How to Rig and Fish Popping Corks

Some issues by no means change, like a popping cork’s capacity to provide strikes when all else fails. However popping corks have been round a very long time, and it’s straightforward for anglers to miss their plain appears to be like and ease, distracted by the vary of revolutionary rigs and engaging new lures that appear to come back on the scene nearly yearly.

I used to be as responsible as anybody of forgetting about these venerable fish producers. And when buddy Keith Goodin pulled one out after the tide went slack one calm afternoon in Buras, Louisiana, I crinkled my nostril and went on casting a flashy spoon. I quickly remembered that fishing with popping corks is downright lethal.

Fishing Corks for Redfish, Speckled Trout and Others

We’d hammered redfish and trout all morning, however as soon as the water stopped shifting and the floor slicked, it was a very long time between strikes. That’s when Keith tied on a popping cork 3 ft above a 3/8-ounce jig head rigged with a plastic grub. And for the higher a part of an hour, he caught fish just by chugging the cork on occasion and letting the jig settle earlier than repeating the method. In the meantime, I caught nothing. I relented, fitted myself with an analogous setup, and I hooked an enormous redfish inside minutes.

Since that day, I’ve had many different events when popping-cork rigs have been the highest producers. Utilizing a popping cork for trout and utilizing a popping cork for redfish are widespread strategies. However flounder, black drum, cobia, striped bass, snook and varied different recreation fish have, at one time or one other, been drawn to my lures or baits by the sound and splash of a popping cork.

The Primary Popping Cork Rig

A popping cork is solely a 2- to 6-inch-long float made from cork, Styrofoam or exhausting plastic. Most are cupped at one finish — to provide loud chugs and pops when the cork is pulled abruptly — and tapered and sometimes weighted on the different for simpler casting and to maintain the streamlined finish beneath the floor.

Fishing Corks Successfully

The idea behind the popping cork is that recreation fish are drawn to floor commotion as a result of it simulates floor feeding or baits fleeing from predators. When recreation fish come to research the sounds, they see the bait or lure dangling beneath the cork and hit it.

The angler casts the popping cork to a spot the place fish are prone to cruise or hang around, then he yanks exhausting on the rod a time or two to make the float pop loudly and splash on prime of the water, whereas the bait or lure dangles enticingly a number of ft beneath.

After the preliminary pop, it’s greatest to pause the retrieve, very like when working a topwater chugger. Then pop the cork a couple of times just a few seconds later, and once more pause for a second earlier than repeating the process as you slowly reel the rig throughout the seemingly strike zone.

For those who retrieve past the strike zone with out a response, crank the rig again to the boat and make one other forged. When a fish hits, the popping cork is pulled below, so it serves double responsibility as a strike indicator. Then you definitely rapidly wind within the slack till you come tight and set the hook. For those who miss the hook set, forged to the identical spot. In any other case, alter the space or course of each subsequent forged to cowl extra water.

The Cadence of the Retrieve

The retrieve cadence and the loudness of the pops will be crucial in attracting fish or turning them off. Large jacks, stripers and bluefish reply nicely to fats retrieves and deep chugs that push lots of water and make the loudest noise.

In tough water or in turbulent rip tides, working a popping cork and jig mixture exhausting and quick is normally one of the best tactic additionally. When trying to find redfish or trout alongside troughs, channels or shorelines, a medium-speed, pop-and-stop cadence is commonly the ticket.

However when focusing on tarpon or snook laid up round a mangrove level or lurking within the shadows of a dock at night time, a popping cork chugged too exhausting or too quick will in all probability trigger these persnickety fish to bolt. If as a substitute they hear the cork solely slosh the floor, tarpon and linesiders usually tend to come examine.

Match the Cork to the State of affairs

Matching the dimensions of the popping cork to the duty is necessary. Angling for giant fish in huge water, when the floor is tough, an oversize popping cork usually is greatest. A giant cork casts nicely in a robust wind, plus it strikes lots of water, which is critical to attract consideration from recreation fish in a chop. A hefty popping cork can be a should when teaming it with an enormous lure or dwell bait required for the bigger fish species.

