Pencil Poppers and Current

[ASrod]

Do you guys have a favorite pencil for spots with a considerable amount of current? I’ve never put much thought in to using different style pencils for current but I’ve had several self proclaimed experts tell me that the flat bottom ones make a huge difference?

[crazybellringer]

7 mins ago, ASrod said:

Do you guys have a favorite pencil for spots with a considerable amount of current? I’ve never put much thought in to using different style pencils for current but I’ve had several self proclaimed experts tell me that the flat bottom ones make a huge difference?

 

canal style homie. 

[LockedDrag]

They all work. I like the guppy mini flat the best

[GoneCoastal]

Just make sure your reel is fast enough to keep up with it. I have felt dump before cranking like a mad man to try to keep up with it. Especially  when you get over 3oz

[DEM Parking Lot]

All pencils work well in current if you have a fast enough reel...  And some muscle..

 

 

[Littoral Larry]

Left Hook Raptor if I'm fishing a screaming current or a serious cross wind. Its a relatively small bodied plug for 3oz but casts like you wouldn't believe. Got to keep it going on the surface at a good clip though cause it does sink a bit if you let it stand

[Sweetwater]

Any pencil will work. I fish current all the time and I like canal style better because I was told to, but catch with both. 

[zak-striper]

5 hours ago, ASrod said:

Do you guys have a favorite pencil for spots with a considerable amount of current?

Yes, I love Super Strike little neck poppers. However, in strong currents, like places like the canal, they can dig in too deeply, making them hard to work on top, especially at the beginning of your retrieve.

 

In strong currents, I'll use poppers like a classic Gibbs popper or the Gibbs Pro Series with the flat bottom, which lets the lure ride more on the surface so it's easier to start your retrieve. 

Edited April 16, 2020 by zak-striper

[BrianBM]

I WOULDN'T Call the SS Litrtle Neck a pencil. Superb plug, just not a pencil.

 

[Captain Ahab]

4 hours ago, LockedDrag said:

They all work. I like the guppy mini flat the best

This

[Mono]

Can someone pots a picture of a canal style pencil popper?

thanks

[CaryGreene]

I like the Mike's Custom Plug's Ditch Witch mainly because it floats like a cork and it has a nice flat bottom so it pretty much dances all over the place by itself He barely have to tweak your rod tip to get it to move.

 

The reason I like the floatability of it is because I can stop it and start it at my leisure and I use a Shimano Stella 6000 or other lightning fast reels so it's not a problem.

 

The Ditch Witch is awesome. Guppy makes a nice pencil also but they're very hard to get. When smaller bait is around and casting distances are real big issue I will use a Left Hook but the problem is they require a ton of work to keep moving and they don't float so You have to get used to keeping them up top and keeping them moving. 

 

Another excellent pencil is the After Hours. There are a lot of other custom ones that are pretty sweet as well so you'll find that when you have current present it's nice to be able to float and stop and start.

 

Lastly, a sinking Super Strike a little neck actually swims a little bit and you can hang it right on the surface really look very slowly and pop it every now and then and that seems to be in my opinion the most deadly technique for current. I'll basically use a 1 and 5/8 oz or a 2 oz Super Strike a lot of times and I really just heave it out there get it up on top make a little commotion and then swim it for a little bit then make a little more commotion then swim it for a little bit make a little bit more commotion and then pretty much you're reeling it in and casting again. If you can find a spot where you can get a little structure relief like a big boulder or something close to shore it'll create a wake usually in big current and if you can come out of the current and get on the edge of that seam and then slow it down and swim in a little bit and barely pop it and just don't create a ton of commotion just move it slowly and swim, that's when you'll get most of your strikes. Also I'll put a flag tail on the plug because when you're in that environment on the edge of a seam coming out of fast current that little flag tail kick a little bit and it looks very very realistic - it's seductive.

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

1 hour ago, CaryGreene said:

I like the Mike's Custom Plug's Ditch Witch mainly because it floats like a cork and it has a nice flat bottom so it pretty much dances all over the place by itself He barely have to tweak your rod tip to get it to move.

 

The reason I like the floatability of it is because I can stop it and start it at my leisure and I use a Shimano Stella 6000 or other lightning fast reels so it's not a problem.

 

The Ditch Witch is awesome. Guppy makes a nice pencil also but they're very hard to get. When smaller bait is around and casting distances are real big issue I will use a Left Hook but the problem is they require a ton of work to keep moving and they don't float so You have to get used to keeping them up top and keeping them moving. 

 

Another excellent pencil is the After Hours. There are a lot of other custom ones that are pretty sweet as well so you'll find that when you have current present it's nice to be able to float and stop and start.

 

Lastly, a sinking Super Strike a little neck actually swims a little bit and you can hang it right on the surface really look very slowly and pop it every now and then and that seems to be in my opinion the most deadly technique for current. I'll basically use a 1 and 5/8 oz or a 2 oz Super Strike a lot of times and I really just heave it out there get it up on top make a little commotion and then swim it for a little bit then make a little more commotion then swim it for a little bit make a little bit more commotion and then pretty much you're reeling it in and casting again. If you can find a spot where you can get a little structure relief like a big boulder or something close to shore it'll create a wake usually in big current and if you can come out of the current and get on the edge of that seam and then slow it down and swim in a little bit and barely pop it and just don't create a ton of commotion just move it slowly and swim, that's when you'll get most of your strikes. Also I'll put a flag tail on the plug because when you're in that environment on the edge of a seam coming out of fast current that little flag tail kick a little bit and it looks very very realistic - it's seductive.

Cary are you sure that mikes pencil floats at rest? 

[Aaron Barmmer]

The big 9” saltys pencil popper is the most impressive in fast water imo.  The thing never sinks and just dances on the surface perfectly with very little effort no matter if your fishing a ripping moon tide at the canal or a nor’easter on the beach!