My Thumb Kept Moving

My mind has been drifting to the upcoming springer season lately, the forecast for the upcoming year should be out very soon.  Memories from last year have been running through my mind of the days on the water, and the fish in the freezer.  But one memory keeps playing in my mind and it almost haunts me to this day.

Fishing had been red hot for the past weeks and the day was my turn to actually take my boat out for the first time, typically I find myself on others friends boats since mine is a little "frail".  Thankfully the people that I fish with are very accomplished fishermen and are typically on the fish.  Well this day was my day to pilot and I was nervous that I would blank the day.

The day started out with herring and of course flashers!  Lines deployed and weights ever so lightly ticking the bottom of the river bed, we were fishing.  The first half of the pass was uneventful and my mind immediately started second guessing the choice of fishing spots, but we trolled on.  Making the turn at the top of the run and heading back the same luck with no bites.  Shoot, here we go, the ridicule and torment of a no fish day and we werent even into the first hour of the trip!  Time to calm down....

Decisions in my head to try an adjoining troll was made without a word spoken to my fishing partner but he spoke up and asked where we were headed.  Secret place was all I could think of for an answer.  The water was shallowing up and I made the comment to watch the rods so we wouldnt snag on the old growth that I knew littered the bottom.  No more did I get the comment out when the front rod slowly starts to go down, must be the bottom I had warned about when the rod came alive!  A nice fight and the first fish into the boat!  Ok, time to relax, we werent going to be skunked!

The day went on with a second fish landed, but sadly five others had been missed.  Then the fateful words of "last pass" were made.....  We had found a submerged hump in the river that on previous passes had two hookups so the course was made to hit the hump one last time.  50', 45' in route to 20' depth with no takers on the upswing, the weights ticked the top of the ridge as it slowly started to drop off again, 25',  30' then 35' when it happened.  The rod in my hand started a slow tap tap as I looked to see if the depth had started to rise.  Nope, a fish!  Slowly lowering the rod tip to the water when a long tug of the line and a bass master hookset sunk the hooks into the jaw of the silver salmon!  Number 8 for the day!

The fish headed for the bottom and wouldnt budge, the fight was a tug of war and I wasnt winning.  Minutes later (which felt like and hour) the fish finally came off the bottom and slowly toward the boat.  The water had a green milky tint so when the fish turned to its side at 10' below the flash of silver was stunning, the fish is big.  Line started to come off of the reel again as the drag relented to the strong pulls from below, the fish slowly drifted from view.  Line and rod stayed taunt with pressure trying to coax the fish back to the awaiting net.  Minutes passed and the fish slowly relented to the pull and came back into view again.

Closer the fish came toward the surface and the size was finally revealed, this was a very nice springer.  Slowly putting pressure and a slow lift of the rod brought the fish closer to the net, and the end was in sight.  Another lift of the rod and the fish decided for a last ditch effort to escape.

You know that moment when the movie goes to slow motion to add more drama?  Your mind usually goes into slow motion when you know something bad is about to happen but it to fast to actually stop the action....  my thumb moved.... I dont know why but it moved, I knew it wasnt supposed to but it did on its own, I can still see it move in my mind.  The reel started to spin as the fish headed toward the bottom again, my thumb kept moving.  I felt the braid touch my skin and deep down I knew it was a mistake, but my thumb kept moving.  More sink touched the braid as pressure was applied, my thumb kept moving.  The fishes tail kept moving, my thumb kept moving but the reel stopped. Line and rod strain when the movie in my mind goes to full speed again.  I see the tail make one more sweep of the water then slowly move into the green of the water.  Line hanging limp with the flasher spinning in a rhythmic time.  The hooks at eye level now tell the story,  the bottom hook is bent straight.

Silence, my mind raced thinking did that really happen?  How could I have been that impatient and thumb the reel?  Silence is broken.... That was a big fish.... I sunk into the chair and called it a day.

Springer season cant come soon enough for redemption

Spring Wrap-up

July 3rd was my official last "springer" of the season, just an epic fishery this year even with the high, cold and off colored water, we still found where the fish were hiding.  From the pictures and responses I would say others using the Shortbus Flashers were finding the same success.

