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The Big Al Fish Flash produced by Yakima Bait is hands down the flasher of choice on the west coast and this trend is starting to invade other salmon fisheries. |
Before I even stepped into the boat I could see a trend that put a big smile on my face. Literally every angler walking down the dock, every captain getting his boat ready for clients and every anxious group of anglers at the boat launch had an unique flasher hanging from their fishing line called the Big Al Fish Flash.
Produced by Yakima Bait (www.yakimabait.com) one of the largest tackle manufacturers in the USA, the Fish Flash is a triangle shaped flasher that spins on it’s own axis. Compared to other attractors, the Fish Flash puts out more strobes of light and moves through the water with zero drag or resistance.
These flashers are used most commonly in front of cut herring rigs, anchovy rigs, spinners and plugs. On the Columbia River anglers use a three way rig that encompasses a lead weight on a 12 inch dropper. A Fish Flash (usually an eight inch model) is added behind the lead weight and a four to five foot leader is added terminating to a cut bait rig or lure.
I’ve been using Fish Flash
back home in the Great Lakes on various diving planers, Tadpole Divers
and in combination with my downrigger set ups for several years with lots of success. To date I’ve caught king, coho, Atlantic, and pink salmon on the Fish Flash. I’ve also landed steelhead, walleye, brown trout and lake trout using these same flasher attractors. Unfortunately, I rarely see other other anglers following my lead. Even many of my trusted charter captain buddies who I’ve shared the secret with are reluctant to try Fish Flash.
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Jake with his biggest Columbia River king to date. Note in the background the Big Al Fish Flash that helped him catch this monster salmon. |
Produced in literally every color combination imaginable, my buddy and salmon fishing legend Buzz Ramsey taught me that chrome finishes tend to work better for on sunny days and painted finishes are the better producers on overcast days or early and late in the day. In clear water I’ve also discovered that downsizing the flasher and using more subtle colors pays off big time. In stained to dirty water conditions I find that brighter colored flashers and larger models produce best.
It’s also a wise idea to use a longer six to seven foot leader between the flasher and the lure or bait when fishing in clear water. In stained to dirty water a four foot leader is about perfect.