Popping Cork Help

[captmikestarrett]

Popping corks are a good tool. There are many types.. ones with a wire and clackers.. ones that do not pop due to cigar float but have clackers on them... weighted foam floats that the line passes thru ( my favorite)
And unweighted foam floats. The two foam ones can vertical jig an area to the bottom. The heavy weighted one can be thrown a country mile and you can vertical jig the whole distance back. Covers more water and can fish 15 feet of water no problem. They catch every thing with a gulp on the jig head.

I have some Cajun loudmouths and with a 3 foot fixed leader it is a killer over rough rocky bottom.

Capt Mike

[Slobber Bob]

Glad you decided to give it a try, sounds like you had a great day! I also like how easy it is to manage the lines under troll. However, if it is windy and you are dealing with a fish on the non popper rod and the wind is coming from behind or the side you can wind up with a real rat’s nest because the cork will travel pretty quick while you are at a stand still. On those breezy days it is best to crank the cork in sooner than later.

I can attest to this! I've witnessed Hemingway's successes trolling the cork and his rat's nests. It seems you never know which one will strike next, lol!

[Slough Sleigher]

Popping corks will catch just about anything just about anytime by hooking a live shrimp through the tail and pitching it beside an oyster bed, channel edge or sight casting. Finding and keeping live shrimp on the Chesapeake can be problematic vs. in SC where I primarily fish they are easy to buy or catch. That probably explains the Southern popularity of the popping cork. Live finger mullet and small spot or killies/mud minnows are also very effective using same tail hook. For me, live bait out fishes gulp and fishbites 2+:1. The brass beads on the float click in mimic of the pop/clicking sound of a shrimp. Sound gets their attention, sight and scent get them on the hook and into yer belly

[Red_Beard]

Popping corks seem to work better in areas where shrimp are a primary forage, which matches up with everyone's description of North Carolina south to Texas. Most of the pre-rigged ones come on a wire with some beads in addition to the cork that make a clicking sound that I think imitates the sounds shrimp make in the water. We're starting to see more shrimp in the Bay during the summer, so maybe popping corks will become more effective here in time.