get them down really deep (50+ feet), but you can fish them shallow for coho behind lead or a diver. They work in the river to (as witnessed by their new popularity).
The inline flashers (triangle flashers) came later, and are designed to create some flash and vibration while being low drag, so you can use them in rivers w/ strong currents like the Columbia and Willamette, and in places with strong tides, without having to run giant weights and big meat stick rods. In the last 20 years or so, they have been the most common flasher for people who mostly fish the rivers and Buoy 10, so when the new marketing of 360 flashers as the hot new thing came out a lot of folks were unfamiliar with them. They work well for their intended purpose, and you can certainly also use them in the ocean behind a downrigger to create some flash and vibration, they just don't add any action on their own. If you are running herring, spoons, plastic superbaits, etc... they work great behind downriggers
There are a few, like the LEO's and the old Kone Zones, that you can change the leader attachment point on and create at least a little bit of eccentric wobble action.
Some of the old Les Davis and Luhr Jenson dodgers from the 50's and 60's are pretty collectible now.
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The inline flashers (triangle flashers) came later, and are designed to create some flash and vibration while being low drag, so you can use them in rivers w/ strong currents like the Columbia and Willamette, and in places with strong tides, without having to run giant weights and big meat stick rods. In the last 20 years or so, they have been the most common flasher for people who mostly fish the rivers and Buoy 10, so when the new marketing of 360 flashers as the hot new thing came out a lot of folks were unfamiliar with them. They work well for their intended purpose, and you can certainly also use them in the ocean behind a downrigger to create some flash and vibration, they just don't add any action on their own. If you are running herring, spoons, plastic superbaits, etc... they work great behind downriggers
There are a few, like the LEO's and the old Kone Zones, that you can change the leader attachment point on and create at least a little bit of eccentric wobble action.
Some of the old Les Davis and Luhr Jenson dodgers from the 50's and 60's are pretty collectible now.
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