POPPING

Hi All

I am not completely ignorant when it comes to Popping , but I am definately more experienced in the department of dropshot and light tackle spinning....

What I am looking for is some clarity on what to look for in a Popping Rod? Does one want a POLE or would it be more versatile to have a solid rod with the necessary backbone and a softer tip action?

Will be Popping with the likes of a Stella 18000

I will be heading down to Bazaruto , Benguerra and Margoruque Islands shortly and its been 10yrs since I have last fished there .I know the area fairly well and look forward to the adventure, but I am just trying to grasp what I want for a Rod.

Taking into account - I am aware of the Black Holes and Nano rods etc , but I wil consider myself blessed to fish tropics once per year , so dont want to splash out huge on a Rod which will be used probably once a year max

My question is exactly that ... Pole or softer tip( with backbone)

Hope i actually make sense... hahaha

Regards

BoomBoom

Pole, definitely not. Most of the latest popping rods bend all the way down towards the handle under pressure. If you are not going to be using the rod much, I'm sure their are cheaper alternatives. I shortened and modified an Exage 11ft casting outfit to about 10ft with spinning guides and that works very well. The shorter Exage 8ft (Spinning)is not a bad bet and will land some sizable fish.

1.do you want a one piece or two piece rod?
2.butt joint or spigot ?
3.are you going to throw cup poppers or stickbaits or nylon plugs and what weight?
4.shore casting or boat?
not too expensive are the shimano and Van Staal gt rods depending on what you throw , Hennie P. has a good popping rod out or you can also get one custom built.Else look at JM Smith Synit etc .

Most of the requests I get for the size reel you are using are for:

1. a light rod that can pop and double up for heavy dropshotting.

2. Lengths vary from 7-10' longer for the guys predominantly fishing from the shore

3. Softer tip with stronger base if it is to double up for for throwing stickbaits

4. More rigid across the length with quicker action for shore based anglers and more parabolic in action for boat anglers.

5. Cast ratings requested for the general popping rod for an 8000 reel is 2-5oz but some request up to 8oz

Tuna popping rods differ vastly and they look for immense pulling power no longer than 7' and in single piece because as with popping reels for Tuna the less that can go wrong the better because that has to be one of the most insane popping there is.

Weight is never so much an issue with a 100% dedicated popping rod because it's not used all day long.

Weight is an issue in a rod used to double up as heavy dropshot and long jigging rod.

So as Tacklewhose say, what do you want to throw, what line class are you throwing, land or boat based, dedicated popping or largely and for light jigging, stickbaits, Dropshotting.

Getting the right rod you could still use it for landbased popping in Moz and then to throw lures for Kob and Leeries in the surf or for tail off a boat at St Francis

tackle whore wrote:

1.do you want a one piece or two piece rod?
2.butt joint or spigot ?
3.are you going to throw cup poppers or stickbaits or nylon plugs and what weight?
4.shore casting or boat?
not too expensive are the shimano and Van Staal gt rods depending on what you throw , Hennie P. has a good popping rod out or you can also get one custom built.Else look at JM Smith Synit etc .

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1. 2 piece I think better for travel

2. Looking at a Butt Joint

3. Gonna be throwing Cup / Stick and a Chisel plug if need be. Weight would probably be 3oz - 5oz mostly

4. Will be fishing from boat and side, Obviously it will be easier from boat, but enjoy shore spinning too.

Got a spare spool too , so was thinking of loading 1 with 100lb and other 80lb.

I am sure i will be throwing some heavier stick baits and poppers too if necessary ,  but most will be around the 5oz mark with that set up

I like a softer tip, I would imagine it makes working stickbaits and chisel plugs easier , but was not entirely sure how it would effect that of big cup lures...

I wont be drop shotting or surf spinning with this outfit here locally , got enough Custom Graffcasts for that job, so will definately look at using this rod off the boat here for tail and off St Francis point etc when not fishing tropics

Holnaai,

Easiest place to start mate, when you looking for a stick, is what budget you have in mind...Unfortunately this is the reality of it all... I'm certain not saying you need to fork out R 5000 plus ( or R 9800 if you want a new Carpenter!! ) but there are alot of options out there, unfortunately not as many as we'd like, but there are alot of choices, but alot boil down to budget.

You are a man who likes his tackle, and as you'll be fishing a Stella 18000, you don't want to disgrace that Rolls Royce of a reel by putting it on a rod that is not worthy of it....
That being said, you don't NEED a R 10000 rod to cacth GT's.... its nice, but you don't NEED it....

