Snubbers?

[AKFISHER]

Do you guys buy snubbers or just the rubber and make them yourself? Also how much leader between the snubber swivel and the Flasher? Just getting started any hints appreciated!

[Salty]

I seldom use snubbers for anything besides Chinook. I use the green plastic ones when I use them.

For Chinook I use from 2-5 fathoms of leader from the snubber to the flasher depending on whether it is bows or mains or floats. For coho and chum I usually use from 4 feet to 12 feet. I use from 60 to 100 lb leader in mono and light Oregon twine occasionally for production fishing.

I know this doesn't limit it much but it is what I do. I put the different leader lengths and tests on different spools all ready to go. I have dozens of these ready made spools of pre tied leaders. Right now I am using 2.5 and 4 fathom leaders for the flashers. I have different colored mono, in the same test, on each spool so it is easy to remember which is which without looking at my label or when I am dealing with leaders off the spool.

I talked to a local producer today who says he varies his leader lengths to his flashers on each line. I used to run a 9 foot lead spoon leader, a four fathom flasher leader, a 7 fathom plug or spoon leader and then another four fathom flasher leader for years for Chinook. Four spreads a line, good production. Then I started fishing deep and adding leaders. Then I added bow poles and had to shorten the leaders on the bows. Result, I am totally confused most of the time.

[mydona]

I buy the black snubbers and use them with a 100 -120lb mono for King and Coho. It seems that the heavy mono (which is a stiff and lifeless line) is counter acted buy the extra stretchy blacks over the colored snubbers. IMO the heavy mono helps keeps those expensive flashers from braking off when I combined them with a 80 - 60 lb hoochy leader. How long? well I once thought that switching from 2 fm spreads to 1.5 wire meant 1/3rd more gear in the water = 1/3 more fish on board! Bad idea. My pre-tied 2 fm leaders just caused a mess of fish wraps and kinked leaders. The answer is short enough to limit those fish wraps. ie. 1 1/2fm spread = 1 - 1.5fm leader to flasher, and 2 fm beads = 1.5 -2 fms. Chum fishing? entire new game, no snubbers

[AKFISHER]

Salty and Mydona I can say thanks enough. Even though minor details for you guys it is a huge help to me. I have put everything I have ever made into this venture and havent trolled commercialy ever so we will see what happens. I dont know any trollers good enough to buddy up to so I am trying to get enough info out of this site to at least halfway understand!

[kjwelder]

Good time for you to make some friends where you tie up. good luck

[Salty]

KJ has it right, no substitute for visiting with the guy across the dock. I remember my father inviting Wayne Plumley, who had the Tomboy, to come tie up in to us in Gedney harbor for dinner and some gear talk. Wayne had his flashers tied on backwards, stainless hooks on brite spoons with no iron jumper ring, etc. Dad spent hours in his cockpit helping re-rig the gear. Then Wayne went on to be a far better producer than we were.

King Salmon like a red hot-spot on a four fathom leader with a threaded salted red stripe herring about 40 inches behind. Start there and move on.