Make sure when you pop off at an AJ

Bruce Trujillo’s homemade poppers are perfect for attracting attention from big amberjacks.

If you think catching an amberjack is not much fun, try luring one into attacking a topwater popper.

Anglers who use poppers must strike a balance between the quality of the popper and its cost. A good, solid commercially made popper stout enough to catch a big amberjack can cost $20 to $40. However, since amberjack are at their best around structure such as sunken ships at artificial reefs and at wrecks, the chances of losing a popper are high. Another threat to the integrity of a popper is a barracuda, which can slice through thick monofilament with sharp teeth.

Increasing the strength of a commercial popper is one way to go. Simply remove the split rings and hooks and beef them up with meatier hardware. Capt. Bruce Trujillo makes his own poppers to save cost and increase durability. He makes the popper body from a crab pot float and inserts a steel plate hook harness, which he said is easy to cut to size and shape and balances the lure.

About Mike Marsh 365 Articles
Mike Marsh is a freelance outdoor writer in Wilmington, N.C. His latest book, Fishing North Carolina, and other titles, are available at www.mikemarshoutdoors.com.

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