The Scene

It is dawn and as the sun slowly rises the ocean starts to wake up. The darkness of the night turns to grey as the day begins...your day, however, started hours ago. You've been preparing for this for quite some time. You woke early to the sound of drags screaming in your head, arrived at the dock before most people would even think of waking up, tied and re-tied your gear, tested your drags, attached the lure that you just know is going to get bit, and have made the run out to the fishing grounds under the stars.

Now with the morning light, the hunt is beginning. You scan the horizon in every direction, looking for the signs of life. Your eyes sting as the morning sun greets them. Off in the distance you see it...the signs you've been looking for.
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As you get closer your heart and mind start to race...'I double checked that knot, right?'
The bird pile is closer now...you try to calm yourself...the water is churning...
500 yards...you can see the fish slashing through the bait ball...'I did check my drag, right?'
250 yards now...you prepare your cast...'Yeah, I'm ready.'
100 yards...you can see the backs of the fish clearly now, and they're huge...
50 yards...you give one final glance to your lure, rear back and fire...

This is the spirit of popping- a spirit that has existed in fisherman for as long as rods and reels have existed. Recent advances in equipment technology, however, has given us the ability to chase fish that were previously out of reach.

As fishermen we push ourselves. Now- more than ever- the possibilities are virtually limitless.
This section is meant to be an overview for those of you who are getting into the extremely addictive casting game. We have compiled all of the information in one spot for easy reference. We have spent the last several years chasing large game fish such as Tuna and Marlin on topwater all over the world. This section, though mainly meant to discuss casting to tuna, can be used when targeting virtually any pelagic.

Gear Overview

Having the right gear is essential to successfully fighting and landing large fish. If you venture out into the blue unprepared or with improper tackle you decrease your odds at a successful trip, and when the quarry is a 200 pound tuna you need to put the odds in your favor as much as possible.

We will start with the most important part of the equation- the reel.

Spinning Reels

For casting and popping to large fish, there is no substitute for a good spinning reel. While conventional reels will certainly suffice, the worlds top anglers exclusively use spinners as they offer ease of use, cast-ability, and unmatched strength.

Top Shelf

Shimano Stella (JDM/USA Models)
  • 18000 HG/SW at 5.7:1, 55# max drag
  • 10000 XG/SW at 5.8:1, 55# max drag
  • 8000 HG/SW at 5.6:1 and 55# max drag
Daiwa Saltiga
  • 6500 Dogfight at 6.2:1, 60# max drag
  • 6000 GT at 6.2:1, 60# max drag

Good Quality

Shimano Saragosa
  • 18000 4.9:1, 30# drag
Shimano Twin Power
  • 12000HG 5.6:1, 40# drag
Accurate Twin Spin
  • SR 30 6.1:1, 40# drag
  • SR 20 5:1, 30# drag
Quantum Cabo
  • 80PT 4.9:1, 30# drag
Shimano Spheros 14000
Penn Sportfisher SS 850
Quantum Boca 80
When choosing which reel to purchase, be sure to find a high speed reel- this will allow you to work the lure quickly with a minimum amount of cranking. In addition, be sure that the capacity of the spool will allow you to use 300-400 yards of 65-80 pound braided line and that the reel will put out a minimum of 25 pounds of drag. Chasing big fish- especially tuna- can get extremely hairy on the first run and having enough capacity and enough drag are a minimum requirement to get into the game.

Casting Rods

Picking a casting rod is even more of a function of personal preference than it is for a jigging rod. Be sure to do your homework, and pick a rod that will suit the needs of you and of your fishery- not the "in" rod of the day.

Assembled here on the right are some characteristics to consider

Weight

Weight is even more important in choosing a casting rod than it is for choosing a jigging rod. When you consider that you will typically be throwing lures from 100g (3.5 ounces) to 200g (7 ounces) hundreds of times a day, saving weight is extremely important.

Balance

Proper balance of the rod will ensure that during the acts of casting and fighting you will not be spending energy fighting the rod as well. To test a rod's balance pair it with the reel that you will be using and grab it slightly superior to the reel stem. If properly balanced, the tip of the rod will not hit the floor or the ceiling.

Action

This is fairly straight forward for casting rods. Because of the length of casting rods, there really aren't any that are truly parabolic. Most casting rods are fairly similar in action, but they will vary so it's important to try a few before you settle on which one is best for you.

Power

Choosing what power level you want for your casting rod is a delicate balance. You want to have enough power but at the same time want the rod to load properly so that the most pressure will be put on the fish, and not the angler.

Rod Tip

The tip section of the rod will vary based on what you will be casting. If your weapon of choice will be primarily poppers you will want a stiff tip section so that you can pull large chuggers and get the most amount of splash. If you will be using mostly swim baits or stick baits you will want the tip to be softer so that you can finesse the action of the lure as you twitch it.

Length

For popping rods there is no characteristic that is more of a personal choice than the length of the rod. Generally the longer the rod the further you will be able to cast, but when the fight turns vertical the length can be a liability as it will put more pressure on the angler. In choosing a rod, you must weigh this carefully.

Rod Ratings

Popping rods each have a range of weigh that they are optimized to cast. Nearly all of the time this is rated in grams. For example if a rod has a rating of 50-100g, it means that a lure within that range will load the blank properly. The PE rating on casting rods are the same as they are for jigging rods and they denote the ideal line strength that should be used on that rod. This rating will also equate to strength and drag pressure that is allowed- the higher the PE rating, the more drag you can safely put on that rod.

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