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On Apr 8, 2014, I finally did popping cork fishing for puppy drum (red fish).
Well, I decided to hit the inlet one more time for Puppy Drum before pursuing other species in other locations. I just wanted to test Popping Cork technique. I saw a few times boaters in the inlet were using the popping cork rigs. So I went Wal-Mart the night before, to buy the materials for the rig. Though stores such as Dicks and Wal-Mart in my town carry very limited saltwater fishing stuff. So I couldn’t find the popular popping corks (such as cupped cork) that I saw on the internet and in the inlet. So I bought the biggest foam bobbers, ½ oz egg sinkers, assorted beads (from the art/craft section).
It took me 4.5 hours instead of 3.5 hours in the morning because of a rolled over vehicle on 64. I lost valuable fishing time. I had only 4.5 hour fishing time before I had to leave for work by 1:30 PM.
Because I didn’t make the popping cork rig, I cast lures for 3.5 hours. I had no bites. It seemed boaters using popping corks were not catching any. So at 12:30 PM, I anchored the kayak and made one popping cork rig.
I cast the rig, popped once and waited. Nothing happened. I was mimicking the inlet anglers. I cast again, popped once and waited. When the bobber drifted away, I cast, popped and waited. 30 minutes later, I began to think that this would be the one of the most boring fishing techniques. I doubted about the fresh shrimp as the bait.
Then I remembered, unlike the inlet anglers (I monitored previously and today), the guides on the internet videos, popped the cork at a certain interval. So I tried. Pop and rest. Pop and rest… Nothing happened. Then I remembered that the length of the leader must be adequate for the depth of the water. My 3’ leader was too long in 2-3’ of water, I thought. So I shorten the leader to 20".
That time, I had 30 minutes left for catching anything. I popped every 5-10 seconds, 5-6 times before the next cast. In the middle of the second cast, finally I felt a nice tug. I set the hook. I missed the fish. Dang! I was using a 4/0 circle hook.
So I tried again with willingness. Immediately I felt a tug. This time, I let the fish do the work for me. I pointed the rod to fish, counted one, two , three…seven, then slowly cranked reel. I got the first puppy drum @22” on a popping cork rig with fresh shrimp.
I cast three more times after landing the first puppy drum. I landed two more puppy drum at 21” and 23”.
So I learned:
Well, I decided to hit the inlet one more time for Puppy Drum before pursuing other species in other locations. I just wanted to test Popping Cork technique. I saw a few times boaters in the inlet were using the popping cork rigs. So I went Wal-Mart the night before, to buy the materials for the rig. Though stores such as Dicks and Wal-Mart in my town carry very limited saltwater fishing stuff. So I couldn’t find the popular popping corks (such as cupped cork) that I saw on the internet and in the inlet. So I bought the biggest foam bobbers, ½ oz egg sinkers, assorted beads (from the art/craft section).
It took me 4.5 hours instead of 3.5 hours in the morning because of a rolled over vehicle on 64. I lost valuable fishing time. I had only 4.5 hour fishing time before I had to leave for work by 1:30 PM.
Because I didn’t make the popping cork rig, I cast lures for 3.5 hours. I had no bites. It seemed boaters using popping corks were not catching any. So at 12:30 PM, I anchored the kayak and made one popping cork rig.
I cast the rig, popped once and waited. Nothing happened. I was mimicking the inlet anglers. I cast again, popped once and waited. When the bobber drifted away, I cast, popped and waited. 30 minutes later, I began to think that this would be the one of the most boring fishing techniques. I doubted about the fresh shrimp as the bait.
Then I remembered, unlike the inlet anglers (I monitored previously and today), the guides on the internet videos, popped the cork at a certain interval. So I tried. Pop and rest. Pop and rest… Nothing happened. Then I remembered that the length of the leader must be adequate for the depth of the water. My 3’ leader was too long in 2-3’ of water, I thought. So I shorten the leader to 20".
That time, I had 30 minutes left for catching anything. I popped every 5-10 seconds, 5-6 times before the next cast. In the middle of the second cast, finally I felt a nice tug. I set the hook. I missed the fish. Dang! I was using a 4/0 circle hook.
So I tried again with willingness. Immediately I felt a tug. This time, I let the fish do the work for me. I pointed the rod to fish, counted one, two , three…seven, then slowly cranked reel. I got the first puppy drum @22” on a popping cork rig with fresh shrimp.
I cast three more times after landing the first puppy drum. I landed two more puppy drum at 21” and 23”.
So I learned:
- The reason the inlet anglers didn't pop at a certain interval was that they were bunched up together in very small spots I think too many pops by 5+ anglers will spook the fish, I think. Or they don't really care about catching fish.
- Fishing (Pop and rest) with confidence as if all puppy drum are waiting for my baits.
- Popping Cork technique is not a boring fishing method. Though it takes an effort. Casting a rig with long leader was pain while sitting on a kayak and using a short rod (mine was 6’ long). But it was OK after shortening the leader
- Must adjust the leader length base on the depth of the water. I may prepare 3 different leaders with different lengths.
- My rod (IM6 graphite, medium, line 4-12 LB, Fast action) was too flexible for popping the cork. It could be difficult if I used the cupped cork. Though I am not making any changes because my rig worked.
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