went in the ICW last night right before dark. I found some shrimp running at the edge of core creek and newport river. got a few net fulls and then headed down core creek with a poppin cork and live scrimpy's!
found the first one tailing near some grass and threw to him and grabbed on to the ride. Brought in this one, below, at 25.5 inches weight unknown... I ended up with a few more and a trout and a blue as well.
Great night all in all!
Rye, how long of a leader do you use and how big of a hook, on your popping cork? What's the best way to hook the shrimp? I've never fished with live shrimp but with the size of that red fish, it looks like I should find out! Thanks for any help!
I used a rattlin' poppin cork. Its basically an orange cork with a wire through it. On the wire are beeds abobe and below the cork. When you move it, it pops then rattles as it settles back in.
You tie a leader of 15 to 20 lb test about two feet behind the cork. Put two 1/4 split shots directly under the cork on the leader. Take a decent sized shrimp and break his tail off. Not a lot with it, just the fan. Then slide a 1/0 circle hook into him from bottom and out the top. This way when you pop the cork, he pulls straight behind teh leader. if you leave the fan, he'll spin circles. Toss down the length of a grass line, about 3 feet off it and then pop it let it recovery count to five or so and do it again. its slow fishing but works great when they get on it. I used to do it back in FL but this is the firs time I've done it successfully up here.
I plan to try it again tomorrow night. We'll see though.
Those floats were originally sold under the names "Mansfield Mauler" and "Cajun Thunder". They may be a little hard to find under those names in NC and I don't know if anybody else is making them but they are fish getters when it comes to trout and reds. The beads rattle and click making a sound that is very close to the sound shrimp make. If you can't find any let me know and I'll give you directions to make your own if you'd like. AL
I had some of those poppin' corks made for me today by a good friend, thanks lew.
I've never tried muds or poggies under neath them, however I've know quite a few people who use artificial shrimp of various brands under and have done will. I can't Imagine the gulps or shrimp cocktails not working.
I am going to try and hit it again this weekend if we don't get washed out.
Your welcome Rye. I did some thinking about the firdt one and I don't think we need all that weight. If the drum are tailing they will hit a minnow if presented right.
I got to looking at the second one you made, if you cut teh wire a lil shorter and make it a 3 in' float I think we'd have it down pat. I'll give the other two a test as soon as weather permits.
Speck rigs work great under either a popping float or the rattling floats. Small live baits will work well with either one also. The rattling float was designed to call fish in by imitating the snapping or clicking sound shrimp make with their front legs. The popping float calls fish in by imitating the sound of feeding fish. The best way to call big trout in is with a few live pigfish.
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