WAPSI Perfect Popper bodies

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Although I like cork, balsa, and soft foam, I'm becoming fond of the Perfect Popper bodies from WAPSI. Here are some things that can be done with them, I actually included a few traditional poppers but they make great sliders and divers too. I just went with traditional tailing but that part of floating bugs can be varied too.

 

Kirk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[catmanclark 0]

Very nice.. one question that I have is on your green popper with the blue hackle and rubber legs, do you tie the legs in then place and wrap the hackle? I enjoy the look, but have tried it a few times and get discouraged after days of prep and thought..

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Very nice..

 

Thanks Cat, my favorite "fly" to tie.

 

 

... one question that I have is on your green popper with the blue hackle and rubber legs, do you tie the legs in then place and wrap the hackle?...

 

Yes, see SBS pics below.

 

Kirk

 

 

 

 

[TheCream 0]

Very nice, Kirk! I have become a big fan of the saltwater popper bodies for bass. I like the size and profile, and it lets you make a large profiled popper without extreme bulk and weight. I just finished up two more of them last night, actually.

[Fred H. 0]

I really like the finish on those . They look like they were factory made. Just perfect.

 

 

Fred

[agn54 0]

Fantastic flies, Kirk, and great job on the painting/marking of the bodies. What hooks do you use? Do you cot the bodies with epoxy?

[kelkay 0]

Kirk, they all are killer flies in my opinion. You outdid yourself on these!!

[fshrmanms 0]

thanks Kirk, I needed a little help with the leg thing too. Super popper too, as usual, you do great work!!

[tidewaterfly 0]

Kirk, awesome as always!

[Henry Franklin 0]

Beautiful work Kirk!!!!!

 

Henry F.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Thanks everyone, gotta say painting bugs is my favorite thing in fly tying; maybe I'm a painter and not a fly tier?

 

Cream, I wonder why they call them saltwater poppers when the hook looks like the freshwater ones? Funny how your latest is the shad and you can see by my pictures that pattern dominates my selection.

 

AGN, I painted all the bodies with acrylic paint using hair brushes, foam mascara applicators to get the blend between colors and then pins and dowels for dots.

I use 30 minute cure epoxy for the topcoat.

As for the hooks, I used the hooks that came with them. These heads come ten to a pack with kink shank hooks. The long ones are made specially for WAPSI. The shorter heads come with the new single kink shank hook made by Mustad. However, I use a myriad of hooks for my hand made bodies anything from a long shank SS hook to a long shank freshwater streamer hook to the Gama B10s or Mustad 3366 to their old double kink shank hook. I've even been using shorter hooks like the Gama SC15 with a SS spinnerbait wire to extend the length of the body. With today's glues, you really can use any thread wrapped hook.

 

Fred, "Just perfect"? pun intended I hope?

 

Thanks again Kel, fshr, Tide and Henry,

Kirk

[fishandbowcoop 0]

what type of hair brush are you using?

[tidewaterfly 0]

what type of hair brush are you using?

I believe what Kirk was saying, is that the brushes he uses are made with hair bristles, instead of plastic. Paint brushes are made with different types of bristles, some stiffer & some softer. All depends on what you need to do with them. Some types of paint seem to work better with different types of brushes. I'm again sure his experience has told him which works best for him.

 

I also make similar poppers (although Kirk's painting is far better than mine) & also like brushes made with a medium soft, hair bristle. I buy the cheap plastic bristle hobby brushes for applying epoxy. Different tools for different applications.

[TheCream 0]

Awesome topwaters, Kirk! Your airbrush work is truly magnificent.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Fishandbow, sorry I didn't see your question but it looks like Tide fielded it just fine, he is correct. I too use the plastic for epoxy and most other clear coat finishes but use artists hair bristle brushes for applying my acrylic paints.

Thanks Jeff. The Copics really make these basic dark over light color schemes real easy.

 

Kirk