How to Set Up a Flasher for Salmon Fishing

Flashers catch more salmon each year than any other device ever invented. Learn to use the Pro-Troll and you will be amazed at the results.

Rig it right and you will catch more salmon than with any other system. Rig it wrong and

you will catch a few salmon but most of them will not hit. The difference between right and

normally tied to your fishing line from your rod and reel.You will then rig a bait, hootchie, fly

or lure two to five feet behind the flasher. With your boat in motion you let the flasher up to.

30 feet back. Your fishing line is then clipped in a downrigger release and you are ready

tapered end is the front. The taper makes the flasher spin as it is trolled. The wide rear

The Pro-Troll ProChip 11 flasher is highly effective in catching salmon in the Columbia River. The above diagram shows a typical rigging setup.

This rig works best when trolled in the direction the river is flowing. It is usually trolled in the same direction as the tide in the tide water part of the river. It works best when “forward trolled” downstream in the same direction as the flow of the river in the upper parts of rivers. However, if you prefer, it can be back trolled as well. (This is when you slowly back the boat down the river with the bow facing upstream.) It is effective when trolled as slow as 1 mph or as fast as 4 mph. Most fishermen troll at a speed where their rod tip pulses one time per second.

They have several rigging advantages. (1) They can be fished very effectively with a variety of setups including downriggers, 2 or 3 lb. drop sinkers, dipsey divers or other planers. (2) The front leader can be as short as 4 feet and still get a good tail kick that draws in salmon and gives the bait, hootchie, or fly at the back a lot of action. (3) It can be trolled as slow as 1 MPH and still provide a strong tail kick. This is very helpful when fishing for big salmon that won’t hit a bait or lure that moves quickly. Conventional flashers must be trolled at 2 MPH or more to get a good tail kick.

The Pro-Troll ProChip 11 flasher is highly effective in catching salmon in the Columbia River. The above diagram shows a typical rigging setup.

This rig works best when trolled in the direction the river is flowing. It is usually trolled in the same direction as the tide in the tide water part of the river. It works best when “forward trolled” downstream in the same direction as the flow of the river in the upper parts of rivers. However, if you prefer, it can be back trolled as well. (This is when you slowly back the boat down the river with the bow facing upstream.) It is effective when trolled as slow as 1 mph or as fast as 4 mph. Most fishermen troll at a speed where their rod tip pulses one time per second.

Tip: Several months before they go into a river to spawn, big Chinook salmon often stay out at sea and mess around. At that point, they get very lazy and will not hit a fast-trolled bait or lure. The Pro-chip 11 flasher will still rotate and kick at 1. 5 miles per hour. Troll it slow under these conditions and you may catch a trophy.

divers or other planers. (2) The front leader length can be as short as 4 feet and still get an.

tail kick that works well to bring in salmon and gives the bait, hootchie, or fly at the back a lot of action. (3) It can be trolled as slow as 1 MPH and still provide a strong tail kick. This is very helpful when fishing for big salmon that won’t hit a bait or lure that moves quickly. Conventional flashers must be trolled at 2 MPH or more to get a good tail kick.

​The same type setup can be used with a drop sinker, a dipsey diver or a planer:

Captain Pete Lahosky runs the Prime Time Fishing Team on Lake Ontario. He has won almost every major salmon derby on the Lake including the prestigious Challenge Cup. He has fished the ProChip 8 as his primary flasher for the last two seasons. One of his favorite setups is running the ProChip 8 eight feet behind a wire line dipsey diver. He runs a white and pearl fly 22 inches behind the flasher. His comments were, “The ProChip 8 just seemed to call kings to it. This rig outfished similar set-ups with everything else the same but the flasher by a 2:1 margin. “.

Early in the season when the salmon are actively feeding he will run the flasher on a

downrigger. He runs it 25 feet behind the downrigger cable with either a Pro-Troll Roto Chip

bait holder rigged with an anchovy or a hootchie. He uses a tail leader length of 36 inches.

changes to a 1 1/2 lb. drop sinker 30 inches in front of the flasher. He uses a 30 inch tail.

leader with an anchovy in the Roto Chip. With this setup he will troll as slow as 1 MPH.

