Cork Popper Season

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Something about cold, snow, and the holidays seems to bring out in me a yearning to make cork poppers every year. Shaping them on the Dremel, and especially painting them. Very soothing. I had fun coming up with unusual color combos this year.

[niveker 0]

Very nice.  

[RickZieger 0]

I like them.

Rick

[Mark Knapp 0]

3 hours ago, Bryon Anderson said:

Something about cold, snow, and the holidays seems to bring out in me a yearning to make cork poppers every year. Shaping them on the Dremel, and especially painting them. Very soothing. I had fun coming up with unusual color combos this year.

Very cool, I'm a fan.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

 Very well done.... the fish in our local canals (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, etc) would shred those - all winter long...

[Gene L 0]

Looking great.  I thought about this but could not find corks without bad holes in them.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Whenever I'm working with cork rings for making rod grips, the glue up and cure is done as well as 90% of the shaping it's routine to fill any voids or holes in the cork's surface using plastic wood filler (the brand Plastic Wood) and a very small spatula,  then smoothing out the surface with sandpaper after the filler has set up properly....  Should work well with cork heads for popping bugs, after the shaping and gluing process is complete, before painting...  Hope this helps

[Gene L 0]

Cpt, is there any negatives associated with adding mass to fill the holes?

[Bryon Anderson 0]

9 hours ago, Gene L said:

Looking great.  I thought about this but could not find corks without bad holes in them.

I discovered a great cork stoppers supplier called widgetco.com. They have several grades of cork, the best of which is "Extra Select" grade. Very few holes or voids to fill.

https://www.widgetco.com/collections/extra-select-cork-stoppers

[vicrider 0]

Having just recently examined several of your bugs Bryon I can say they are very nice and with the cost of a damn cork or balsa popper today it's ridiculous.  Great work.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Doubt the filler adds much at all since the holes and voids are so small -but must admit I long ago quit using cork for popping bugs entirely, preferring to use pre-shaped soft foam heads - with not paint at all... Where we are the fish attack them without much of a look first the way some freshwater fish might... 

[DarrellP 0]

I am not convinced LMB really pay much attention to paint.  Your speed bugs work.  I tied some poppers with just a silicone skirt piece for the tail that was very effective.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

On 12/24/2024 at 7:26 AM, Capt Bob LeMay said:

Where we are the fish attack them without much of a look first the way some freshwater fish might... 

 

On 12/27/2024 at 2:15 PM, DarrellP said:

I am not convinced LMB really pay much attention to paint.

I agree Capt. Bob and DarrellP--the Bass here will happily attack a plain unpainted popper every time. The painting is just something I enjoy doing for its own sake. 🙂

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

They look really good... and I am aware that for most anglers - this isn't exactly the time when you can do much more than time spent at the tying vise.  Down here, of course, we're on the water year 'round... and at times, barely able to have the flies needed for the next day.

 

[Squeezy 0]

Bryon - those look really nice!  Every attempt I make at painting I seem to never like it...  You on the other hand sure have a nack for making them look fantastic!