Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers

The classic pencil popper. Affordable. Tail-down sit, walks the dog.

Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers have been a striped bass surfcasting staple for decades and they earn it. The weighted tail section makes them sit “tail-down” in the water, which gives the dog-walk and chug retrieve a more pronounced, fish-triggering action than the average plastic pencil popper. Affordable enough to throw into the rocks without flinching, and durable enough to take the bluefish chops they often get.

Key Features

• Weighted tail design for the signature “tail-down” sit and walk-the-dog action
• Long-casting profile reaches working fish through wind
• Classic striped bass surfcasting plug proven across decades
• Available in 3/4 oz to 2 oz for matching cast distance to wind and target species
• Affordable enough to throw aggressively in rocky water
• Wide color range from natural baitfish patterns to high-vis attractor colors

Specs

Rigging & Use

• Cast and let the lure settle so the tail drops before starting the retrieve
• Rod tip down, sharp short twitches for the walk-the-dog
• Hard pops with pauses for stripers chasing bigger bait
• Many anglers add weight to push casting distance further into the wind
• Pair with a softer rod tip too stiff a rod kills the walking action

Why We Like It

Cotton Cordell taught most surfcasters how to fish pencil poppers that legacy isn’t going anywhere. They cast well, walk well, hold up to blues, and don’t cost so much you cry when you snag one in a rock. Stock a few colors and a few weights and you’ve covered most pencil-popper scenarios on the East Coast.