Flashers

[beldo]

How well do flashers work and is it worth using them. If so, what kind do you recommend and how and where would you attach them?

-peter

 

[HawaiianSlang]

Attach 'em to your float or reflective tape on your gun i heard works pretty well. Alot of people are talking about disco balls being really good flashers. I bought a trolling flasher rig at F'ing walmart of all places for 6 bucks and hooked it up to latch onto my float, but i havent had a chance to use it yet.......

 

[atomichaggis]

A mark drag suspended from a float has the same effect.

 

[icarus pacific]

Rigging some salmon spoons on your floatline is a good way to draw in the Yellowtail down your way. Trouble is once you go into the kelp foe Whites, they hang up pretty miserably, so have a way to unclip them or go with a rell in the kelp and loose the floatline.

 

[Mr. X]

A mark drag suspended from a float has the same effect.

What's a "mark drag"?
(Hawiaan Slang -- any chance of a picture?)

Alison wrote a piece way back about suspending a bag of crushed crabs as an attractor. I had a surreal experience on holiday this summer. I swam out to place a crab trap before spearing, usually I take my speargun with me - but as I wasn't going far, I decided to leave it behind until I had placed the trap. As I dived to adjust the position of the trap, I looked up to see 16-20 small and medium size bass looking at me - bloody typical! I overarmed it back to shore (wearing the big fins!) and scared up 3 big bass that were hiding in different places in weed very close to shore (less than 30 feet out). When I returned with the speargun I saw no bass at first, although I did get a decent size mullet & got a second glimpse of the bass shoal, which had moved closer into shore, on the way back.

I wonder if the bait drew the fish in, or perhaps just normal curiosity (as aspetto depends on). BTW Aspetto seemed to work consistently well in S. Devon but rarely seems to work for me in Dorset. On the last day, I dumped some fish heads (couldn't be bothered to set the crab trap) not far from shore on the way out. Got a nice mullet in that spot on the way back -- might just be coincidence, the mullet usually come close in to the beach.

BTW my RA spear has a shiney silver barb that hangs down, SA-style. I notice fish seem too aware of the movement of my speargun (it certainly does not seem to attract them), so I recently tried blacking the front of the barb out to make it less conspicuous (like the rest of the gun). No conclusion yet & most of it has worn off. I was using a muppet attached to the muzzle at the time & it seemed the barb would be at least as visible as the muppet. Some mullet came in for a look, so maybe it helped (got one that day).

 

[atomichaggis]

mark drags are a line of strung trolling blades made to mimmick a shool of small fish.
Salmon trolling- Halibut fishing - Panther Martin Mark Drag flasher lure fishing

 

[Mr. X]

That looks just the ticket for the UK (the RA flashers are much bigger - works of art really) - reasonable price too. Have you used them successfully (do flashers work in the UK)?

Reminds me of the rig I trolled from my kayak one time this Summer: 3 holographic mackeral feathers with a blue/while plastic eel 18" behind for drag (a small bass took the eel).

I'd quite like to get one. Dual use: yak trolling & spearing flasher. It was interesting that they caught flat fish with it. Are they available in the UK (or mail order from abroad)?

 

[atomichaggis]

Mark drags are super. They are used very commonly here for the fresh water trolling for salmon, artic char and trout. In the sea in they mostly take Trout, pollack and salmon and the halibut. of course the halibut isn't any old flattie... its up to 200 odd kilos of hunting machine that will take Giant jigging shads and whole livebaits.

The mark drags are well versatile. you can free line them whilst trolling for mid to surface hunters or off a vane at depth for halibut. You can even just hang them baited whilst ice fishing. I think their best uk use would be trolling for pollack and/or trout and probably bass.
They'll definately create interest as a flasher as they even take fish just dangled in the drink.

I'll have a look around see if I can find an outlet. They have various types in the shops here but everything here is dear.

 

[atomichaggis]

only place I saw one in the UK was here... Trolling tackle .
Apart from that the US of A seems to have the best selection of drags, But You might just be better buying some metal spoons, crimps, beads and wire from veals or another good UK store and make Your own. I dunno if they have 'self clevis' spoons there but inline spoons will do.

found this whilst looking, might be of interest... Trolling Spoon

 

[jimy286]

Hay mr x...how do you do the loby pot?

Do you leve it over night...and do you put a marker on it?

 

[Mr. X]

Hay mr x...how do you do the loby pot?

Do you leave it over night...and do you put a marker on it?

Ineffectively! I think leaving it out overnight is probably a key thing to do. However, I usually just place it before spearing & pick it up on the way back, as I'm rarely in the same place 2 days in a row; once I've found a good location, I'd be happy to stay there for days but I am often with others, so that's usually not practical. I've never caught anything worthwhile in it - just little crabs & fish. I know there are bigger crabs & lobsters in at least some of the places I have placed it. So yes, I think leaving it longer & over night are probably the key.

The trap I use is lightweight, so I am always concerned that it might get wrecked, lost or stolen if left out long. Yes, I use a lobster pot marker buoy (found washed up on a beach sometime ago). I saw an identical trap while diving recently -- probably placed by a nearby boat/yacht -- but they'd used a float line that was way too short & had not weighted the trap. When I went out it was fine amongst weed & rocks but when I returned, the tide had come in and it was just floating about above the sea floor and in danger of being wrecked or lost (they used an old plastic container - like a smaller version of a 5l oil container - as their float; lots of those to be found on the beaches these days). I usually insert quite a lot of rocks into the trap to keep it in position, use a line (washing line currently) long enough to handle the tidal range (as best I can tell) - although it will sometimes tangle if the currents rush about in different directions (they often do). I once tried using a very small, bright coloured egg float to reduce lift but it was hard to find -- so I use a regular 8"(?) lobster pot buoy now.

 

[jimy286]

once I've found a good location, I'd be happy to stay there for days but I am often with others, so that's usually not practical.

Your the kind of buddy i need...somone who doesnt get out till they have to.

How often are you over dorset way?

 

[Mr. X]

once I've found a good location, I'd be happy to stay there for days but I am often with others, so that's usually not practical.

Your the kind of buddy i need...somone who doesnt get out till they have to.

How often are you over dorset way?

Hi Jimy, that'd be good. I try to go down most weekends when the weather looks promising & I don't have injuries or commitments. It's often a last minute decision as to if & when I go. I have been going early, sometimes very early (to avoid traffic & because I am an early riser) - although thinking about going later now that the days are getting shorter.

 

[jimy286]

That all sounds good Mr X. Im all for spending as much time in the water as possible..day or night..or both!

Im mainly night diving for flatties at the moment....doing well.

I am living right by the water and there is usually a spare bed.