How do you fish a surf popper

[Volitan]

Could someone please explain to me how these are meant to be used.

Googled and googled but still no clearer.

Thanks

Arron

[Guest 4myson]

Hey Arron , I like using the Surf popper about 40cm to a meter above my gang hooks . That way even if you bait gets picked off by little fish the popper is still available for a hook up . There's been plenty a times that the surf popper gets the hook up while the pilly comes in untouched....

[GreyNurse]

Hi Arron,

I found this article on line. It describes how to use the surf popper very well. http://www.fishingmonthly.com.au/Articles/Display/15795-Casting-lures-in-the-surf

[W4z]

That article is interesting. I've also heard of using the surf popper on a paternoster rig but only from people in southern nsw. Is it worth a try around Sydney or to the north?

[Volitan]

Thanks Nursie. Article answered most of my questions. From the other things I read, I couldn't work out whether you were supposed to drag the line like fishing a lure - or just leave it stationary and let the surf/current do the work.

Anyway, just one question left:

I understand that surf poppers would look very attractive to fish when they are in the surf, what with the backwards and forwards motion of the wash keeping them active and changing direction and their flat fronts making them dart about unpredictably, but do they work in areas where there is a current which is strong but of constant direction ? Can you, for example, use them boat fishing in an area of strong tidal flow like, say, the Rip Bridge ?

I assume when there is zero current or tidal flow they are pretty much useless ?

cheers

Arron

[Crossfire63]

I rig them as the top dropper on a paternoster on about an 18 inch dropper and then run a pilchard on the bottom dropper.

9 times out of 10 the Salmon will hit the popper instead of the pilchard. It gets really exciting when you get a double

[GreyNurse]

Thanks Nursie. Article answered most of my questions. From the other things I read, I couldn't work out whether you were supposed to drag the line like fishing a lure - or just leave it stationary and let the surf/current do the work.

Anyway, just one question left:

I understand that surf poppers would look very attractive to fish when they are in the surf, what with the backwards and forwards motion of the wash keeping them active and changing direction and their flat fronts making them dart about unpredictably, but do they work in areas where there is a current which is strong but of constant direction ? Can you, for example, use them boat fishing in an area of strong tidal flow like, say, the Rip Bridge ?

I assume when there is zero current or tidal flow they are pretty much useless ?

cheers

Arron

You could use them that way, but I'd imagine other lures would be just as effective. It would be a case of matching the hatch.If the popper didn't look like suitable prey in a fast current situation, then strikes would be few and far between. However, if, say a minnow type lure is presented, matching the size and colour of local prey, then it would get slammed often. Same thing goes with dead sticking a soft plastic. As always, it's a case of keep trying until you come upon something that works.