BajaNomad

Really big poppers

Santiago - 9-6-2014 at 04:24 PM


CharkBait has them on their weekly specials and these suckers are big. Anyone tried them? I have a few poppers but they are in the 3" range, really are fresh water bass plugs. These come in 6.3" and 7.9".

bill erhardt - 9-6-2014 at 05:17 PM

I've caught a lot of large mouth and small mouth bass on the smaller versions, but have never tried them in the salt. I can't imagine that a dorado following a hooked fish, or holding under a paddy could resist a larger model. On light spinning tackle that would be great sport.
Go for it.

Santiago - 9-6-2014 at 05:26 PM

Exactly what I was thinking.

mulegemichael - 9-6-2014 at 05:53 PM

roosters, baby, on a steady retrieve...they will gobble them up!

Pacifico - 9-6-2014 at 05:56 PM

Fishing big poppers looks to be popular down in Panama. I'd like to try one in a yellowtail boil...

monoloco - 9-6-2014 at 06:05 PM

I had the experience of hooking a 200+# tuna in Panama using a popper, it pretty much wore everyone on the boat out trying to land that fish on spinning gear. Me and my back were never so glad as when it was finally over.

Pacifico - 9-6-2014 at 06:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
I had the experience of hooking a 200+# tuna in Panama using a popper, it pretty much wore everyone on the boat out trying to land that fish on spinning gear. Me and my back were never so glad as when it was finally over.


I hope to have that experience next June! It's amazing the size of tuna they land with the spinning gear! The braid really helps.

monoloco - 9-6-2014 at 08:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pacifico
Quote:
Originally posted by monoloco
I had the experience of hooking a 200+# tuna in Panama using a popper, it pretty much wore everyone on the boat out trying to land that fish on spinning gear. Me and my back were never so glad as when it was finally over.


I hope to have that experience next June! It's amazing the size of tuna they land with the spinning gear! The braid really helps.
For me it was just too much work, I'd rather fish with a live bait on a conventional setup. All of that casting got a bit tiring.

Santiago - 9-6-2014 at 08:44 PM

M Loco: I think the idea would be to have this rigged up on a 20# +/- spinning set up ready to grab when the conditions are right. Still do the conventional stuff but be ready for the "Ling Fling" (Oregonians will know) when the conditions are right.

55steve - 9-6-2014 at 09:17 PM

They're catching quite a lot of yellowfin tuna on those poppers here in San Diego. It seems to be the "in" thing right now.

Skipjack Joe - 9-6-2014 at 11:44 PM

I haven't used those but have used these in large sizes. Caught dorado, toro, and leopard grouper on them. Yes, leopard grouper. You can cast these virtually to shore and reel as fast as you possibly can. It creates a trail of bubbles when done right. The really large groupers will run them down and hit them. Not as good as swimbaits but the strike is usually worth the effort.

chuckie - 9-7-2014 at 05:57 AM

I am sure its me, but I had a couple of those poppers, smaller, and in 10 years or so, never enticed anything. I have hit Dorado on the head with em, no response. I gave mine to a friend as a joke on his birthday....Glad other folks figured em out...:?:

Pacifico - 9-7-2014 at 01:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
I haven't used those but have used these in large sizes. Caught dorado, toro, and leopard grouper on them. Yes, leopard grouper. You can cast these virtually to shore and reel as fast as you possibly can. It creates a trail of bubbles when done right. The really large groupers will run them down and hit them. Not as good as swimbaits but the strike is usually worth the effort.



Are those the Pili Poppers? I have a couple of them somewhere...

jcom - 9-8-2014 at 09:09 AM

I've used them on the rocks in Tropic Star Panama and at another lodge in northern Panama on the Pacific Coast. It is very exciting to see fish hit them and good to break up the boredom if trolling or jigging are not producing. It can be difficult to hook them, but when you do, it's on! I've caught roosters, amberjack, snapper, and several other jacks with long popper casts. It's a workout just casting, then once you hook the fish....I can relate to the back pain. I'd love to hook a dorado on one under a paddy.

Pescador - 9-9-2014 at 07:31 AM

I have had mediocre success in the yellowtail boils because they are usually keyed in on smaller fish. It is kinda like trout fishing where you have to "match the hatch" and if they are feeding on anchovy sized fish, a live greenie or bigger plug just does not get hit as much. If they are chasing bigger fish, and a typical yo-yo jig works, then these do get hit.

Where they are really hot is trolling the weed lines for dorado. They rattle really well and dorado are a real sucker for anything that they hear clicking. I think it is like the sound made from a flying fish taking off. I have seen them come greyhounding in from a long distance just to get a chance to strike.