Gearing up for Florida 2018.
I caught some big ladyfish last September and it was a blast.
When I cast from the Beach, I can only get so far.
If I can hit the second Bar, or get close, They are there in shallow water.
Topwater fishing is exciting and so much fun!
I just wish I could do it more.
Nice assortment, esp. the color variation, Darron. Couple a days ago, I cleaned up my 50+yr. old Heddon "Pumpkinseed" and gave it toa guy at work, who's startin a vintage tackle collection. Today, he gave me this: an all ceramic body Ulua(Giant Travally) popper. Weighes 3oz and yeah it sinks, so yo godda work it pretty quick for surface action. The weight makes it more castable with the heavier ulua rig and ceramic is more tooth-proof. A $30 lure! It might have'ta become a "shelfie".
Gfish
I like the Halco Roosta poppers for a big pop. Yellowtail and Yellowfin love them!
I always enjoyed the poor mans popper, a Tady 45, stop it right before it hits the water and wind fast so it skips. Nothing more exciting then fish blowing up on the surface.
Brings to mind the Jitterbugs & Hula Poppers of freshwater angling.
Frank
Quote from: Gfish on December 08, 2017, 02:34:53 AM
Nice assortment, esp. the color variation, Darron. Couple a days ago, I cleaned up my 50+yr. old Heddon "Pumpkinseed" and gave it toa guy at work, who's startin a vintage tackle collection. Today, he gave me this: an all ceramic body Ulua(Giant Travally) popper. Weighes 3oz and yeah it sinks, so yo godda work it pretty quick for surface action. The weight makes it more castable with the heavier ulua rig and ceramic is more tooth-proof. A $30 lure! It might have'ta become a "shelfie".
Gfish
Gotta love the Mark White ceramics. Just don't let it sink to the reef. There are some beautiful large surface pipers being made these days. GT Fight clubs are becoming a local favorite.
Quote from: Swami805 on December 08, 2017, 03:18:25 AM
I always enjoyed the poor mans popper, a Tady 45, stop it right before it hits the water and wind fast so it skips. Nothing more exciting then fish blowing up on the surface.
Love it, especially the tunas! When they attack that splashing surface lure all you see is white water.
The most exciting type of fishing there is!
What a collection. I've had pretty good luck with those Yo-Zuri's Daron. They don't look like a traditional popper but they kick up a lot of water. Don't like treble hooks though so I change them out to Owner siwash.
I wish people selling plugs would sort them by weight. If you have a particular casting rig in mind then the plugs to go with it need to fall within a fairly narrow weight range. With poppers it's difficult to tell by looking.
I have a couple of Mark White top water ceramics but they make me nervous. It's like John said, they sink. They're great for trevally with spinning gear where you are going to start cranking like heck as soon as it hits the water. But if you are prone to backlash or need to slow it down over obstructions you risk loosing a big chunk of change. People talk about marking the area and going back with mask and snorkel to recover them.
-steve
Quote from: oc1 on December 08, 2017, 07:19:10 AM
What a collection. I've had pretty good luck with those Yo-Zuri's Daron. They don't look like a traditional popper but they kick up a lot of water. Don't like treble hooks though so I change them out to Owner siwash.
I wish people selling plugs would sort them by weight. If you have a particular casting rig in mind then the plugs to go with it need to fall within a fairly narrow weight range. .............
-steve
For Yellowtail trebles seem to work best, but for the tuna types a single or two singles hooks hold best. We've always found hookup on tunas difficult, 1/3 stick to the hooks then still come off later.
I always remove the front trebles on any lure, because they catch the angler, beware! :o :o
nice assortment, if you are looking for more distance try find some needle nose plugs, they fly a mile.
Daron thats just about everything we use here. You got it covered.
use a fifty lb fluoro leader, enough to get a couple wraps down on your spool, and you should avoid bluefish cutoff. then you will only need one popper and can send rest to me :)
I'm ALMOST as bad about buying poppers as reels...and I recco a tsunami 7'8" graphite if you csan find them...$55 and sling a mile with 20lb braid. i use from boat; you may want 9' or 10' from the dirt.
I have never used fluoro John.
I usually just use a 12" stainless leader.
That way if a small Blacktip or Sharp nose gets it. I got him too. ;)
I don't know how Blues act in other areas, but the blues in the panhandle chomp their mouths at you at it makes a popping sound.
I would not want a finger in there. :o
hellz no....when they blitz finger in the surf in our dirty water, they will come right by you when wading...i wear shoes of some sort cause the little piggies are about the size and shape of a half bitten finger mullet....
I split an order of open eye 7/0 Siwash hooks with Randy earlier this year; I'm sending you some.
I appreciate that Brother John. ;)
I have six months of waiting, but I will be loaded for bear.
Go big or don't go
OK,
I'm sizing up these hooks on a 2 ounce popper. They look kind of Big.
Do I need to remove the split rings so the hooks line up right?
I still think this will improve my hook up ratio on some Blues or ladyfish.
