To most anglers, popping corks are popping corks. There’s more thought that goes into other aspects of tackle — hooks, color of the bait, etc.
But overlooking your popping cork can be a huge mistake that will cost you bites, according to Capt. Charlie Thomason.
He is head over heels for the Versamaxx line of popping corks.
“It is heavy, so you can cast it really far when you are in April and you have a lot of wind,” Thomason said. “It gives you the ability to cast it into the wind or with the wind to get really long casts.
“The other thing is — and it’s something that I preach religiously — is I want my cork to stay in the same spot. I want it to be in the strike zone for as long as possible. The reason why we throw to a point is because we know that is where the fish hold and that is the strike zone.”
Versamaxx corks are perfect solutions.
“What happens with these corks (is that) when you pop them, they don’t move as much as normal corks, so they stay in the strike zone longer than any other corks on the market,” Thomason said.
Another unique element of these corks is that they allow an angler to dictate exactly how much weight and rattle is used by opening the cork.
If it’s a windier day, Thomason adds more weight and rattle to be able to cast the cork farther and get the fish’s attention. If it’s a calmer day, he goes for a more subtle presentation.
“The rattles on the inside give it an added feature that allows these corks to attract fish in circumstances that maybe you need something a little extra to get those fish to strike,” he said.
The Versamaxx popping cork can be found at a retailer near you or online at www.tackleboxtools.com.