So, with the first official springer season under our belts, we answer the question of "what worked?"  Let me tell you hands down the new Florescent Series with Blink technology were flat putting fish in the boat!  I was absolutely amazed just how fast they went from a prototype to full on production. Honestly I was shooting for a B-10 release and had no idea what we had stumbled onto.  Springers went nuts for the colors and the pictures started pouring in with success.

Double flashers were also the rage this season, ganging a small and medium size in line would also produce very well especially in deep water where you weren't needing to bounce the bottom but it was defiantly more prevalent this year.

So whats next? B10 is just around the corner and many are starting to gear up for the season.  With a predicted record run, this will be the year you want to be in the water!  Make sure to have enough herring to get through the season, with the cooler water, you will be running bait quite a bit in the beginning and if the current closures hold, be ready for deep water fishing below the bridge. 

Make sure to have enough different colors of flashers at hand to find what they are hitting on particular days.  Along with the Florescent series, dont forget the Hunter, Watermelon and the mirror gold colors to round out your arsenal, the extra bright colors will "shine" in the big water areas this year.

More important than catching fish, please be safe on the water!!!

Hot New Color Options!

Well, I guess I still havent figured out how many color options is enough.  Shortbus Flashers wants to be an innovator on the water and be the "go to" option for getting into fish.  So, what does that take to be the best?  How about trial and error, what about thinking outside of the box?  Well lets give it a try!  Here is a sneak peak of the evolution of the Shortbus line!!

Florescent finishes!

 
I have added the color to the "Hunter" line and also put a strip of UV Tape on the back because, Mo Flash, Mo Betta!!

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No More Tangles!!

First, I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Joe Salvey of Fish Hawk Adventures 

Joe is one of the latest guides to join the Shortbus Flashers Pro Staff, and was gracious enough to call me with an exciting idea on the flasher tangling issue.  For years you've heard of people complain that the flasher comes back in a big tangled mess, and generally it has been attributed to letting the line out to fast or bouncing on the bottom.  Well, feast your eyes on this idea!!

First, the "old way" of rigging the flasher - You can see where the typical swivel gets caught in the very tight turn of the eye causing the twising of line issue.

Now, using the same swivel, just open it completely thus allowing the swivel to pass to the other side of the swivel - as you can see, the swivel is now on an end that doesnt have the quick bends that will typically bind a swivel

Next step is to bend the duo-lock open enough to pass the "tight eye" end through the eye of the flasher

With the new rigging, here is a picture of the traditional rigging and the new suggested way of rigging, and try as you might, you cant get the swivel to bind on the duo-lock.  Second benefit is the eye that is now through the eye of the flasher is small enough that it eliminates the possibility of the duo-lock getting stuck on the plastic.  Third benefit is now the swivel is orientated correctly so the ball bearings are spinning as opposed to the line getting the extra twist and the open end of the swivel is "down stream"

Again, thank you so much to Joe for sharing this info and hopefully keep everyone fishing more instead of untangling lines!!

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Whirlwind!

Wow!  That's the best way I can describe it.  The Sportsman Show was a great success, MANY long nights taping and prepping from the sales during the day.  Lots of people stopped to chuckle at the Shortbus name, but all in all the response was great from a majority of the people.

I was surprised on how well the High Contrast and 50/50 series flashers were taken.  To the tune of 10 / 1 ratio over the solid finishes!  The star of the line up was the "Hunter" series flasher.  I almost couldnt keep up with the volume of sales for it.  For those wondering what "Hunter" is, it is a clear UV tape with UV Chartreuse over 1/2 on both sides so as it spins the colors shine through the tape and reflect the color.

The response was so good that i think it will be a new line with all of the color options available.

Some springers have been reported on a little more frequent basis, but not enough to start hitting the water myself.  Its close, very close though.....

Happy trolling and good luck to all!!

fishing flashers, shortbus flashers, salmon trolling

Sportsman Show

I'm nervous.  Pure and simple, I'm nervous.  Do I have enough product, will people want the flashers.  Do I have to much product.  I'm nervous.  Wednesday is the big day, setting up with two wonderful suppliers, Hoggs Hardcore Tuna Tackle and Pacific NW Sporting Goods.  Both will have the full line of flashers but I'm still nervous.

Responses have been great for the new colors, but how many do you need taped and ready?  Is 10 enough or do I need 100?  Yes I'm nervous.

