If I could pick only one rig for inshore saltwater fishing with artificial lures, my clear choice would be a rattling popping cork matched with a soft-plastic minnow imitation on a jighead. Whether I’m wading in the surf, walking a seawall, standing on riprap beneath a bridge or fishing from a pier, this rig is tough to top for catching redfish, speckled trout, flounder and more.
I frequently tie on a popping cork first for exploring coastal waters, and it’s always high on my recommendations list when friends are heading to the beach and want to know what types of lures to use.
Popping Cork Rig
My preferred rig is simple and consists of a Bomber Paradise Popper X-Treme, 2 or 3 feet of leader, and a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jighead matched with a YUM Pulse or YUM Scottsboro Swimbait. If shrimp are extra prevalent, I might instead use a YUM Spine Craw, which is an excellent shrimp imitation.
The Paradise Popper comes in oval and popping shapes, and I almost always choose the popping version. Some anglers favor the subtlety of the oval and rely on built-in rattles to do the fish attracting.
To rig, tie on the rigged jighead first and then cut the line a few feet above the jig to form your leader. The Paradise Popper comes with swivels at both ends. Orient the popping face toward the main line and tie that end to your main line and the other to your leader.
Popping Cork Fishing
The popping cork offers the same simplicity as bobber fishing in a pond. It provides weight for easy casting, keeps an enticing bait suspended in a key zone, and makes it obvious when a fish bites by darting under. As importantly, a Paradise Popper attracts fish.
Popping the cork attracts feeding fish in the same way a topwater lure does. The splash suggests the sounds of another predator fish feeding, and gamefish come to investigate. The Paradise Popper is also equipped with rattles that engage with each snap of the rod tip, and the rattling sound also helps attract fish and trigger strikes.
When fish investigate the sound, they find what looks like an easy meal just waiting to be enjoyed. Many fish that would not quite commit to striking a topwater lure cannot resist nabbing a vulnerable-looking soft plastic offering.
Fishing this rig is wonderfully simple. Cast, allow the rig to settle for a few seconds and then work it by alternating rod sweeps that make the popper pop and pauses and watch for the cork to dart under or begin moving swiftly sideways.
Experiment with the sharpness and length of your rod movements and with your cadence. Some days plenty of pops and only short pauses work best. Other days you only want to pop the rig occasionally, and most fish will bite when only the wave action is moving the lure.
Usually it’s, somewhere in between. Pay attention, and the fish will let you know!
Fishing on Foot 