Getting The Most From Big Al Fish Flash
The Fishing 411 crew commonly use Fish Flash in front of walleye spinners to attract and catch Great Lakes walleye.
The Big Al Fish Flash has rapidly become the “attractor” of choice among salmon and trout fishermen. The unique triangle shape of the Fish Flash allows this attractor to spin on it’s own axis, creating massive amounts of fish attracting flash and offering up near zero drag in the water.
The flash created by this attractor imitates the flash that naturally occurs when predator fish slash into a school of bait fish. When predator fish see flashes of light in the water, it’s like the dinner bell is ringing!
THE STANDARD RIG
Fish Flash can be fished in a multitude of ways, but the standard set up is a three way swivel rig. The main line attaches to one of the arms of the three way swivel, a short dropper with a lead weight attaches to the second arm and a five to six foot leader with the Fish Flash at one end and a plug, spinner, spoon, cut-bait or live bait rig is offered at the terminal end.
Because this attractor doesn’t impart action to lures, it’s best to match up Fish Flash with lures and baits that have their own natural action.
DOWNRIGGERS
Fish Flash is also commonly used in combination with downriggers. The downrigger rod is rigged with a round nose snap, then the attractor is attached directly to this snap. A five to seven foot leader is added to the back of the Fish Flash and the lure or bait of choice added at the terminal end.
This highly effective attractor rig can be fished anywhere from 10 to 100 feet behind the downrigger ball. The rule of thumb is the clearer the water is, the further this rig should be fished behind the downrigger weight. Fish Flash rigs are equally effective on suspended species like king, coho and Atlantic salmon or bottom loving fish including lakers and brown trout.
The Big Al Fish Flash is primarily used to catch trout and salmon, but Paige proves that Fish Flash also works great on other species like this Great Lakes cisco a member of the whitefish family.
DIVERS AND TROLLING SINKERS
Another effective way to rig up Fish Flash is to attach this attractor directly to the back of popular diving planers, mini-disks and trolling sinkers using the provided round nose snaps. These rigs can be fished as flat lines off the corners of the boat or fished in combination with planer boards to spread out lines and cover more water.
SINKING LINES
Fish Flash can also be used in combination with lead core line, copper line and the new weighted stainless trolling wires. Because Fish Flash has nearly zero drag in the water, it doesn’t negatively impact on the diving ability of diving planers, trolling sinkers or sinking lines.
The Fishing 411 crew traveled west to the Columbia River to learn more about Fish Flash and how to get the most from this popular form of “attractor” fishing.
FISH FLASH SIZES
Fish Flash is available in several sizes including 4, 6, 8 and 10 inch models. Among west coast trout and salmon fishermen the 6, 8 and 10 inch models are the most popular. In the Great Lakes where waters are often gin clear, smaller 4 and 6 inch models are the most popular.
Most anglers who have discovered the power of Fish Flash are using these attractors in front of their favorite salmon and trout spoons, spinners, plugs and cut-bait rigs. Fish Flash is highly effective when targeting other open water species, most notable Great Lakes walleye.
A four inch Fish Flash used in front of live bait rigs like the popular Hammer Time Walleye Spinner, works wonders when targeting suspended walleye.
COLOR MATCHING
Fish Flash comes in dozens of color choices. Many anglers prefer to color match the Fish Flash to the lure or bait they are fishing. For example, if a trolling spoon is being used and that lure is primarily chartreuse and silver in color, pick a Fish Flash that also uses those shades of color.
SUMMING IT UP
On the west coast literally every trout and salmon fisherman has discovered the power of Fish Flash. Wildly popular and often copied by other manufacturers, the Yakima Fish Flash leads the charge among anglers targeting kings, coho, kokanee, lake trout and steelhead.
In the Great Lakes Fish Flash is just beginning to get popular. The Fishing 411 TV crew uses Fish Flash often and to date they have caught kings, coho, Atlantic salmon, pinks, brown trout, lake trout, steelhead, walleye and cisco using these attractors.
Everyone agrees that flash attracts fish and nothing puts out more flash in the water than Fish Flash.
