Still Poppin the Top w/pics

Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
I got out early this morning to take a look around the creek. It was like glass this morning and the surface stuff wasn't working early at all. I picked up a couple smaller fish throwing cranks at the rocks but the bigger fish came from the popper mid morning. It was all sight fishing again for the bigger fish this morning. I'm just looking for bigger surfacing fish that are chasing bluebacks and throwing in those areas. Generally, if the fish are still there, sometimes they'll come up and take a whack at the popper. Here's a couple of bigger fish from this morning. The second picture has a blueback that the fish harked up in the boat.
 

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Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
Excellent. Stay together a couple more weeks.
Thanks Mike. It's getting a little tougher to get these fish on the popper, especially with no chop on the water, but I'm milking it for all it's worth.:cheers:
 

StriperrHunterr

Senior Member
Thanks Mike. It's getting a little tougher to get these fish on the popper, especially with no chop on the water, but I'm milking it for all it's worth.:cheers:

I was out on Saturday with RipaLip and we couldn't buy a topwater bite. Forecast said it was supposed to be cloudy and blowing 5-10, and of course, true to form, it was bluebird skies once the fog burned off and flat calm, until the sun was high in the sky and people were out and buzzing around.

I had high hopes for what's been called the "Emerald City," but the weather, and the operator, both came up wanting.
 

Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
I was out on Saturday with RipaLip and we couldn't buy a topwater bite. Forecast said it was supposed to be cloudy and blowing 5-10, and of course, true to form, it was bluebird skies once the fog burned off and flat calm, until the sun was high in the sky and people were out and buzzing around.

I had high hopes for what's been called the "Emerald City," but the weather, and the operator, both came up wanting.
Dude, Lisa and I went out Saturday morning and I had visions of a banner morning with Lisa and I mopping up on them early. NOT! At one point we had fish banging against the side of the boat crashing bluebacks and we couldn't get them to bite. Even tried the weightless twitch bait. Lisa was throwing the kitchen sink at them and I was popping and waking. I think we had two dinks for the morning. Don't feel bad, it was bad for us too.
 

StriperrHunterr

Senior Member
Dude, Lisa and I went out Saturday morning and I had visions of a banner morning with Lisa and I mopping up on them early. NOT! At one point we had fish banging against the side of the boat crashing bluebacks and we couldn't get them to bite. Even tried the weightless twitch bait. Lisa was throwing the kitchen sink at them and I was popping and waking. I think we had two dinks for the morning. Don't feel bad, it was bad for us too.

Rip end up taking 3 decent ones on a Rattle-Trap. The third in the boat got one on the fluke, but he basically hit it in the head with it and let it sit there.

I got totally skunked.
 

MrRipaLip

Senior Member
And here I was thinking we were the only guys on the water having a slow day... Sad to say but I feel a little better now. Those Emerald poppers are really good looking baits Jim. Heck of a paint job I must say!! I was checking out your website today so you may hear from me soon.
 

Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
And here I was thinking we were the only guys on the water having a slow day... Sad to say but I feel a little better now. Those Emerald poppers are really good looking baits Jim. Heck of a paint job I must say!! I was checking out your website today so you may hear from me soon.
Thanks for the kind words Rip. I threw the snot out of that big Z9R swimbait you were inquiring about yesterday and Saturday. I've gotten nothing on it this fall. Funny how last year during this time I was nailing stripers and spots on it. I switched out my braid color on my swimbait rod and I'm wondering if that has something to do with.:huh:

I see you dropped by last night. Preciate it!:cheers:
 

EZ Spin

Senior Member
I hear you on those schoolers. They will be all over the place and it's hard to get them to bite. I finally did some damage with my SPRO McStick (see my post too) but with all of the fish we saw you would have thought we could catch 20-30 big ones. I manages a good limit on the McStick and also caught some 1/2 to 1 1/2 fish on the drop shot. Could have caught those small ones all day long. I think they were just under the blue backs picking up the spoils.
 

Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
I hear you on those schoolers. They will be all over the place and it's hard to get them to bite. I finally did some damage with my SPRO McStick (see my post too) but with all of the fish we saw you would have thought we could catch 20-30 big ones. I manages a good limit on the McStick and also caught some 1/2 to 1 1/2 fish on the drop shot. Could have caught those small ones all day long. I think they were just under the blue backs picking up the spoils.
I saw your post Eric. I like the color on that McStick you were using. For me, most of the fish that have been on the surface have been bigger fish with the smaller ones cruising around in larger packs below. The bigger ones have been loners out by themselves or maybe two or three bigger fish in a small group. Luckily I can cast the surface popper a long ways so I can get to some of the surfacing fish that I might not be able to get to with other lighter lures. With this clear water I think that is very important.
I ordered a few 6 inch blanks this morning that resemble the McStick. I need to make something new that catches the stripers as well as bass this time of year. The emerald popper is good for the spots but I've only caught one striper on it so far.
 

Cletus T.

Senior Member
Congrats on the solid catches.....you can't beat topwater!!!!
 

Klag

Senior Member
I got one this morning on your lure! Best lure ever!!! This guy towed my kayak around for 5 minutes.

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Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
Congrats on the solid catches.....you can't beat topwater!!!!
Thanks Cletus. Your right. I can't think of a time in recent memory that I've had so much fun with topwater fish.

I got one this morning on your lure! Best lure ever!!! This guy towed my kayak around for 5 minutes.
Man Klag, that's a toad for sure. Congrats! I would imagine catching that one on a kayak was a blast. Those big bass really put their shoulders into the fight. Glad to see the popper is working for you.:cheers:
 

Klag

Senior Member
Man Klag, that's a toad for sure. Congrats! I would imagine catching that one on a kayak was a blast. Those big bass really put their shoulders into the fight. Glad to see the popper is working for you.:cheers:

Yeah, biggest fish I ever caught! He attacked the lure and missed 3 times but the 4th time (all in the same cast) he hooked himself. He was NOT taking NO for an answer!
 

Bream Pole

Senior Member
popper

Where do you get that popper you are using? Would like to buy one or two.
 

Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
Yeah, biggest fish I ever caught! He attacked the lure and missed 3 times but the 4th time (all in the same cast) he hooked himself. He was NOT taking NO for an answer!
It's hard for me not to jerk the popper away from them when they miss it like that multiple times. Awesome blow-ups on the bait though. You need to take on a nice big striper in that kayak now Klag. Congrats on your biggest. Glad it was one of my baits that caught it.

Where do you get that popper you are using? Would like to buy one or two.
PM sent.
 

StriperrHunterr

Senior Member
It's hard for me not to jerk the popper away from them when they miss it like that multiple times. Awesome blow-ups on the bait though. You need to take on a nice big striper in that kayak now Klag. Congrats on your biggest. Glad it was one of my baits that caught it.

It's a hard thing to do, but the way that I trained myself when I was fishing these more often in my youth was to drop the rod tip to the water, then rear back on 'em.

Work the lure with the rod tip high, see the hit, touch the tip to the water, and then set. It's not as easy on windy days to keep the tip high, though.

It takes training to fight that instinct, but my catch ratio went way up once that became instinctual.
 

Scout'nStripers

Senior Member
It's a hard thing to do, but the way that I trained myself when I was fishing these more often <b>in my youth</b> was to drop the rod tip to the water, then rear back on 'em.
OK old crusty Mike. You crack me up dude.
As long as they keep poppin the popper I'll have a chance to hone my topwater ninja skills. Thanks Mike!:cheers:
 
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