Flasher VS. Dodger? What reason?

[ashtonspoutine]

Hey,

very new to fishing in BC. I was in Sooke last week and I got to fish a lot and it was obviously a learning experience for me.

I never used flashers/dodgers before and on my last day there, we met a nice guy (whose name escapes me) who used to guide.

He explained to me that what I had been using was a dodger and NOT a flasher.

He said what I had did FULL circles in the water and that a flasher (he recommended Hot Spots) only does semi-circles in the water.

So, I would like to know:

1) what do YOU use?
2) Why do you use it?


Thanks

 

[Rum Buddies]

you or him got it backwards, flashers do full circles - dodgers do semi-circles. I've never fished with dodgers, but its widely accepted that flashers are more effective.

 

[scott craven]

you got it backwards, the flasher does a full rotation
and the dodger does a partial rotation.
I use flashers, however you still see some guys using dodger's .

 

[waddy]

flashers

 

[Captain Dudds]

dodgers are more old school and flashers are quickly phasing them out - well pretty much have completely phased them out. flashers are also easier to use. for dodgers, you have to be going the right speed so they keep flipping back and forth without actually doing a whole circle - my grandpa will use them sometimes when we're fishing and we have to adjust the speed of the boat to match his gear, he also bends them and stuff to get the right action, whereas flasher you just toss in as is and they're fine. hope that helps.

 

[Cohiba]

flashers/dodgers
The main difference that I would comment on is larger flashers are used off a down rigger as they will always stay at higher depth than your down rigger weight... unless you stop or are going very slow.

Dodgers work well with 6oz line weights once submerged, will stay down until returned close to surface. If used off a downrigger weight attached close to weight you risk the chance of snagging bottom.

both work well, if the fish see them.

 

[danthewire]

You can go to the main board and look up tackle techniques,or go to krippled lures website,they also have a good explanation.I've used both over the years and its just a little different setup to use each one,if your're just starting out, can't beat the plastics.DAN

 

[TheBigGuy]

Hi, Ashton.

You really want to bite your teeth into the saltchuck fishing now, don't you. I think your irreversibly hooked (pun intended). Anyhow, the other guys covered the basics, dodger sways, flasher revolves.

Dodgers aren't used to much in the chuck these days. Metal finished dodgers are a b**ch to keep from quickly becoming pitted and corroded by saltwater. With the price you pay, it's understandable that plastic has replaced metal finished attractors. I sure don't miss the smell of Brasso and Silvo. All the old timers know what I'm talking about. You had to use them to polish up metal spoons and dodgers in the old days to keep them shiny and attractive.

You must also fish dodgers much slower than flashers. That is not necessarily a bad thing, however not all boats are capable of going slow enough to troll dodgers. In my experience, Dodgers will out fish flashers at times. Why? I don't know, but it does happen. For example, one time in Alberni I had been slaying them the previous week using downriggers, and flashers. All of a sudden things went dry and nobody seemed to be catching much. My dad was with me, and he got tired of running my gear and catching nothing. He dug out an old Tom Mack dodger, and asked me to rig it up, and put it out with a 12 oz weight. Lo and behold, it became the only gear that would catch any fish. We were the only ones catching fish in China Creek that week, and all on his ancient dodger. The next week things totally turned around again, and the dodger was worthless, and my flasher-downrigger combos were back to catching all the fish.

Now, if I'm having a bit of a drought, sometimes I remember that experience and throw out the dodgers. I have been rewarded on more than a few occasions, when the standard methods don't seem to be working for me. I use dodgers and weights fairly regularly during the course of the season and have won the odd derby with them. Dodgers give off a rhythmic pulse on your rod tip that lets you know that the gear isn't fouled, and your traveling at the correct speed. It's like having a speedometer telling you exactly what speed to go(better than GPS) I don't expect this will convert anybody to the old ways, but sometimes metal spoons and dodgers can't be beat.