Poppers - Lesson Learned

[Hodgey]

G'Day all,

Well, the popper action in my location over the last couple of weeks has been very poor. The weather conditions have (at times) been ideal, but have produced poor results. Water temp is still high, and clarity is as good you could want. Most of the bream caught (or lost) have attacked the popper while it has been sitting motionless on the water.

I was taught many years ago that effective fishing can only be achieved by constant observation of the surrounds, and consistently modifying your technique. This weekend I stumbled onto 2 variables that I should have picked up on a long time ago and subsequently the number of bream caught on popper in each session is back into double figures.

Firstly, the retrieve. As outlined in a previous post, my retrieve is generally quite boisterous. On the weekend, I watched a bream about 30cm stalk the lure while motionless, but he would not commit to strike. Each time I 'blooped' the lure, he would dart off, wait for the lure to settle again, then maintain a casual observation without committing.

Throughout the day, I saw numerous prawns skipping across the surface, with the dreaded wake following it until the ultimate splash. The prawns were barely causing a ripple on the water ... hmmmm. I started to retrieve my popper with my usually 5-count, but with a third of the enthusiasm. The results were instantaneous. Bream were smashing the popper on the move, often making numerous attempts before successful hookup.

Yesterday was overcast and raining, and my amended method was not having the same success. It suddenly dawned on me that under these conditions, using other luring methods, I would change to a brighter lure! @#*! Off comes the transluscent yellow, and on goes the fluro yellow and orange. Third cast, and we're on. 4 bream over 35cm caught on the lure change.

The two sessions were a real 'wake-up call' for me. I had become too complacent, and my performance had reflected this. If one technique was fool-proof, then there would be no need for fishing almanacs and monthly magazines, would there?

Hodgey

[arpie]

More top info there, Hodgey - sometimes I tend to stick with the one lure for longer than I should, if they are not going for it - do you work on the 'dull day, dull lure' etc theory? Sounds like it was more 'dull day, bright lure, with the rain & all!'

Do you tie yours directly to the line or use a clip of some sort or other? I usually use a clip & still get the hits - just not all hook up! I vary my retrieve a lot - some folk retrieve them quite quickly & with big splashes, whereas the small prawns skip across the top, as you observed, making not a lot of splash.

I tried the 'slow retrieve causing a 'v' ' to no effect the other day - was getting hits but not hookups. Part of the game, I guess. It is the challenge, i reckon, more than the catching!

Lesson learned - you never stop learning!!

Cheers

Roberta

[Davemmm]

Throughout the day, I saw numerous prawns skipping across the surface, with the dreaded wake following it until the ultimate splash. The prawns were barely causing a ripple on the water ... hmmmm. I started to retrieve my popper with my usually 5-count, but with a third of the enthusiasm. The results were instantaneous. Bream were smashing the popper on the move, often making numerous attempts before successful hookup.

A walk the dog style lure will give similar results. The surface action will attract the fish still but without a "bloop" to scare the timid ones away. Supposedly the ones with ball bearings inside create a noise similar to prawns.

I have had much more success on the weedy shallow flats with a top water lure than with a popper.

Dave

[Hodgey]

Hi Roberta

I was hoping a bright lure would be more beneficial in the low-light conditions, particularly considering that the 'action' was being toned down. I tie directly to the popper to ensure maximum effect of the lure.

Dave

Definitely agree, mate. After receiving some timely advice from GregL recently, I purchased some very good pencil lures, and find they are very effective on the timid fish. However, when you consider that a lot of my fishing takes place over racks and in heavily timbered country, it doesn't hurt so much when my $3 popper doesn't come back. The $25 pencils are fished in the 'safer' water over the weed beds.

Hodgey

[Davemmm]

Hi Roberta

I was hoping a bright lure would be more beneficial in the low-light conditions, particularly considering that the 'action' was being toned down. I tie directly to the popper to ensure maximum effect of the lure.

Dave

Definitely agree, mate. After receiving some timely advice from GregL recently, I purchased some very good pencil lures, and find they are very effective on the timid fish. However, when you consider that a lot of my fishing takes place over racks and in heavily timbered country, it doesn't hurt so much when my $3 popper doesn't come back. The $25 pencils are fished in the 'safer' water over the weed beds.

Hodgey

I wish they would hurry up and find a cure for the oyster problem. Then we might get a decent set of racks back in Botany Bay.

Dave

[djmac]

Certainly is fun using topwater lures for our estuary species.

things ive learnt lately:

you can beef up your leader when using topwater lures. i run 16lb most of the time as some places i fish have vast amounts of long tom and pike who will make short work of your $25 lure.

your leader is pretty much out of the water so it will not spook the fish.

short leaders seem to work better. i never have a leader over about 20cm.

also helps when a big lizard or tailor decides it wants your lure.

retrieve styles for whiting is alot quicker than bream. bream will still hit this retrieve but not as much. but you can pretty much pick your terrain after a while and watch you will catch.

dense weed beds seem to produce more bream but open sand areas with a touch of weed you find big whiting (common sense really)

if the weather is calm and no wind on the water use topwater lures like a smiths towadi or a luckycraft sammy etc etc or lately i have been using squidgy bugs and a resin head which are topwater plastics and you still get that visual thrill out of using them. only issue is you cant cast them as far but they seem to produce a few more hits in super clear and calm water.

i also use these over racks etc as it doesnt hurt too much when u lose the odd one or two.

with these lures if you do get a hit and no hookup. they dont float like a popper etc so keep them moving.

once the lure stalls and slowly sinks they seem to freak out.

when using the bugs drop your leader size as they will spook the fish as u just paddle these across the top with your rod tip up.

i normally fish them with 4-6lb leader.

heres a couple of fish from sunday. my mate with the beanie on was stoked first set of fish on topwater lures!

certainly some good fun u can have on 4lb line.

wind definetly does not hurt when it comes up a bit.

get it behind you and you can cast further and it always produces a few more fish as they arent as spooky.

my only issue now is ive been finding some absolute brutes feeding in less than 0.3m water and on sand with broken oysters bottom.

these bream are oh so spooky. they freak out at anything near them.

the only option i havent tried as yet is a fly. so ill be taking the 4wt next trip.

gonna be interesting in that skinny water.

happy fishin!

Col

Edited March 25, 2008 by djmac

[Bream Mad]

I have found that lately the NW pencil has been picking up a lot more fish than the poppers.

also i use a mono leader because it floats better than a flouro

if the species are shy a tiemco pencil or towadi will pick up those lookers

again i fish mainly sandflats interspersed with weed beds much less than a metre deep

however i have picked up bream in 2m of water on a surface lure

keep up the good surface work

Cheers

Kael

[gerg]

Nice report Hodgey. Just goes to show that "matching the hatch" is not always enough, we need to try to imitate the hatch as well - be "one" with the hatch if you like...

I had a similar experience whilst in Tassie on the Derwent recently. I stubbornly spent the morning fishing my "go to" lure with not so much as a hit, because it had been successful on the previous 3 days. In frustration I changed my lure to an anchovy coloured flickbait (the closest I had to the bait in the area) and had instant success. I managed 4 fish in a half hour period.

cheers, Greg

[bjneville]

Be the hatch....

Wax on, wax off

[dipship]

Just to add my two cents worth...

I have been having success in water deeper than you would assume to be productive for whiting. Ive been getting em in water 5ft or so.

Just food for thought but you dont need to go as shallow as we've been led to believe!!!!

This opens up more target area for us all.