Was fishing an 8" parrot pencil popper this AM about sun up. I kept getting short strikes on it. Was doing sort of a medium retrieve. Slowed it down. No strikes. Speeded it up. No strikes. Went back to medium and got short strikes. Some of these hits were in skinny water at my feet. Saw the fish. They had some size to them. Tried pausing after the strike and then some twitches. Nothing... Tried to speed up after the strike. Had one follow but, a short strike again. I'm puzzled. I began thinking that maybe a floating needle might have been an option, cause something wasn't quite right. Any thoughts. A color change?

go smaller. it is the key.

DAmn, NOw I have to turn a few more...
:-)

I got a 6" floating parrot stubby needle. Maybe that would work, too?

I got a 6" floating parrot stubby needle. Maybe that would work, too?

Sure, just work it like a pencil. I've used the small Superstrike "Bullet" needles when the bass have been breaking on small bait in the Canal---they got hits where the 7" Gibbs and Hawgs were getting ignored.

yay! make more plugs!
also you may want to try a little chrome creek chub popper.

Got a few like that. I was thinking about bringing along a few 4" Zarra Spooks that I have. Lordy, at this rate, I'll need a little red wagon just for the plugs....

Went back this AM with a smaller version of the pencil popper. Better... Got two explosive strikes. Both fish cleared the water, but no hook up. The plug isn't balanced right and I suspect hook size is too small... But I'm in the ball park... Turn another today to fine tune....

I use mostly 4/0-5/0 hooks on my pencils.they are bigger than most so perhaps 3/0-4/0 will work.NO SPLITRINGS. Cut em an bend them to the sides like the old mustads.use a good pair of needle nose vise grips so the pliers don't slip promoting rust.The VMC's will bend back an forth several times before breaking so they will be ok.just do it once though.make the back loop large an a little long so the hook wil lie flat against the body on the cast.this will eliminate wobble an get u better distance.Spin some epoxy around it so it don't worm loose an have to be rewired.I tried the whole split ring thing on the pencils an was gettin killed tilll i figured it out it don't seem like much but trust me on this.In Montauk when they are feedin on 1 inch baits they eat pencils like mad.When that thing is floppin around in the water do u think the size really makes a difference.I would say most times No.but what do i know.

NIB, That's an interesting comment on hook size. I wouldn't have given it too much thought til this AM. I have also giving some thought to using a longer shanked trailer hook to see what happens. On the split rings. Were you not getting solid hook ups? What size pencil are you talking aobut with the 4/0 and 5/0 hooks?

NIB, That's an interesting comment on hook size. I wouldn't have given it too much thought til this AM. I have also giving some thought to using a longer shanked trailer hook to see what happens. On the split rings. Were you not getting solid hook ups? What size pencil are you talking aobut with the 4/0 and 5/0 hooks?

I don't have a duplicator so whatever comes out when i'm done turnin is the results but for the most part 7-9 inches.Nothin under 3.5 onces.I can get my 3.5's to work really wel in close an they cast like a missile.u be suprised whats 125 yds from the shore sometimes.I don't understand usin smaller pencils unles ur usin a smaller rod like from a boat. u gotta have a long rod like 1322 arra or a gsb1321m which is pretty much all i use these days anyways.For the most part i don't think splitrings are a good Idea. I wanta good fish to get the plug down its mouth I think less likely to give that odd leverage as if hooked on the side of the face someplace.Sometimes with lures like needles the fish don't really key in on one particular bait they kinda plow the pack in that case s-rings are ok wit razor sharp hooks like the VMC's.I don't know why but 2 yrs ago fishin the peanut/mullet run my buddies where hookin up on my older pencil lures wit no splitrings an I was missin i went home an changed things out an did as usuall.I got a small bolt cutter from Hommies like 14 bucks goes thru em like butter.evn the 6x hooks which I use on the tail sometimes.