# Popping cork..Deadly weapon!!



## Rodsmith (Apr 30, 2011)

Went out today for a little afternoon incoming tide R&R with my best fishing bud, my bro-in-law Phillip. I was throwing hard baits and he was sticking with old tried and true, the popping cork and a glow doa shrimp. He hooked up and we both instantly said redfish...until we saw the spots! This lady was 23+ inches, egg laden, gently handled and released to finish her quest. We did manage a few more fish, but after this one the other ones just didn't seem picture worthy. Great job by my bro getting this one to the boat. I won't go into detail about the rod that brought her in....but it is a nice one!


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## oldenred (Apr 30, 2011)

nice fish and congrats on releasing her!


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## erock (May 1, 2011)

Rodsmith said:


> This lady was 23+ inches, egg laden, gently handled and released to finish her quest.


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## mark007 (May 1, 2011)

Very Nice, I've heard that you have been dealing out some punishment with the poping-cork!


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## Rodsmith (May 1, 2011)

The popping cork and doa shrimp is by far my go to bait combo. Once you learn how, what ,when and where, you can boat fish sometimes that even live baiters won't. My brother used to be a live bait only guy until he watched me boat 3 fish to his one for about an hour...I think I ended up eating the shrimp he bought for supper that night. I can"call" fish up from 12 feet or sometimes even out of the high tide marsh grass with the things. It did take quite a bit of trial and error, just like any bait, but I hardly fish anything else, except maybe finger mullet for reds and flounder, but several of those have found the ice from the old rubber shrimp as well.


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## Capt. TJ Cheek (May 1, 2011)

Very nice fish!


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## rifleroom (May 1, 2011)

Awesome job! Congrats!


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## marshdawg (May 2, 2011)

Nice fish.  Better Release!  My questions are 1)- do you use a cajun thunder clacker,a betts clacker with a slip knot, or a concave mouth popper and 2) how deep do you fish on average?  I like the betts halo shrimp but have been partial to mud minners for the last few years.


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## brown518 (May 2, 2011)

That is a hoss of a trout. Good job!


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## mesocollins (May 2, 2011)

Can't beat a Cajun Thunder with a 5" white saltwater Gulp Jerk Shad rigged on a 1/4 oz red jighead. A concaved weighted popping cork works good also. Heck, they all work good! Just go fishing!


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## Rodsmith (May 2, 2011)

marshdawg said:


> Nice fish.  Better Release!  My questions are 1)- do you use a cajun thunder clacker,a betts clacker with a slip knot, or a concave mouth popper and 2) how deep do you fish on average?  I like the betts halo shrimp but have been partial to mud minners for the last few years.


 I use paradise poppers(titanium wire that wont bend out of shape), bass pro sells a titanium wire cork now as well. Just the 2" oval cork usually gets the job done. The leader length is VERY important with this rig. A trout, or most any gamefish likes the "ambush" approach, and if the leader is too long the fish will come to the pop and not really get a good look at the bait. The longest leader(flourocarbon-12-17lb) that I will ever use is around 28 to 32 inches, with a loop knot at the hook. This allows the pop to pull that shrimp, or whatever bait you use, almost to the top of the water, then when the fish investigates the pop, that bait will be falling right in his face...they have to eat it...they can't stand it!! I fish this rig in 4 feet and up to 20 feet at times,the right pop will bring them up.  D.O.A shrimp,1/4 oz. weight. Spring/summer-clear with gold flake, Fall/into winter-clear with red flake. These two are my favorites, on extremely clear water days, the natural color works good also. The popping cork is very deadly to trout, and is by far my go to bait. They also work great with live bait rigged as above with a flourocarbon leader and no weight with a light khale hook. I went out with Capt. Tim(wharfrat) today and caught another big girl with this rig, she was probably in around 10-12 feet of water. He may post a pic later, I forgot my camera again.


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## benbill (May 2, 2011)

What a great post.  Many thanks for all your tips and tricks.


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## ChiJoe (May 3, 2011)

Thanks for the report, Im trying to soak it all in.


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## wharfrat (May 5, 2011)

Rodsmith said:


> I use paradise poppers(titanium wire that wont bend out of shape), bass pro sells a titanium wire cork now as well. Just the 2" oval cork usually gets the job done. The leader length is VERY important with this rig. A trout, or most any gamefish likes the "ambush" approach, and if the leader is too long the fish will come to the pop and not really get a good look at the bait. The longest leader(flourocarbon-12-17lb) that I will ever use is around 28 to 32 inches, with a loop knot at the hook. This allows the pop to pull that shrimp, or whatever bait you use, almost to the top of the water, then when the fish investigates the pop, that bait will be falling right in his face...they have to eat it...they can't stand it!! I fish this rig in 4 feet and up to 20 feet at times,the right pop will bring them up.  D.O.A shrimp,1/4 oz. weight. Spring/summer-clear with gold flake, Fall/into winter-clear with red flake. These two are my favorites, on extremely clear water days, the natural color works good also. The popping cork is very deadly to trout, and is by far my go to bait. They also work great with live bait rigged as above with a flourocarbon leader and no weight with a light khale hook. I went out with Capt. Tim(wharfrat) today and caught another big girl with this rig, she was probably in around 10-12 feet of water. He may post a pic later, I forgot my camera again.



great info! jeff is deadly with that rig. bomber bought lindy's paradise popper, so that good titanium wire cork is now marketed by bomber. i know hickory bluff marine has them now.


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