Hi Gang-

I’ve been a saltwater fisherman- inshore first reds, trout etc. all of my life, it’s my favorite pastime. I moved to OK 25yrs ago but I’m somewhere on the gulf coast 3-6x/yr. I’m probably down there a total of 3wks/yr but I don’t get to Roy’s ever or anywhere else like that for that matter. When I’m there I’m fishing or on the beach.

Over the years I’ve lost touch with what’s new, latest innovations or whatever. When I was a teenager the Mansfield Mauler was the new thing- JD Whitley was my mentor, friend and guide and he introduced me to the guy who as I recall invented them. Can’t remember his name but he too was a charter captain down there at the time. I’ve always liked a 7’ popping rod, pretty limber action for those or just regular popping corks, today I use some kind of cork that’s made in Louisiana, can’t recall the brand but they’re heavier, have black weighted beads and make a lot more racket. So I’m pretty up to speed on lures but my rods are getting old, most are broken and need replacement. I think I’ve got 2 that I like but they’re not made anymore.

I’m really confused by all of the weights, action descriptions etc and need help because I can’t ever find what I’m after when I’m in BPS or whatever and they don’t carry anything like a popping rod up here so I’m relegated to online ordering.

Would y’all suggest a few 7’ true popping rods- maybe an inexpensive one, med and premium priced model? I like a long cork handle but the material isn’t as important as the length. I like a longer handle for wrist fatigue and it’s just what I prefer. I’ve ordered several over the years and they always turn out not as limber as I’d like or the handle is short or something. I used to buy the Texas Popping Special or something like that at Academy because I was a broke teenager. I saved up and bought a couple of All Star rods but since then it’s been hit/miss and the ones I have now are no longer made.

7’ popping rod like the original ones- seems simple but it isn’t from Oklahoma. And BPS in LA was picked clean six weeks ago when I was there. Academy usually is too.

Appreciate your time.

Waterloo in Victoria build what you want.

Get ya a 7ft med-light,long handle, Ugly Stick ......Spinning or BC. I still have my Sticks I bought in the mid 70's and mid 80's while in the Marine Corps at Camp Le Juene,NC.
They never failed me.

i have 2 falcon coastals in the 7'6" length. they're 15 or 16 yrs old and still great. i use the old green curados on them, both super tuned. for corks, i use the old style 4" or 5" weighted with the stick in the middle in the brightest orange i can find. i like the 5" cork that academy has pre rigged in a 2 pack. i cut the wire leader off below the last crimp and crimp a swivel onto the line, then i can tie a mono leader any length i want onto it with a croaker style hook and a 1/8oz split shot about 8" above the hook. this is my favorite cork, but it's a pain to rig. the cork with the stick is easier to adjust to different depths.

Thank ya’ll...the corks I’ve started using are Four Horseman brand (I had to look them up). Captain Dennis Marshall down in Pass Christian (Chandeleur Islands trip Captain) showed them to me, he sells them on the boat at his cost of $5) showed them to me a year or two ago and I really like them a lot- they throw far and seem to outperform everything else I’ve got. While I’m on the subject if you’re thinking of Chandeleur I’ve been on three boats with a dozen or more Captians over 25yrs and Dennis is the best that there is down there. Like JD he’s a retired fire Captain, a hard worker and knows exactly what he’s doing from a fisherman’s perspective and a guest perspective too. He isn’t an absentee owner, he plowed his life savings into his boat when he retired and he’s running the trips because he loves doing it. He told me if he won the lottery he’d run trips for free. He’s here: http://dmjcharters.com/about-us.php

As to rods I’ll look at Falcon Coastal, Waterloo and Ugly Sticks but my problem is I get confused with all of the descriptions- fast, heavy, light, medium, taper or whatever they’ve done to muddy the water. Used to be a popping rod was a popping rod but like I said I’m down to one that I like and they don’t make it anymore. Any specific model suggestions would really be appreciated because I can’t go handle them myself. I have to mail order everything and every single time I do it I end up regretting ordering. Either it’s too stiff or the handle isn’t long enough. I’ll have another look where you guys pointed me now, I need two of them.

Like you Smooth- I started buying green Curados a LONG time ago, JD Whitley (his daughter, Tricia is running trips now- he knew Rudy Grieger personally, said he was mostly full of [censored] btw told me to spend the extra money and buy Curados because they were the least expensive good performing reels that you can still work on. I have about 4 of them but have recently bought a Lew’s white saltwater reel w/blue handles, can’t remember what they’re called but I absolutely love it with one exception...and it’s a good thing- don’t have to chuck it so hard. I’ve had to back way off of how hard I throw because spooled with 20# braid it’ll backlash if I throw with the force that I usually have to use.

Would be cool if a rod manufacturer had a ruler marked on the rod starting at the top of the handle. I put one on all of mine but they often start peeling off at some point.

I’ve got some texas tackle factory rods marked at 15 20 and 28. My favorite rod for paddle tails.
Guests get rigged with mauler corks a lot, far less experience is needed to catch them that way. I’ve found a little stiffer tip leads to fewer line snots. Which means more time for me to fish.

Unless you’re the son in law then you’re just hopeless.