When how and why? 

When it comes to choosing between stick baits and swim poppers, many people ask me about the differences and the reasons for choosing one over the other.
Here’s what I tell them: 

I recommend using a swim popper first for a new location or early in the morning. This is because the popping noise, bubble trail, and action it creates can attract fish from the deeper reefs and nearby areas. A swim popper is a mix between a popper and a stick bait and can be worked the same way as a stick bait. However, it creates a presence in the water using both sound and visual appearance. 

Swim poppers are also great for fishing in windy conditions or areas with a lot of currents. They hold up better in these conditions than stick baits. If you’re fishing from a higher land-based ledge, a swim popper is also a better choice because the cup face helps it hold in place. 

On the other hand, stick baits are designed to mimic a wounded bait fish and work best when there is already a presence of fish or bait schools. Depending on your preference, they can be worked slowly and quietly or with more action. Stick baits blend in nicely with the schools of fish and the bait they are feeding on. I like to call this “matching the hatch.”