By Luhr Jensen Pro
Staff
Coupled with the effectiveness
of trolling technique, flashers and dodgers are
deadly fish attractors in both fresh and salt
water. They are rigged in the line between the
lure and downrigger release, diver or lead to
provide attraction and impart erratic action
to trailing lures such as plugs, spoons, flies
or plastic squids.
Jensen Dodger (finish #0878 "Hot Banana")
Trolling with dodgers
or flashers produces excellent results because
you can cover a large amount of water in a very
short time, thereby locating concentrations of
fish with the least amount of time and effort
expended. The flash and sound of these attractors
draws fish from considerable distances, allowing
you to cover a wider swath of water effectively
with each pass . . . a big advantage when prospecting
unknown waters or when fish are scattered.
Successful trolling
requires a knowledge of fish and their habits,
proper equipment, the ability to troll various
depths and a willingness to experiment with different
attractors, lures and color patterns.
Tackle for trolling
dodgers or flashers consists of a stout 7- to
9-ft. trolling rod, free-spool-type star drag
reel filled with 20- to 30-lb. test premium monofilament
line and a downrigger, diver or selection of
lead weights to get your offering down into fish
territory.
DODGERS vs.
FLASHERS
The big difference between dodgers and flashers is the way they
run through the water when being trolled. A dodger has a side-to-side
swaying action while a flasher develops full 360° rotations.
This provides you with two completely different types of attractors,
each giving off specific flash and vibration patterns.
Flashers and dodgers
impart an erratic, darting action to trailing
lures and produce fish-attracting flash and sound.
Plugs, spoons, flies and squids all can be used
with a dodger, which transfers a crippled baitfish
action to these lures. Flies and squids are best
used behind an Abe 'n Al® rotating flasher because
they have no action of their own in the water
and the flasher will give them a lifelike, erratic
natural baitfish action.
For dodgers, the correct
fish-attracting speed and action is achieved
when the attractor has a side-to-side swaying
motion. With your boat moving "dead slow",
place a rigged dodger-and-lure setup in the water
(see illustration) and slowly increase your speed
until the dodger has developed the proper action.
This is your optimum trolling speed.
Optimum rotating flasher
speed, on the other hand, is obtained when the
attractor is working in regular full 360° rotations.
With your boat in motion, place a rigged flasher-and-lure
setup in the water (see illustration) and increase
your speed until the flasher develops these regular,
full revolutions. Note: Flashers
generally work better at slightly faster speeds
than dodgers.
DODGER
RIGGING
Shown in the following diagrams are various ways to rig a dodger
for trolling.  Note
the recommended leader-to-lure lengths and leader from weight-to-dodger
lengths carefully as too long a leader will negatively affect
lure action. Also, too short a leader from lead, diver or downrigger
release to the dodger will restrict the action of the dodger
and inhibit its fish-attracting capabilities. These leader rules
also apply to flashers.
Dodgers can be used
with a keel-type sinker, behind divers such as
the Pink Lady®, Deep Six® or Dipsy
Diver® or behind a downrigger release, all
of which are diagrammed above.
FLASHER RIGGING
The other illustrations above present two proven ways to rig
a flasher for trolling.  Remember
that the correct fish-attracting speed for a rotating flasher
occurs when it is being pulled through the water just fast
enough to make complete 360° regular rotations. This will
result in a steady throb-throb-pause, throb-throb-pause action
at your rod tip.
When using up to six
ounces of weight, keel-type sinkers are adequate,
but when more weight is required, it is suggested
that you use an Abe 'n Al® 3-way swivel and round
lead ball as it will maintain maximum flasher-to-lure
transferred action and minimize the possibility
of tangles and line twist.
The most popular color
finishes for dodgers and flashers are Chrome,
Chrome/Silver Prism-Lite® and Fire. Hammered
Chrome flashers and dodgers, however, are being
used more and more as they disperse light in
all directions as do the Prism-Lite® finishes.
In the Great Lakes, Fire, Chartreuse, Watermelon
and Kelly Green models are increasingly popular
and in the Northwest, White and 50/50 Brass/Chrome
are very productive.
Finish #0014 - Hammered Chrome
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Finish #0301 - 5-/50 Brass/Chrome
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These are only a few
of the colors available for the Abe 'n Al®, Alaskan
Eagle and Jensen Dodger models from Luhr Jensen.
The smaller of the Jensen Dodgers, the #040 (4" x
1 3/8") and #030 (4 5/8" x 1 1/2")
are generally used for trout or kokanee fishing
while the larger sizes are preferred for salmon
and other big fish. The size of dodger you select
should be based somewhat on the size of the trailing
lure you wish to use. For instance, a large J-Plug® might
overpower the action of a small #030 dodger so
a larger one would be used such as the #007,
#000 or even the large #001. If you're going
to fish deep, larger dodgers will provide more
flash and stronger vibration which can draw fish
from farther away. In clear or shallow water
conditions, a smaller dodger might be used.
Abe 'n Al Flasher
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The
Abe 'n Al® flashers are available in five
sizes ranging from the smallest #006 (6" x
1") to the largest #002 (13 1/2" x
2 5/8") with the #006 best used for
trout on light gear and the larger ones
for salmon, other big fish and deep trolling
situations. The largest (#002) should be
used for deep, heavy trolling conditions. |
FISH PREFERENCES
Following are some helpful tips relating to particular fish species.
Although there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to
fishing, there are many regularly observed fish habits and
preferences that will give you a definite edge if you're
familiar with them.
