Southern Cal gear for popping??

[mike ingao]

 I understand that different species and regions typically require specific gear, but would typical SoCal gear (7' - 10' or longer jig sticks, hi-speed conventional casting reels) suffice in place of more expensive "popping gear"?

[Gil Ayuyao]

Good day...

As a SoCal fisherman, I had the same question.  I'm sure poppers and stickbaits can be used with the 'local' gear you have and/or that more accessible.  There will be limitations...for example, casting can be more challenging.  Are you fishing from a private boat or party boat? Local trips or multiday trips, etc

g

[Luke Wyrsta]

Hi guys,

I'm not 100% familiar with So Cal gear but I imagine anything would be possible but not ideal thats for sure. I certainly would never recommend targetting GT or such species without specialist gear.

Popping & Stickbaiting, particularly targetting larger species can apply a lot of stress to equipment, traditionally. So I would ask you, where and what species would you want to 'pop' for?

The main differences would be equipment weight and balance, rod actions and ability to cast/work a lure effectively and issues such as constanting modifying drag settings and line lay.

With certain popping and stickbaiting actions, slack can be present in order to achieve a particular action with a lure, thus slack line and easy laying onto the spool could present real problems in terms of management, birdnests and 'biting'.

[Jon Li]

Guys ,

If the guy with overhead reel is fishing alone then it's fine but if the guy is fishing with others using spinning reel then this is what happened to one of the group from Singapore in the early days of Komodo .

Earlier during the trip the guy with overhead reel caused so much time wasted due to birdness caused by trying to compete with the other guys using spinning in reaching the strike zone . Later during the trip , the guy with overhead reel was boycotted by his mates and was handed the camera duty for most of the trip .

After the trip , his mates aren't going to take him GT popping iff he insisted on using the overhead reel and the last I heard somewhere else , the same guy almost got thrown out of another boat despite this time he was then using DC controlled overhead reel for the same time wasting reason due to birdness .

In my opinion , for GT popping at least , spinning reels still rule !

Jon .   

[Gil Ayuyao]

Luke and Jon

Thank you for the clarification.  I concur on using the proper gear for the type of fishing that will be done.  I was not clear.  If Mike Ingao was referring to using conventional/overhead gear on our "local" fishing (half day coastal to 1 to 2 day offshore trips) to use stickbaits, poppers, other lures...It can be done.  It may not be the optimal gear, but one can get out and fish without buying new gear...

However, IF someone was going on a trip to target big trophy fish, I concur with both you of...bring the proper gear built and designed for the type of fishing.  Case in point, I'll be going on a trip targetting 100-200lb yellowfin tuna on offshore banks and open water.  Reels need to have the capacity for high drag settings and 500 yards of the appropriate size spectra.  I'll be bringing mainly conventional gear up to 50-size Penns, but I'll also be bringing a Stella and Saltiga on some popping rods.




 

Good day...

As a SoCal fisherman, I had the same question.  I'm sure poppers and stickbaits can be used with the 'local' gear you have and/or that more accessible.  There will be limitations...for example, casting can be more challenging.  Are you fishing from a private boat or party boat? Local trips or multiday trips, etc

g