How To Keep Your Mainline Tangle-Free On A Popping Cork
- By: Richard Thomas
- on
- Found In: *Tackle & Gear, Braid, Braid to Leader, Fishing Tips, Line, Mono, Weekly Newsletter: 10-31-21
Are you struggling to reel in a popping cork without getting your line all tangled?
How can you prevent the line from getting wrapped around the cork or around your lure?
If your main line is tangled, then your presentation will be unnatural and unappealing to fish!
Check out how to fix this issue down below!
Tangle Free Popping Cork [VIDEO]
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Using braided line is great, but it often catches on things and can easily get wrapped up on your popping cork.
By adding a short butt section of leader before you tie on your popping cork, you can help prevent the braid from getting tangled up in the popping cork system.
To properly tie up a popping cork set up on your line, tie a standard braid-to-monofilament fishing knot.
Knots such as the FG knot work well for this but any knots that combine braid and monofilament will work best.
The section of monofilament leading to the popping cork should be fairly short.
It is important to have a sturdy line that is not very long to maintain stability in the connection between the braid and leader.
For the leader, any monofilament leader equal to or above 40 lbs will provide enough security.
Braided line can get wrapped up in itself and cause major headaches when using a popping cork.
The short stretch of monofilament leading to the popping cork setup is what will prevent any line entanglements.
You want to be sure you have a snug knot tied between the monofilament and the popping cork setup.
There is no reason to use a loop knot because you are trying to limit the amount of movement the leader has in connection with the popping cork.
Some popping corks come with a barrel swivel on the end.
You can remove the swivel and tie direct to the popping cork, however, the barrel swivel helps to prevent further line mishaps and entanglements if secured with a snug knot.
A snug knot is extremely important to provide resistance to the popping cork and keep the main line out of contact with the cork.
Equipment Used:
- Paradise Popper Popping Cork
- 30lb Stren Magnathin Monofilament
- 15lb Braided Line
- 40lb Ande Monofilament Leader
- Falcon MH 7’6 Coastal Clearwater Rod
- Quantum Smoke Inshore Reel
If you have any questions about popping corks, please let me know down in the comments!!
And if you know someone who wants to use a popping cork this fall, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Thank you so much! Was having that problem, this solved it
Great to hear!!
That is why I love Salt Strong even an old dog like me can learn new tricks. Awesome tip!!!
Glad I could share Darin!
Thanks, I did not that!
Anytime Jerry!
Great idea! Look forward to trying it. Simple but hopefully very helpful.
Good deal let us know how you like it!
Here’s my pro tip for popping corks, for carpal tunnel sufferers anyway. Wrap the grip on your rod a few times with bat grip or tennis racket wrap, the added diameter makes it easier to jig all weekend.
Thats a great tip Michelle! After a full day popping corks definitely take a toll on the wrist!
Much easier just to use one of those cheap weighted popping corks with the slit up the side for your leader. Eliminates hardware and you can easily adjust leader length.
Yeah, I also think the sound is much better out of the ones like I have here with beads compared to the cheap ones.
Great tip.
Thanks Anthony!
Should you drift with the wind or use a trolling motor against the wind
James, depends on the scenario, but if possible I always like to have the wind at my back for making casting easier.
Good suggestion, and it works well. Another method that I’ve been using that is even simpler because it eliminates a knot is to use a short length (1″ or so) of surgical tubing of the appropriate inside diameter to fit snuggly over the top connection point on the popping cork. Just slip the braid through the tubing, tie the braid to the cork wire, and slip the tubing over the wire loop on the cork. I’ve never had a tangle with this method either.
Great idea David! I’ve heard of that before but haven’t tried it myself. I do use it on certain slip float rigs just to protect my cork and glass beads from getting damaged on the swivel. Thanks, I’ll have to try it soon!
Nice, thanks. Sewing thread, check. Super glue, check. Surgical tubing, check. My tackle bag is ready for everything from speckled trout to the surgical suite!
Do you have a picture of what this looks like on the cork?
Great tip
Thanks Bruce!