His comments are, “I have never seen any flasher catch fish like the ProChip 8. My

preferred color is the glow in the dark white. As the season came to an end, it caught more fish every day than any other set-up on my boat. One reason I think it works so well is that I can slow down to 1 MPH while trolling and still get good flasher action. This gets the 30 to 40 lb. spawners that will not hit a fast trolled bait late in the season”.

Fishing with flashers is one of the most effective techniques for catching salmon. A flasher is a plastic or metal dodger that moves and shakes the water to attract salmon. If it’s set up right, a flasher can get salmon to hit lures or bait that are trailing behind it. It is important to know how to set up a flasher if you want to catch salmon. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about setting up flashers to catch more salmon in this full guide.

Flasher Rigging Basics

The key to productive flasher fishing is getting the setup right, Here are some basic guidelines to follow

  • Attach the flasher to the line first, The flasher should be tied directly to your main fishing line coming off the rod and reel This allows it to have maximum action

  • Add a leader to the back of the flasher. A 2–5-foot leader will connect your bait or lure to the flasher. Getting the right leader length is critical.

  • Clip the line to a downrigger or weight. Letting out line before attaching a downrigger or sinker gives the flasher room to work. Clip the line 30 feet or so behind the flasher.

  • Use a bait/lure appropriate for the flasher size. Pairing the right bait or lure to the flasher prevents issues with action.

  • Match the flasher size and color to conditions. Optimize your setup by tailoring the flasher to the water and targeted species.

Follow these fundamental guidelines and you’ll be well on your way to flasher success. Now let’s take a detailed look at each component of a proper flasher setup.

Selecting the Right Flasher

Flashers come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Which one you choose depends on the species you’re targeting and the conditions you’re fishing in. Here are some flasher selection tips:

  • Size – For salmon, 8-12 inch flashers are the best. Bigger models work well with bait, while smaller ones excel with lures.

  • Shape – Curved, angled and wide-tailed flashers have more action. Erratic motions attract more fish.

  • Color – Pick flashers that contrast with water conditions. Dark colors for clear water, bright colors for dirty water.

  • Type – Whirling flashers spin as well as sway. Rotary flashers have non-stop action.

Having a selection of flashers in different configurations will allow you to adapt to changing conditions and fish activity.

Rigging Leader Lengths

The single most important aspect of flasher rigging is the leader connecting the flasher to your bait or lure. The length of this leader dramatically impacts the action and effectiveness of the flasher. Use these guidelines for optimal leader lengths:

  • For bait – 42-60 inches for kings, 24-42 inches for silvers behind an 11 inch flasher. For an 8 inch flasher use 26-48 inches.

  • For lures – 36-50 inches for kings, 24-40 inches for silvers behind an 11 inch flasher. For an 8 inch flasher use 20-27 inches.

  • Test and adjust – Start with the recommended lengths and tweak based on flasher action and bites.

Take the time to dial in the exact leader length. It could mean the difference between a fishless day and a limit.

Adding Bait and Lures

What you trail behind the flasher is almost as important as the flasher itself. Follow these guidelines for bait and lures:

  • Match hatch – Use baitfish matching what salmon are feeding on, like herring, shad or anchovies.

  • Natural colors – For lures and hootchies, pick natural shrimp/baitfish colors like white, green and pink.

  • Minimal hardware – Avoid heavy spoons and plugs that reduce flasher action.

  • Bait rigs – Run bait in tandem flasher rigs or bait holders like Pro-Chip or Pro-Troll rotary rigs.

Combining the right bait and lures with an effective flasher results in a salmon catching machine.

Flasher Trolling Techniques

Flashers can be fished a number of ways to cover water and put salmon in the boat. Here are some productive trolling methods:

  • Downriggers – Clip the flasher line into downriggers 30 feet or so ahead of the flasher. This gives the flasher room to work while getting lures down deep.

  • Dipsy divers – Attach flashers 5-8 feet ahead of dipsy divers like Pro-Troll’s E-Lures. The divers pull flashers and baits way out to the sides.

