Where to throw a popper

[AustralianAngling]

This was a good spot.

[aaron]

brandon,you are spot on about the queen fish!!was there today doing sum jigging but no luck.the tides were big but really rough conditions.

[Brandon Khoo]

Aaron, I'm jealous. Queenies are one of the best light tackle fish around out there. They go absolutely ballistic when hooked and fight like crazy. When they're on, they'll hit anything. I saw stacks at Shoalwater this year in the same areas we were fishing for GTs and theywere big! I landed four of them in my last hour of fishing on a baitcaster and I had as much fun with them as I did with the GTs.

Don't let rough weather put you off fishing for GTs. They don't mind the chop. The difficulty is in keeping your balance on a boat to cast and retrieve. it sure is hard trying to work a popper effectively in those types of conditions and you may find a sub-surface stickbait (like an Orion Bigfoot) is easier to work.

Vary your fishing technique. if you can't get them popping, try a stickbait or even jigging for them. As a last alternative, catch yourself a Spanish Flag and drop it down there (whoops, I don't think I am supposed to say that )

[Greg Burt]

Baitcaster! Spanish Flag! tru believer huh?

[Brandon Khoo]

Spanish Flags make very good live bait indeed for big GTs although Fusiliers are better 

[Hon-Su Chin]

well....if you cant work surface lures in those conditions.....why not try a shallow diving minnow??

[Luke Wyrsta]

I'm ready to ban one moderator and one user right now....

[Brandon Khoo]

but, but I took great care in avoiding the mention of the "minnow" word!!   

[Greg Burt]

A huh, I see it all, a minnow in Fusilier colours 

[Hon-Su Chin]

lol.....wat about a popping minnow???   

[aaron]

brandon<how good are queenies!!!light gear,clean fighters,there jump they fight hard!!!!what else do u want in a fish!!!!

[aaron]

luke,brandon,hou su,i find you guys so help full! ive got a spot were at nite there is bait and lite!!!but under the lite is baby black gts in the hundreds and under them is massive gts in big .....i mine big!!!!numbers!!!!!!!ive been there the last few nights and just cant work this out.the big guys  are just so fussy!but when you cast out out wide you catch 10_15kg barrakooda.the gts are in a ball as if there lowering the risk of being eaten.ive tryed so many diffrent things but so hard when you can see them!have tryed so many lures after poppers cause ill do anything to get a good gt.but the small black gts nail your lure strait away!

[Brandon Khoo]

Aaron, are you talking black GTs as in a black coloured GT or a black trevally? Black coloured GTs have always been the exception so to see them schooling would be amazing. how big are these?

In the scenario you're in, a big live bait may be the only way to get something down past the little fish. Also, depending on the depth, a jig might get through as well. You could try a really big loud popper as the big popper might put the smaller fish off. Hon Su has done a lot of popping at night. Perhaps he might have some suggestions.

[Hon-Su Chin]

Unfortunately in my scenario, you dont know what will hit the popper. I mainly pop from the beach or onshore reef.

Maybe berley up at one spot to keep the smaller fish occupied then move away from the berley and pop or jig for the bigger ones??

[aaron]

the small black ones are around 30cm but lots of them! there allways on top wich are allways hungry and are so fun on light gear!the big ones are under these guys and have tryed large loud poppers but just not interesred.the depth is only around 8m  so a bit shallow to jig.