Cork fishing means suspending a lure or bait under a popping cork that does two things: it makes noise to imitate jumping baitfish and call game fish in, and it keeps your offering in the strike zone longer. But not all popping corks are created equal, and choosing the right one for the species and conditions is the whole game. In this How 2 Tuesday I am in Louisiana with my good friend Anthony Randazzo, who teaches us how to pick exactly the right popping cork for what we are trying to catch.
Watch now: press play on the video above and follow along.
A popping cork is a float that does two jobs. First it makes noise: pulled across the surface it imitates baitfish jumping, which draws game fish like redfish and speckled trout to the lure or bait suspended beneath it. Second it keeps your offering in the strike zone for a long time, so you can leave it motionless or give it a subtle pop. Anthony Randazzo explains that a concave-head cork grabs water for a loud click and boom, while an oval cork makes a softer click.
A concave-head popping cork makes a lot of commotion, grabbing water for a loud click and boom that calls fish from a distance, which makes it ideal for redfish. An oval or egg-shaped cork is more aerodynamic with less buoyancy, so it makes a softer sound, casts well in the wind, and lets smaller fish pull it under without feeling resistance. Anthony Randazzo says that lighter pull is why the oval is more efficient for speckled trout, since they hang on to the bait longer.
Most of the time you reach for the bigger concave cork for redfish because the extra noise calls them to the bait. But on days when the bite is real subtle, Anthony Randazzo switches to the smaller oval cork because it telegraphs the lightest strikes. The smaller cork shows you the subtlest of bites that a big, buoyant cork would mask, so it earns its place on those finicky days even though it is not the usual redfish choice.
Either works, and so does crab or menhaden. Anthony Randazzo's rule is to match the bait to whatever is prevalent for the season. In times of year when menhaden are around, he will cast-net them and fish them on a bait hook under the cork with great success. Shrimp, crab, menhaden, or your favorite artificial lures will all produce as long as you are offering what the fish are already keyed on. The cork's noise and the bait in the strike zone do the rest.
Because each has its own application and you never know which the day will call for. Anthony Randazzo says he would never go out with just one or the other. The bigger concave cork gives more casting distance in the wind and more noise for calling fish, while the rigged oval cork is aerodynamic, flies a good distance, and does the same job with a softer presentation for trout or subtle bites. Having both lets you switch based on species, wind, and how aggressive the bite is.
You can leave it basically motionless to keep the bait in the strike zone, or give it action with a subtle pop. With the oval cork you do not have to pull hard, just a little click is enough. With the concave cork a similar pull produces a click and a boom because the cupped head grabs the water and makes far more noise. The idea is to imitate surface bait activity, draw fish in, then let the lure or bait hang temptingly underneath.
The popping cork is one of the most popular ways to fish in Louisiana and far beyond, and my good friend Anthony Randazzo is as dialed in on it as anyone. What a lot of anglers miss is that not all popping corks are created equal, and picking the wrong one costs you fish. I had Anthony lay out exactly how he chooses, and his explanation is simple and practical. He walks through it in the episode, so watch the video above.
Anthony showed me two corks that look similar but fish very differently: a concave-head cork that makes a lot of commotion, and an oval cork that makes a softer sound. He told me he would never go out with just one or the other, because each has its perfect application. The concave is his redfish caller, the oval his trout and finesse tool. He explains the difference in the video above.
The detail I found most useful is why the oval cork is more efficient for trout. It is more aerodynamic with less buoyancy, so a smaller fish can pull it down without feeling resistance and hangs on to the bait longer. On subtle-bite days it also shows the lightest strikes a big cork would hide. Anthony breaks down when he switches in the episode, so press play above.
Anthony's rule on what to hang under the cork is refreshingly simple: fish whatever is prevalent for the season. When menhaden are around he cast-nets them and fishes them on a bait hook with great success, and shrimp, crab, or soft plastics all work when the fish are keyed on them. The cork's noise and the bait in the strike zone do the rest. He explains how he decides in the video above.
Here is how Anthony chooses and works a popping cork, laid out step by step.
Watch Anthony demonstrate both corks in the video above.
There is more than one type of popping cork, and as with everything in fishing there are nuances and ways to get better at it. Carry both styles, match the cork to the species and conditions, and feed the fish whatever they are keyed on.
Thanks to Anthony Randazzo for breaking this down. If you fish corks, dialing in the right one will put more fish in the boat. Watch the video above and follow along.
popping cork · concave cork · oval cork · Anthony Randazzo · Louisiana · redfish · speckled trout · live shrimp · menhaden · soft plastics · cast net · How 2 Tuesday
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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