COHO: When
the temperature is right in fresh water and during
most of their life in salt water, coho salmon
are surface or shallow water oriented. They generally
can be found at depths less than 50 feet and
are a fast fish when compared with Chinook or
lake trout. They especially like the fast action
of a dodger (#007 or #000 are popular) in combination
with flies and squids. The rule of thumb for
a fly or squid lure behind a dodger is to use
a leader of about 1 1/2 times the length of the
dodger. In the Great Lakes, some anglers have
been successful with leaders as short as 6".
These impart incredibly fast action to the trailing
lure. The principle here is to use a longer leader
for slower action and a shorter for faster action.
Since it is easier to shorten a leader then change
to a longer one, start with 12 to 18 inches and
then shorten it until you get the desired lure
action. A super-fast action fly used in combination
with a dodger is deadly for coho. Some effective
spoons to try are the Kokanee King, Krocodile,
#31 Alpena Diamond and the Coyote.
CHINOOK: When
compared with coho, Chinook salmon prefer deeper
water and larger, slower-action lures and attractors.
They often shy away from unnatural movements
in the water, so longer leaders are generally
used. The Abe 'n Al® flasher is a proven attractor
for deep water Chinook and its lazy, rotating
action is often exactly what turns them on. When
used with flies or squids, leader lengths between
the lure and flasher should be 1 1/2 to 2 1/2
times the flasher length or between 18" and
30". The longer the leader, the slower and
more deliberate the action imparted to the trailing
lure.
Chinook and coho in
most of the Great Lakes grow to trophy size feeding
primarily on forage fish. Consequently, the most
productive baits for trolling with flashers there
are whole herring, plug-cut herring, herring
strips and plastic squids baited with a herring
strip. Rigged correctly a whole herring will
roll in a slight arc at a rate of 1 to 2 revolutions
per second. The Herring Aid® provides one of
the simplest, most effective ways to rig whole
herring to produce an effective rolling action
at slow trolling speeds. The #2 size works best
in the Great Lakes where alewives average 6 to
7 inches.
LAKE TROUT: As
with Chinook, lake trout prefer slow, deliberate-action
attractors and lures. Dodger-and-fly, dodger-and-spoon
or dodger-and-plug combinations are all effective
provided they are fished slowly and deep with
adequate leader lengths between the attractor
and lure. For lake trout, leaders should be from
16 to 24 inches (sometimes even longer) between
the dodger and lure as this will promote slower
action from the lure itself . . . an action often
productive for lake trout. Small squids and flies,
usually rigged with a treble hook if allowed,
are preferred. Some good spoons to try are a
Krocodile®, Flutter Spoon, Diamond King or Alpena
Diamond.
SALT vs. FRESH
WATER
When trolling in salt water, you'll find the optimum feeding
and fish-catching times during low light periods and from an
hour before, during and an hour after a tide change. Fish areas
where birds are working on baitfish schools and troll the clean
sides of rips.
In fresh water, such
as in the Great Lakes, the time of day isn't
nearly as critical as locating the depth of the
preferred temperature level for the fish species
you're seeking . . . the thermocline. Lakes stratify
into three separate layers of water in the spring
and stay that way until cold weather. The middle
layer, where there is a larger concentration
of dissolved oxygen, baitfish and therefore predator
fish, is called the thermocline and can usually
be found from 10 to 80 feet down. This is a temperature
layer as well as an oxygen-saturated layer and
fish will relate to it as both a comfort zone
and one where their body metabolism functions
the most efficiently. These fish will be suspended
and feeding on alewives, smelt or other forage
fish.
The peak feeding and
optimum temperature for coho and Chinook is 54° with
an active range from 44° to 58°. For lake trout,
the peak feeding and optimum temperature is 51° with
activity from 43° to 53°. Fish will rarely venture
out of these zones, once stratification has taken
place, except to catch a meal and then will quickly
return to it. One thing to remember when fishing
the thermocline is that its depth can change
from day to day because of wind and/or wave action.
It may be several feet deeper or shallower from
one day to the next so you'll have to relocate
it each time you go out.
DEPTH SOUNDERS
There probably is no one accessory more important as a good quality
depth sounder such as those made by Bottomline, for producing
optimum trolling results. A flasher unit will pinpoint the
depth at which fish are suspended, thereby allowing you to
get your lure to the right depth with no guesswork. These
units also enable you to spot underwater contour changes
such as ledges, dropoffs, islands and other structure that
fish relate to that otherwise can't be found with any consistency.
A paper chart recording
depth sounder will provide you with the previous
advantages plus give you a permanent record to
refer back to. You can chart specific areas,
bottom contours and the like and actually see
your lure and fish that are close by. Schools
of baitfish (and sometimes the thermocline layer)
which are only momentary blips on a flasher unit
can be seen and followed with a chart recorder.
A depth sounder will allow you to zero in on
the right fish-holding depth at the right time
and over the right structure. It's an investment
that will pay for itself in both fish and fishing
enjoyment.
ADDITIONAL
TIPS
Here are several tips to file away in your memory bank.
• Use a quality, premium monofilament line, such as Trilene XT
which has high knot strength, low visibility in the water, thin
diameter in relation to strength and great abrasion resistance.
• Know the area you plan to fish BEFORE going out by talking
with local anglers, sporting goods personnel, studying charts
and maps and reading local fishing publications.
• Try to match the size and color of the baitfish in the water
you'll be fishing.
• Save a lot of valuable fishing time by pre-rigging and pre-tying
all of your gear at home. Leaders can be pre-tied with snaps
or snap swivels and all you'll have to do to change lures, attractors
or weights is to undo and refasten a snap or two.
Those are some of
the tips, techniques and riggings which will
help you become a more successful troller with
dodgers and/or flashers. GOOD LUCK FISHING!
Source: Luhr-Jensen
Tech Reports
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