Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD
I love to write reviews of products which I first view with a dose of skepticism but in actual use, my skeptical attitude gets a rude and quick adjustment. Such was the case when I got a ScentFlash Triangle Flasher from Mack’s Lures.
First, I’ve never been and few other Great Lake salmon and trout guys are triangle flasher fishers. Our flashers and dodgers rotate and spin or wobble side to side to attract the fish close enough to spot the fly or other lure trailing along behind. The wiggling or wobbling is what gives the “action” to the trailing lure. A triangle flasher just spins and gives basically zero action to the trailing lure.
The difference between the ScentFlash Flasher and other brands is the Mack’s version snaps apart revealing a narrow cavity inside into which an absorbent pad (included) can be added. Any number of fish attractant elixirs can be applied to the pad, the flasher snapped back together and now, the attractant leaves an odor trail.
Because of my skepticism, I toted my sample flasher along with me for several trips before actually putting it to the test. I pulled it out one day when coho were being caught in the top half of the water column with what seemed to be a solid layer of lake trout feeding under them. Catching fish was not a problem.
With about an hour left to fish, I pulled out the ScentFlash – a chartreuse blade with silver tape stickers model. I also pulled out a can of sardines packed in oil to use as the attractant. I smashed a sardine in the narrow scent chamber and snapped it shut. I put a green/glow spoon behind the flasher on about a 30-inch leader, attached the line to one of my back downriggers and sent the sardines, flasher and spoon down near the bottom. (I assumed the trout would be the most susceptible species.)
The results weren’t instantaneous – it took about 10 minutes for the combo to get bit. It wasn’t a laker, either, it was a chinook salmon of about 10 pounds.
“What were you thinking?” I asked the fish as I dislodged the hook. (It didn’t answer.) Neither did the coho salmon that bit the deep-set flasher/spoon a few minutes later and neither did the lake trout that finished our trip that day.
I was far less skeptical after that and I did further tests. (I also ordered a few spare ScentFlash Flashers from the Mack’s Lure website – http://www.mackslure.com).
I’ve stuck with sardines in oil to add the scent, but I’ve experimented with the lures to trail behind along behind the flasher. My “go-to” lure I usually run deep for belly-to-bottom lake trout is a dodger or flasher with a Spin-N-Glo trailing behind. Would the Spin-N-Glo work with the ScentFlash without it adding the side to side action? Yep! Would it work with a plug? I positioned a Freedom Tackle Cut Bait Plug (featured in the June/July GLA) behind it. Bingo – fish on!
Still to test, bottled scent products instead of sardines. But it’s hard to switch away from what is working.
FISHING TOYS 