  • Leadcore lines – Run flashers on leadcore to target salmon suspended at medium depths. Attach flashers 10 feet ahead of lures.

  • Wire divers – Clip flashers right to the bend of wire divers like Pro-Troll’s Wire-Dodge’R. Let flashers run 8-10 feet back.

Troll with multiple flashers at various depths and distances to put a spread of baits and lures in front of salmon.

Selecting Flasher Colors

Picking the right flasher color for the conditions is an important piece of the salmon catching puzzle. Follow these flasher color tips:

  • Match water color – Use colors that contrast with the water. Try green in murky water, blue in deep water, and red or white in muddy water.

  • Low-light colors – When fishing deep or in low light, UV, glow, and fluorescent colors show up well.

  • Bright sun – Opt for flashers with silver, gold and reflective tape that flash when sunlight hits them.

  • Variety – Keep a range of proven colors like chartreuse, pink, green and blue to see what’s working best.

Pay attention to the time of day, water conditions and weather when selecting flasher colors.

Flasher Speed and Action

The speed at which you troll has a direct impact on how well flashers perform. Follow these guidelines for optimal flasher action:

  • 2-2.5 mph – The typical trolling speed for flashers to produce strong side-to-side action.

  • Watch the rod tip – Aim for about one rod tip pulse per second, adjusting speed to maintain this pulse rate.

  • Faster for hootchies – Up near 3 mph produces better action on hootchies than bait.

  • Slower for hardware – Big spoons and plugs require slower trolling speeds around 2 mph.

  • Adjust until active – If the flasher action looks lazy, speed up; if it’s spinning out, slow down.

Trolling at the proper speed is critical for flashers to work their fish-attracting magic.

Advanced Flasher Rigs

Once you master the basics, try these next-level flasher techniques:

  • Double flashers – Run two flashers in tandem off downriggers to cover more water. Use a large and small flasher for maximum action.

  • Dodger divers – Attach flashers to diving planers like Pro-Troll’s Dodge’R divers to get flashers diving and spreading out.

  • Flasher flies – Trail flies like Brad’s Super Bait and small hootchies behind flashers for a deadly combo.

  • Scent – Apply Pro-Cure gel scent or Pro-Troll’s E-Chip scent dispenser to flashers when fishing gets tough.

  • Glow flashers – When fishing after dark or in deep water, use flashers with glow tape to attract fish from a distance.

Thinking outside the box with flashers can help trigger stubborn salmon when straight flasher rigs aren’t producing.

Flasher Fishing Tips

Here are some final tips and reminders when fishing with flashers:

  • Always make sure flashers run freely on swivels and snap swivels. Any friction reduces action.

  • Check flasher action periodically and tweak trolling speed to maintain maximum flasher motion.

  • Use fluorocarbon or co-polymer clear leaders to make rigs invisible to salmon.

  • Carry a variety of flasher sizes and colors to allow changing things up.

  • Keep flashers sharp by removing nicks in plastic edges with a file or sandpaper.

Take these tips to heart and you’ll gain a real advantage when flasher fishing for salmon.

Putting it All Together

Rigging flashers properly is part science and part art. With the information in this article, you should have all the knowledge needed to set up flashers like a pro. Follow the flasher

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

Flasher Trolling Speeds

Conventional 8 and 11 inch flashers are normally trolled between 2. 0 and 2. 5 miles per hour. This speed is needed to give the flasher good tail kicking action. The vibrations from the tail kick are what attracts the salmon. The new ProChip flashers with the agitator fin on the back can be trolled much more slowly than regular flashers while still giving you great tail kick. These can be trolled down to 1. 0 mile per hour. At whatever speed you troll, look at your flasher action as you start to let it down. It should have a strong side to side tail kick along with a spin. The optimum salmon attraction occurs when the flasher is most erratic in its motion.

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

The ProChip 8 and ProChip 11 flashers may represent the most significant flasher

development in decades. The spin and kick design combined with the EChip is outfishing

everything on the market. This flasher has been endorsed by nearly every Charter

Captain or Professional fisherman that has tried it. It is also a consistent derby winner.