In contrast, when fishing in calm, protected water not more than 3 ft deep, cutting down the dimensions of each the popping cork and the lure or bait you droop beneath it yields considerably higher outcomes.

Reside Baits and Lures

Popping corks are efficient rigged with a wide range of baits, each pure and synthetic. Shrimp, mullet, menhaden, sardines, pinfish, pigfish and dirt minnows are among the many prime dwell bait decisions. Typically, particularly when in areas with quick tides that impart motion to the providing, lifeless baits and strip baits are used as a substitute. As for artificials, the choice ranges from jigs and streamer flies to spoons and even sinking plugs.

At instances a number of lures or multi-hook rigs fished beneath a popping cork will be lethal. A jig on the finish of the chief with a light-weight streamer fly as a dropper can set off strikes and produce double-headers on trout, redfish, college stripers and others.

The place and When to Pop a Cork

Popping corks are best when utilized in calm water. They’re additionally excellent for night time fishing, or the place fish relate to construction or cowl and should be drawn from a long way to take a lure or bait.

Prime locations to fish a popping cork embrace shell bars, sandbars, flooded grass flats, channel edges, bayou or creek mouths, mangroves roots and round docks, piers and bridge abutments. And popping corks additionally work their magic round oil rig buildings, channel buoys and vary markers.

Fact be informed, the popping cork is a productive and versatile instrument that the majority anglers underuse. Dig deep inside your deal with field, chances are high you have got a pair hiding there someplace. I wager you discover just a few conditions the place popping corks assist you to land extra fish.

Finest Popping Cork Deal with, Rigs and Bait

Rod and Reel: Medium-heavy 7- to 8-foot rods, spinning or casting, assist make lengthy casts and the exhausting snaps over a large arc needed for greatest popping cork motion and faster hook units. Braided line, with its minimal stretch, additionally helps issues.

Chief: Monofilament works in most conditions, however fluorocarbon (much less seen and extra abrasion resistant) performs higher in clear water and round construction. A brief hint of wire is sensible when toothy critters like bluefish and mackerel are round.

Lures and Baits: Shrimp, mullet, crabs, menhaden, sardines, pinfish. pigfish and dirt minnows are prime dwell baits. Jigs with curly tails and paddle tails, plastic shrimp and weighted swim baits are prime lures. Bucktails and small single-hook spoons work nicely additionally.

Cork Types that Catch Fish

Popping corks are available in a staggering number of sizes, shapes, colours and configurations. Select the dimensions in response to lure weight or bait measurement (sufficiently big to simply droop the providing). On the subject of coloration, the extra subdued, like moss inexperienced, white or black, are greatest for clear, shallow water and skittish fish. Vibrant colours (scorching pink, orange, lime inexperienced, purple or yellow) are simpler to see, and utilizing a unique coloration for each angler helps everybody hold monitor of their cork.

The least costly popping corks simply have a gap via the middle from one finish to the opposite. Some even have a slot reduce lengthwise to simply insert the chief, which is then wedged in place with a plastic dowel. A great way to rig these is to run a brief size of 30-pound monofilament via it so eight to 10 inches protrude from every finish. Subsequent, slip a small plastic bead and tie a barrel swivel at every finish of the road. The plastic beads assist forestall the swivels from jamming contained in the opening or cracking and breaking the cork throughout fishing.

Extra trendy designs have a size of wire or cable working via the middle with loops or swivels on each ends. Some even have beads, sinkers and rattling units to draw fish. Others are egg-shaped, missing a cupped finish, and depend on the rocking motion produced by sliding weights to create noise and floor disturbance. Such corks could look slightly clunky, however they’re straightforward to rig and to forged.

How one can Rig a Popping Cork

A 2- to 4-foot chief with a bait or lure hooked up tied to the wire loop or swivel on the tapered finish of the cork completes the rig. And regardless of which popping cork model you selected, it’s how you’re employed it that basically makes a distinction.

Traditional Popping Corks

Wired and Cupped Popping Corks

Oval-Formed Popping Corks

Slim Popping Corks (Cigar Floats)