With regards to action, Craig has outlined pretty much all the important aspects.... and as Dingle says, unless you are throwing 200 gram ( We're a metric country, whats with this ounces jargon!!! ) plus poppers with BIG cups, you definitely don't want a pole....
A rod with a more progressive and slightly softer action, will be alot easier to fish, and fight fish with, as well as be less work on you to cast with.

If you are fishing a mix of stickbaits, medium poppers and Chisels, you want a moderately soft tip, but not a jelly tip which will be terrible for any cup faced poppers.... You want something kinda middle of the rod...

Like TW says, some great options from SHimano and Van Staal in the medium price range...Moving up from there to the Jigging Master GT Monsters, Black Holes,and such... and then up into the upper price brackets of Synit, SMith etc, and then into the silly money of Carpenter, and Riplefisher, and then the true extreme of FISHERMAN which requires you to morgage your house and sell a kidney.....

Price will give me an idea of what we can suggest....

Leroy, you are treading in dangerous territory! These rods are works of art and somehow have their own voice when it comes to convincing you to purchase them! Enjoy the rod hunt!  you are welcom to test my Smith as the action sounds similar to what you are describing!

Heya guys

Nepps ... Marsh... hahahaaha dangerous waters !  The main concern is I am scared I fall in love here and do something silly like sell a car ^^.. hahaaha jokes.

Budget is such a swear word ... yet an unfortunate reality !

That been said I picked up the Reel at a steal, so I was fortunate, but still have a limited budget!

Nepps you hit the nail on the head , I appreciate and admire good tackle sometimes too much and most of the time I am not disciplined when it comes to financial budgeting .

The trip alone is a budget issue in its own right hahahaha , but i am going regardless - 10yrs since i through some wood and plastic at GT's.

And the tackle budget is another DEMON . 10yrs ago we used SL50's with no backing or braid for those GEETS and some bucktail here and there. This industry has come a long way since those days, and I need my hands on some of it.

If I had to guess I would say 3k for Rod which I know is a drop in the Ocean for this section of Sealine, but I can get my hands on something below that price which I am very happy with.

The Graffcast series of Rods have been very good to me over the years built by DAVE ALCOCK and I have no complaints . There is a Graffcast Popping Blank which I have booked and is exactly how Nepps described the tip action and the Rod has some awesome backbone. I just wanted to confirm the Tip action.

I appreciate all the feedback and advice much appreciate . keep more coming if you wish t(((up((

 

 

there is a new composite development popping rod out thats got plenty backbone for under 3K but fishing with a stella you got to go ripplefisher ......SORRY!!

tackle whore wrote:

there is a new composite development popping rod out thats got plenty backbone for under 3K but fishing with a stella you got to go ripplefisher ......SORRY!!

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Ye i ordered that CD popping blank and  gonna have Dave Alcock custom build and finish it off with Cork... I just personally love Cork !

Maybe when I start seeing myself doing more of these GT trips - I will pimp my rod to your guys level of budgets . I truly understand and appreciate quality tackle , and wish i could own a Carpenter , Blackholes etc etc .

But like i mentioned earlier my history with Composite Development Rods has been nothing short of amazing and they are truly affordable quality rods.

Will post some pics when finished been built and then after the trip a full report of the adventure and hopefully lots of pics

Thanks very much

what the blank set you back ?

Hello Boom

Do you have specs on this blank? I would be interested to see wwhat these would be.

Regards
Anton

Haakies wrote:

Hello Boom

Do you have specs on this blank? I would be interested to see wwhat these would be.

Regards
Anton

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Tackle Tart! ::S

I want a ripple fisher with custom cork grips ,red blank with a silver thread in the guide binding with a dash of yellow !!!!

Hi TW Haakies

I am not sure what the blank would cost on its own, as I get a custom built up price which would probably be between R2500 - R2800.

But if you phone Chad 041 365 6868 he will be able to assist with an appropriate quote for just the blank or perhaps a rod build ! Just mention my name

Specs Haakies , when I was chatting with Dave Alcock regarding the Popping Rod he mentioned Composite Development Rate it to 7oz , but he would suggest 5 \ 6oz. The Rod has an excellent tip action and I think its just under 8ft. But again rather give them a bel. Or i will just find out for you !

They have built me an awesome range of CD Graffcast rods for spinning and Dropshot from Graf 1 to the heavy Graf 4. Ranges from 8ft6 to 9ft6 both 1 piece and 2 piece.

 

Hi Boom,speak to Spin about my cheap and nasty Exage we used when he visited me in Angolsh.I got it while I was looking around for a propper stick,but am going to stick with it.I tried to break it towards the end of our trip,impossible,thats fishing with 18 000 Stella,80lb Power Pro with a 200lb Jerry Brown leader and 50lb of angry Jack.It casts nicely and has plenty of backbone and will be almost an overkill for StFrancis tail!!