They have several rigging advantages. (1) They can be fished very

effectively with a variety of setups including downriggers, 2 or 3 lb. drop sinkers, dipsey

divers or other planers. (2) The front leader length can be as short as 4 feet and still get an.

tail kick that works well to bring in salmon and gives the bait, hootchie, or fly at the back a lot of action. (3) It can be trolled as slow as 1 MPH and still provide a strong tail kick. This is very helpful when fishing for big salmon that won’t hit a bait or lure that moves quickly. Conventional flashers must be trolled at 2 MPH or more to get a good tail kick.

NOTE: The fin is at the back end of the flasher.

Typical ProChip 8 Flasher Rigging with Downrigger

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

​The same type setup can be used with a drop sinker, a dipsey diver or a planer:

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

Captain Pete Lahosky runs the Prime Time Fishing Team on Lake Ontario. He has won almost every major salmon derby on the Lake including the prestigious Challenge Cup. He has fished the ProChip 8 as his primary flasher for the last two seasons. One of his favorite setups is running the ProChip 8 eight feet behind a wire line dipsey diver. He runs a white and pearl fly 22 inches behind the flasher. His comments were, “The ProChip 8 just seemed to call kings to it. This rig outfished similar set-ups with everything else the same but the flasher by a 2:1 margin. “.

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

how to set up a flasher for salmon fishing

And on the West Coast:

Captain Barry Canevaro fished for many years for salmon on the Pacific Ocean outside the

San Francisco Golden Gate. He was recognized as one of the top salmon producers in

Northern California. Here is how he ran the ProChip 8 in two different setups:

Early in the season when the salmon are actively feeding he will run the flasher on a

downrigger. He runs it 25 feet behind the downrigger cable with either a Pro-Troll Roto Chip

bait holder rigged with an anchovy or a hootchie. He uses a tail leader length of 36 inches.

Late in the season when the large spawners congregate outside the Golden Gate, he

changes to a 1 1/2 lb. drop sinker 30 inches in front of the flasher. He uses a 30 inch tail.

leader with an anchovy in the Roto Chip. With this setup he will troll as slow as 1 MPH.

His comments are, “I have never seen any flasher catch fish like the ProChip 8. My

preferred color is the glow in the dark white. As the season came to an end, it caught more fish every day than any other set-up on my boat. One reason I think it works so well is that I can slow down to 1 MPH while trolling and still get good flasher action. This gets the 30 to 40 lb. spawners that will not hit a fast trolled bait late in the season”.

Rigging HotChip 8″ and 11″ Flashers

Conventional 8″ and 11″ flashers have been used by sport and commercial fishermen for decades. Rigged right, they are the top salmon catching devices in the world. The flashers are normally made of bright colored plastic and have colored tape on both sides. Embossed silver tape is very popular as is glow in the dark tape and various colors of tape.

HOW TO RIG UP A FLASHER FOR SALMON TROLLING | Learn How with Pacific Angler

FAQ

How to rig flasher for salmon fishing?

Flashers are made to ride from five feet up to twenty feet behind your weight, planer or downrigger release. Then you want your bait or lure three or four feet behind the flasher (tail leader). The size 0 (nine inch) dodger is close coupled and only about twenty-six inches behind your weight or release.

How to rig up for salmon fishing?

A standard setup for salmon often consists of a snap swivel at the end of the mainline, a leader from 12-48” to a single hook with egg loop, a corky on the line above the hook, and yarn on the hook (Photo 1).

How far should a flasher be from a spoon?

I run the 5- to 7-in spoons 8 ft back from the flasher, and the 3- to 5-in spoons between 3 and 8 ft back. Sometimes the fish are flasher-shy; they prefer the spoon further back behind the dummy flasher—say, 15 feet.

What is the best flasher for chinook salmon?

The Best Flasher Colors for Chinook Salmon Fishing The standby colors for flashers have typically been green, red, and silver. The green edge resembles the greenish backs encountered in schooling herring. The red edge resembles a ball of krill and in some cases wounded baitfish.

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