Siwashes don't use split rings, they'd face the wrong way. Owner, VMC and others, make in-line hooks that go on with split rings. I have them on some of my poppers and other lures.
Thanks Mark,
That's what I thought, but I've never did this before.
I've found that with a heavy popper and 20lb mono, I can really reach out there.
Missed a lot of fish last time, They would shake off on the way in.
Six months :P that's gonna seem like a lifetime.......the kit looks outstanding brother Daron.....anxious to see the reports...... Bill
I would weigh the hooks and compare them with the replacement hooks. Different hook weights change how the lure swims.
Daron everything i have to fish with is open to you. It might even be a good day for a boat ride.
Keith
I might take you up on That Keith. I'm coming early this year.
April 8th with my two grand sons.
love the color of the ladyfish , and also when they jump. have a great time daron. harry k
I've ordered some more hooks.
This is my effort this evening.
nice!
Knipex pliers I spy - quality tools Daron ;)
I set mine up the same way Daron. Great example...clear photos.
If you don't want the hooks to twist out if the fish is prone to spins and turns, sometime its good to weld a jump ring to a swivel to a Siwash. This will reduce the fish from trying to wedge the hook out by using the lure.
singles are better on big blues. my buddy had a 30" blue thrash around and sink the treble it was attached to mighty close to the families....
Bought some 6/0 Siwash hooks to work on some more lures.
We have a Blizzard going on and my wife got stuck watching the grandbaby.
I'm not scared of the snow, but we have 1/4" of ice under 3" of snow.
She is staying the night and the house is mine. ;)
Party at Daron's ;D Sounds like a good night to stoke the fire and build some fishing tackle....enjoy some Me Time brother...myself I'm watching 100 Rifles starring Raquel Welsh and some other actors... ::).....Bill
Daron we lucked out . The ice and snow started just a little east and southeast . It's frigging cold now . I miss the few days of 30* .
I'm doing the same, getting ready for the next one.
Its not that kind of Party Bill, Unless a shovel fits in your hand.
I just got done shoveling for 90 minutes. The wind chill is below zero.
I sat a beer on the steps when I started.
I went back to drink the last half when I finished. I got a good drink of ice crystals and the last was frozen.
I hate shoveling, but it was raining pretty good before it turned over to ice and snow.
I knew I had some ice to bust up and I did.
It is going to be in the teens the next few days, so I knew it had to be done before it got like a rock.
Mission Accomplished. ;)
Quote from: Bill B (Tarfu) on January 13, 2018, 05:18:30 AM
Party at Daron's ;D Sounds like a good night to stoke the fire and build some fishing tackle....enjoy some Me Time brother...myself I'm watching 100 Rifles starring Raquel Welsh and some other actors... ::).....Bill
This is the 3rd time today Raquel Welsh has popped up on the forum! Anyone else notice that? ;D ;D
Quote from: erikpowell on January 13, 2018, 10:51:04 PM
Quote from: Bill B (Tarfu) on January 13, 2018, 05:18:30 AM
Party at Daron's ;D Sounds like a good night to stoke the fire and build some fishing tackle....enjoy some Me Time brother...myself I'm watching 100 Rifles starring Raquel Welsh and some other actors... ::).....Bill
This is the 3rd time today Raquel Welsh has popped up on the forum! Anyone else notice that? ;D ;D
Mmmmm, yes I did.....
I love fishin' topwater poppers...they look ready Daron...good luck! 8)
My Boy John told me about a half price sale gong on at charkbait.
I can't pass up a good deal. $6.99 each. ;)
Quote from: Shark Hunter on February 13, 2018, 09:12:59 AM
My Boy John told me about a half price sale gong on at charkbait.
I can't pass up a good deal. $6.99 each. ;)
C'mon Daron!
Go big or go home.
Only a dozen?
Those are good quality.
thise poppers look great to be cast like a bullet
whats your shore casting setup compa Daron
Then like a dummy i got busy and didn't order mine, lol. they'll be back. i check CB weekly specials every Monday morning.
I have no dog in the fight with CB one way or the other, and in fact I think they get down on this or that manufacturer unnecessarily, but they run some good deals here and there and i love the strikemaster clamps I get from them. Very beefy and high quality. That's where i got my first hot rod parts 20 years or so ago when I didn't know taking a 113HLW and putting a full Accukit, handle, 4.1 SS gears and carbontex drags on it was called hot-rodding. i just thought it was cool. Wish i would've bought blue and green 9/0 Accuplates back then...
Darron, Nice poppers, great price on them, I checked their website, those are more than 2x usually. Nice find.
I think these will work for Muskies too.
I have to look into getting a few poppers...
Quote from: erikpowell on January 13, 2018, 10:51:04 PM
Quote from: Bill B (Tarfu) on January 13, 2018, 05:18:30 AM
This is the 3rd time today Raquel Welsh has popped up on the forum! Anyone else notice that? ;D ;D
Classic reels--classic women.
Frank