GREAT support from some people who I have just met and will be running the Shortbus Flashers line in their boats this year.  Will the reports be good?  Yes I'm nervous.....

The new "Hunter" flasher pure UV finish has had some AMAZING response.... I'm nervous.

Lets get this started, calm my mind so I can sleep.  May the fishermen come in droves looking for the Shorbus Flashers.....

But yet I am still nervous.................And 4 more days of waiting.....

Internet Power

Got a heads up last night that someone posted a thread on Ifish asking about Delta Flashers VS. Shortbus Flashers.  Ifish Thread some of the questions asked were regarding the wire running down the back vs. the eyes on the end.  I do want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who replied to the thread with positive remarks, it makes the plastic bending that much more rewarding!

To answer some questions on both - the wire is a pivot point for the Delta version, the flasher travels around the shaft and you clip your swivels to either end of the flasher making the connection.  Shortbus Flashers (and others for that matter) have eyes in opposing ends and again using the swivels to connect mainline.  

Some people have mentioned that if the fish breaks the flasher, the wire will keep the fish on even if the plastic is broke.  When I have had the opportunity to talk to the users on the broken flasher, it has always came back to equipment failure meaning the swivel unclips or breaks in half.  Not a plastic issue, I actually made a video to show just how much force is needed to break a Shortbus Flasher - 

Breaking Point

Lets just say I have no idea how a fish can get that much torque on the flasher.  Unless there is a flaw in the blade or possibly a very old flasher that has turned brittle but as we all know, stuff happens.

So, good and bad of the wire? Good is that is spins very freely, bad is that it has a wire that can fray and cut lines or on the new ones, the crimp point of the solid wire has a small tag end that can bind the mono line and slice it off in a heartbeat.  If you use a good quality stainless steel ball bearing swivel, you will get as good of a spin on your Shortbus Flasher as you do the wire ones. 

So why do you pick one over the other?  Local business and the option to have ANY color combination in the Shortbus Line!

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Introducing........

WHOOT!!!!  Let me tell you right out of the gate that yesterday was stellar!! Phone lit up with Shortbus questions.  What does that mean?  First thing it means it that the springers are getting closer and people are starting to get the itch to start trolling!

Ok, rewind to yesterday morning - phone call from a hopefully soon to be named guide....  long story short, he had gotten ahold of some of my early releases and ran them at B10 season and decided that he would run them exclusively this year!

One catch.... do you make a 10" version???  Shoot... no sir not yet.  Well, CAN you make a 10"???  Ok, I may be a bit slow but when someone asks nicely if Shortbus Flashers can produce a custom size the answer is YES! 


So, here is a soft release of the 10" version.  Two weeks and they should be in my chubby little hands and pictures soon after!

Heres to a fabulous springer season!!

Fishing flasher, fish catching colors, salmon trolling, fishing guides

2011 Color Combos

Drum roll please!!  I am proud to unveil the new color combos just added to the Shortbus Flasher line-up!!

In an effort to provide the utmost in color contrasts, we sat down with some leaders in the field and put together a hot new lineup for the 2011 season!

Introducing the "currently un-named" lineup!  So, instead of some boring names, I'm looking for help in naming the new line, just remember it has to be P.C. enough to put on the labels and for marketing, so let the names begin!

Carbon Fiber / Chartreuse

Red / Chartreuse

Chartreuse / Purple

Kelly Green / Chartreuse

Closer...

First week of January, I havent been out to fish for way to long.  My mind is already drifting to the thought of headless herring and Shortbus Flashers twirling in the off colored water of the Willamette and Columbia rivers.

What I wouldnt give for the low idle of the kicker motor in my hand, rod and reel in the other.  The slow methodical release of the line as it slowly slips toward the bottom of the river.  The light tapping of the lead just skimming inches from the bottom of the river bed following the contours but always searching for that ever reliable bump.

I wont use the rod holder for weeks into the season, I live for the extra tap on the line, the sudden plunge of the rod tip. The subtle bend in the rod as the tip slowly gets closer to the surface of the water.  Electricity in the air, the dog actually takes notice that something is about to happen....  the rod tip dances with life at the end of the line and an full swing of the rod in hope of driving the hook home and what we all live for....  The first mighty head shake of the season!

Yep, were getting closer.....

Photo courtesy of Lytle Charters

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