My first fish on a popper

[da_houghsta]

Well Sunday afternnoon was looking good, I'd been planning on going out in the kayak all weekend but just didn't make it. The wind was a little strong for what I like when I anchor at the Mount Henry (which acts like a funnel) so I thought about going for a wade instead. I'd come back from Walpole wading the flats there the previous weekend and my little Atomic Hardz 40 Deep really worked well so I tied that on (after replacing the rear treble - 29 fish on the one treble, it was all bent out of shape). The water was lovely and warm and there was just enough breeze to stir up the water without making casting difficult. The Blowfish made their presence felt straight away with one being hooked almost every cast - some were big as well with one fooling me into thinking it was a small Flathead until I lifted it out of the water.

I managed to get a good solid thump on the lure from something that really didn't want to be near me. It didn't feel that heavy, but just constantly fought hard like a little Trevally. I eventually got it near me to reveal a nice Black Bream of around 30cm that fought well above its size.



I had a couple more hits that felt like they weren't blowies and landed a nice Yellowtail Grunter, but I couldn't get anything decent. The sun was just setting and the wind was slacking off so the water was looking a little flatter. I decided to try on a popper - 45mm Yo-Zuri - just so I could keep the lure away from the horde of blowies.



First cast was with the wind, so the lure went just over the edge of the drop off. I blooped it back with a long pause between bloops. At one stage I thought the splash looked a little bigger than normal but it was getting hard to see with the fading light, but I was sure it was a fish hanging out behind the popper getting out of the way when I blooped it. Half way back I saw a flash of silver under it so I did three quick bloops in a row and let it sit there. Five seconds later there was a splash and I pulled the line tight to set the hooks. After a nice fight, a good Tailor came to my side and I was stoked that my first fish on a popper (or any surface lure if you don't count ripping a Blues Code stickbait across the surface in Exmouth), especially since all the Tailor I'd caught this season were much smaller. It went about 38 - 40cm long I think so I was pretty happy with that.



I cast the popper around a bit longer and got another hit after a few more casts from what I'm positive was a good Bream as I got a good look at it, but it missed the hooks. It was getting too dark to see now so I switched back to the Atomic and made my way back to shore.

[ActiveAngler]

looks like a good session mate...We have had good success with the i think a fakie dog walk the dog in the colour that Pete was using for sootys at mackay..you would have to hit him up for the colour...its a striped brown colour...but we found no retrieve, just a shake of the rod enticed the best hits...

[goob]

surface lures are very addictive mate, sorry but i think it's too late for you now

[happygilmour]

Nice Little session Ben,

got to be happy with your catches eseacially the surface strike. Surface is the most addictive style of fishing you can do i reakon and having fish swirl,strike,miss the lure is heart pounding stuff regardless of the size of fish.

Look forward to more surface action

[jenz]

popper fishing is a lot of fun. hoping to see the bow wave come from behind the lure and then smack, you're on.
Well done, may you get more fish on them.

[adidaspeteman]

Good stuff Benno, nice poppin' chopper!