Popper's for GTs advice pls
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Popper and Topwater Fishing
Forum Description: If you're into a bit of action on top, this is the forum for you
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51380
Printed Date: 03 Feb 2026 at 9:56pm
Topic: Popper's for GTs advice pls
Posted By: EditB
Subject: Popper's for GTs advice pls
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 5:38pm
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Hi all, I'm off to Raro & Aitutaki end of next week and have been given the all clear for a session chucking poppers to GTs  and to avoid paying lots for lost poppers to the charter op, thought I'd take my own  As a complete popper n00b what size(s) should be I taking with me? and where/who in Auckland should I see to get these... cheers B ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Replies:
Posted By: Nirai
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2010 at 6:00pm
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Action Imports Poppers & Stick Baits available from leading tackle suppliers
www.actionimports.co.nz 150 gram+. Big Poppers = Big GTs the down side "big workout!!!" ------------- "Gunrunner" Surtees 610 Game Fisher current *"Double Barrel" Seacat 635 "Good Riddance!" *"Seriola" Surtees 485 CC Retired with honours! |
Posted By: hookerpuka
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2010 at 12:46pm
| Check out the NOMAD poppers and stick baits at TC as well |
Posted By: Alitowers
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2010 at 2:06pm
| let us know how you get on and what charter your on, were there in 3 weeks too |
Posted By: 1more
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2010 at 2:48pm
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if you have the time and tools, maybe do up a few home-made poppers as well. hardware stores will have broomsticks or something heavier. Cut to size, drill for wire inserts with loop ends, single hook and theres your backup. paint them white or leave bare. we did this a few times in Fiji just for fun or when pricey imports were hard to come by. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2010 at 4:56pm
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Go to Gourock NZ Ltd, 77B Patiki Street, Avondale. 09-820-8600 They have Yo-zuri Surface Bull GT poppers, which I think are the best you'll find. However, go to a good tackle shop somewhere and buy a packet of 4x strong or 5x strong if you can find them, 4/0 or 5/0 Owner treble hooks, as these are the best by far trebles we have here. Also get a packet of big Owner split rings, and re-rig your Surface Bulls with these. Grab a couple of Surface Bulls, and maybe one of the smaller new ones they have there. Also check out the River-2-sea lures, maybe a couple of the stickbaits may appeal to you. Hope this helps, cheers, Stu. |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2010 at 11:08pm
Thanks guys  Didn't know of that store Stu, it's round the road from home so will have to have a squizz at some point. Ended up near Yeehaa this afternoon so after talking with John ended up with a Yozuri Surface Bull popper & a Yozuri Stick bait & a big popper that needed hooks (didn't get the name  ) and got him to rig double up front, a single in the rear and ball swivel in the nose, all Owner, so I can own those GTs, get sore muscles and end the day with a huge smile on my dial With luck I'll have a report in a couple of weeks  ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2010 at 9:11am
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Saw the poppers as you posted them in the Walkabout forum...they look nice! I like the idea of the assist hooks on the lures, got to be stronger than relying on split-rings.... unless of course something like a dogtooth tuna comes along and nails your popper! :-) Oh, one otehr thing, take along a few jigs, as you can jig up Doggies off Aitutaki, and the FADs are really close too, and you can use them out there too. Also if you find your way back to Yeehaas' (or gourocks), see if you can pick up a couple of bibless minnows (For trolling)  ...as in the three (oops, 4) lures in the bottom left of the picture there. These are awesome lures for trolling for the wahoo, just 100m off the reef, but watch out for the sharks, you have barely a minute before the sharks will come for any fish you hook up on, so have gear suitable to really put the turps on them! Oh, 5 bibless minnow there, sorry. Gourocks aren't really a shop, they are a commercial fishing wholesaler that do some sales to the public (mostly but not exclusively commercial fishermen). If you want rope, commercial gear like bulk tuna lures, swivels etc etc, all sorts of stuff related to commercial fishing, then it is a great place to visit. cheers, Stu. |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2010 at 9:46am
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Cheers for the info Stu, updated the above post with pics too. ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: DLS
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 3:26pm
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What charter are you using in Aitutaki EditB?? GT surface bulls and nomads are the business. AI poppers also look the part. Halcos and surecatch poppers are best value for money and still do the job. Are you taking your own rod/reel etc? |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 3:49pm
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Am going out with Mike on the Black Pearl and am planning on using his kit. Prob shoulda checked on his replacement costings before spending up on poppers as he only charges $20 a lure to replace... Am toying with taking a rod and reel with me, apparently can cast around the wharf area, not 100% sure and haven't done any popping before. If I do take a rod/reel it'd prob be a 10' Kilwell Viking and 6500B... ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 4:20pm
| If taking a rod, take a light spinset, say 6lb fireline on a small spinset like for trout or somethnig, and a heap of small (2in) sps and 4-10gm jigs, silver for preference. These will get you all sorts of little fish along the beaches everywhere. If you are taking one rod, may as well take a couple so also take a 8-10kg spin set if you want somethnig a little bigger but not GT size, gotta go give one of the girls a driving lesson, cheers, Stu. |
Posted By: DLS
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2010 at 6:10pm
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Yeah $20 a lure is cheap and they'll work. Prob strike pros. But def take a couple others with decent hooks. I got a few small (30-40cm) bluefin trevally of the main wharf on saphire shine softbaits casting out to the marker and retrieving. I reckon tiny poppers anywhere of the beach in the lagoon should work also (can be frustrating seeing big splashes while standing on the beach with no gear on you. Mainly trevs but scrap hard on light gear. Goodluck
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Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 4:08pm
Well there was f'all fish around, cyclone pat had put most of them down and the fishing has been hard since. Still went out on the charter (Black Pearl) and my wife managed an approx 10kg yellowfin tuna (kept) and I got an an est. 100kg bronzie (released) trolling in the early hours. no fish were to be found even after chasing the birds for several hours so moved on to the GTs and managed to feed both poppers to them! I stood no chance of stopping them even with the skipper motoring away from the reef, the coral did the line in  still was good to feel the power of the buggers and next time I'll take much cheaper poppers and heavier line!  the skipper Mike and his wife Mere made it an enjoyable outting despite the lack of landed fish  Also took a light spin set but unfortunately the rod had issues with the braid and casting was hit and miss. Managed to hook a couple of bluefin trevs just off the beaches and near the wharf, using sapphire shines. If you go, watch out for the tigerfish (look like leatherjackets with blue mouths) the nibble the crap outta ya softies... but there were plenty of trevs in amongst the coral ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 4:42pm
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BAd luck about the cyclone man, you want something that really gives fish lockjaw though, try fishing after an earthquake/tsunami. Had that in the Sollies this Xmas, fishing was hot before the EQ, afterwards, dead for a week! What a bugger, eh! :-) Still now you have the GT bug, you'll be back I am sure.... |
Posted By: EditB
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 4:44pm
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yeah man, definitely some unfinished GT business there that's for sure! Might go when it's a little less hot tho, was around 40 and even the locals were complaining ------------- I do not lie about fishing, I willingly participate in a campaign of misinformation. |
Posted By: Kenshin
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 4:47pm
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Good stuff Bro!! I bet the Mrs was stoked too... even w/o much fish Im jealous much.
------------- Be patient and calm – for no one can catch fish in anger. –Herbert Hoover |