Shadows rippled off of the water below Brandon Cobb, reflecting off of his sunglasses into the summer sky over Wheeler Lake. Not far from the scintillating aroma of slow-roasted pulled pork hovering over Decatur, Ala., Cobb’s eyes scanned the water for activity. In mid-May, this is a common scene for the South Carolina angler in search of postspawn stragglers lingering in the shallows.
With a short, flexible rod in hand, Cobb plays the part of sniper with a classic bait design that even a novice can deploy with lethality — the popper. “If you’re going simple fishing that time of year and just looking to catch some fish, I love a popper,” Cobb says. “It’s a great bait in May when you’ve got
