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Thread: Techniques: Fishing a Pencil Popper

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    Long Island,N.Y.
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    Default Techniques: Fishing a Pencil Popper

    This is another type of popper they are shaped wide in the rear and narrow up front.

    They are weighted in the rear for 2 reasons so the back end sits down in the water at rest & the top sticks out this allows the plug when retrieved to let the top slap on the water. 2nd reason is for casting distance.

    This is one of the hardest plugs to master it requires extreme patience to learn it properly.

    1-Cast it out.
    2-Remove all the slack out of the line.
    3-Put the rod butt between your legs & hold the rod about a foot above the reel.
    4-This is where it gets tricky while retrieving very slowly shake the rod as fast as you can.Kind of like the old proverbial walking and chewing gum at the same time.
    5-All of this whipping action will make the plug slap side to side while hardly moving the plug forward much this is supposed to act like baitfish fleeing.
    6-When used properly these will draw strikes when other methods are not.
    7-theres always a con to something and the con is the fish miss this plug alot because of its action it has when being retrieved.(very erratic)If they do miss keep it going that really pisses them off and they will try harder the second time to get it.
    8-I am not a big fan of these personally too much damn work for me and I can usually get by w/ a regular popper or work on it till I find what they will take.
    9-I do like the Yozuri surface cruisers if I decide to use one.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    NY
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    Default

    What surfstix said. I will also altenate between a big pencil and a large spook if for some reason the fish are picky.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Ct
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by surfstix1963 View Post
    7-theres always a con to something and the con is the fish miss this plug alot because of its action it has when being retrieved.(very erratic)If they do miss keep it going that really pisses them off and they will try harder the second time to get it.
    I agree with what you said. When the above happens I will stop the plug, give them a chance to hit, and maybe change the action just a bit slower once I start again. I love catching bluefish on pencil poppers. The action when they are aggressive is unreal.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    LI
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    Default

    Pretty decent video by Tom Melton

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    950

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    Great tips surfstix thanks. What is the latest in the year you guys have caught fish on pencil poppers or poppers?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    Long Island,N.Y.
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    I don't use them much after October.
    Cranky Old Bassturd.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    NJ
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    I have used pencils less each year, 2016 don't even think I caught a fish on one, likely less than 50 casts all year with them. Last year used the 3oz Super Strike popper a lot and a few different spooks, like the Blitzseeker. Fishing water with more current, rips, I feel more confident working the Super Strike Popper.

    Bill Wetzel wrote a funny article about Jersey fishermen and pencils here:

    https://www.surfcastersjournal.com/n...eath-machines/
    White Water Monty 2.00 (WWM)
    Future Long Islander (ASAP)

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