waspi perfect poppers

[pop-n-bug 0]

Has anyone ever tied Popper's using waspi perfect Popper's. I bought a pack to try out and was wondering what others think.

[mybadhabit 0]

I've never used them, but I did up a dozen for a swap and have been told they work great by other tyers that I know. They take paint well and finish great, I had no problems with them at all.

 

Blane

[pop-n-bug 0]

Thanks Blame. I never have used a kit to make Popper's. Usually use raineys Popper bodies but decided to try these. Good to know that people like these.

[Stippled Popper 0]

In both the hard foam and soft foam versions Wapsi Perfect Poppers are just as serviceable in making poppers as the Rainey's. The Wapsi bodies just don't come in as many shapes as the Rainey's do.

[pop-n-bug 0]

Stipple, just got 2 mounted on the hooks without any problem. Working on paint now. Have you ever used cork from wine bottles to make bodies? Got some that I am gonna give a try. Trying.to figure out how to shape the cork to the desired shape. Any ideas on the best way?

[Stippled Popper 0]

With some of the hard foam popper bodies it is necessary to widen the hook slot(particularly the #2/1 cupped bodies if you use the #1 Mustad CK52S hook). I use a metal finger nail file for that. The body can split if you apply too much pressure in order to insert the hook. "Real Cork" Wine corks have long been used for popper bodies. If you don't have a local source, used wine corks are available for $$ from an online supplier.

 

Impaling the cork with something you can stick in a Dremel or Drill and then using something to sand the cork to shape as it spins can be used. Whatever you use to "stick" the cork should not be round or it can spin(There is a post somewhere started by Kirk Dietrich that discusses using a triangular shaped "needle". . . I believe a leather punch. But a nail can also be shaped.).

 

If centering the needle in the cork is an issue, sanding can remove material to even that out.

 

Of course, just cutting off pieces with or without a bit of shaping works too.

[sniperfreak223 0]

I've used the hard foam bodies a lot in the past, and they work well enough, they take paint well and have very good durability. I just got some of the soft foam models in too, but haven't had much chance to play around with them just yet, but I figure they'll save me some time over the Hipps' Soft Body Poppers I usually tie. Either way, I have a few months before I could give them an on-water test, and I'm waiting on an order for more popper hooks, since I haven't hd the best luck with Perfect Poppers on my beloved Mustad 3366's.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I'm very fond of perfect poppers from Wapsi and have a single pattern called the Speedbug based on the soft foam heads. Here's a few pics. This bug has taken snook, tarpon, speckled trout (in great numbers), redfish, spanish macks, etc. According to the info that comes with the heads they're supposed to have a #4 hook but I use a #1 Mustad 34007 instead..... This particular pattern has been a best seller in the shops that I've tied for....

[sniperfreak223 0]

I'm very fond of perfect poppers from Wapsi and have a single pattern called the Speedbug based on the soft foam heads. Here's a few pics. This bug has taken snook, tarpon, speckled trout (in great numbers), redfish, spanish macks, etc. According to the info that comes with the heads they're supposed to have a #4 hook but I use a #1 Mustad 34007 instead..... This particular pattern has been a best seller in the shops that I've tied for....

 

How do you get them to stay in place on a plain (non-kink shanked) hook like the 34007? I've been trying to use them on 3366's but even with super glue they tend to spin on the shank?

[Mechanical Advantage 0]

Have you tried laying down a base of thread before gluing the popper body in place? Might give it a little more grip.

[jacktjl 0]

Stipple, just got 2 mounted on the hooks without any problem. Working on paint now. Have you ever used cork from wine bottles to make bodies? Got some that I am gonna give a try. Trying.to figure out how to shape the cork to the desired shape. Any ideas on the best way?

I have used a finish nail in a dremel tool with success on poppers size 8 or smaller. I cut the head of the finish nail and also slice the cork into smaller sections before impaling on the nail. I typically use a low rpm and a light touch with sandpaper. Works great for me.

 

Tim.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I've made up a lot of poppers using the Wapsi bodies, more so the hard versions than the soft, but use both. As Stippled Popper said, I had to widen the slot, which I did with a Dremel tool & a cutting disc. Tedious to do, but it works. Also, like Capt Bob indicated, I like bigger size hooks than what the packages specify. I very much like that Mustad CK52S, but also use hooks such as straight & offset shank worm hooks, and stainless hooks for saltwater.

 

I wrap the hook shank with thread, and epoxy them to the body. If there's any indentation left, I simply fill the void with more epoxy & once it's set up & hard, smooth it out with a emery board. This also works with hooks that don't have kinks in the shank & they don't spin. On the smaller size soft foam heads I've used super glue, which is faster but prefer the epoxy.

 

I usually paint the hard foam bodies with a craft paint I get at a local hardware, starting with a couple of coats of white, even though the body is white. I primarily only use white, green chartreuse, yellow chartreuse, & black poppers, although I may use other colors sometimes. The only time I don't use the white starting coats is when painting the bodies black. My final coat is again epoxy & sometimes I'll add a bit of fine glitter. I also usually add eyes, as I like they way they look, sometimes painting them or sometimes using stick-on's.

[pop-n-bug 0]

Thanks for the replys everyone. This is my first experience with these Popper's. Not sure if I like the kink shank hooks or not. I have always used straight shanks with a base of thread. Gonna tie all of these I have before I decide if I will continue to use them or not.

[onceahoosier 0]

I'm very fond of perfect poppers from Wapsi and have a single pattern called the Speedbug based on the soft foam heads. Here's a few pics. This bug has taken snook, tarpon, speckled trout (in great numbers), redfish, spanish macks, etc. According to the info that comes with the heads they're supposed to have a #4 hook but I use a #1 Mustad 34007 instead..... This particular pattern has been a best seller in the shops that I've tied for....

 

How do you get them to stay in place on a plain (non-kink shanked) hook like the 34007? I've been trying to use them on 3366's but even with super glue they tend to spin on the shank?

I tie a piece of large 20-30# mono on top of the hook to help hold the popper body in place. It works pretty well, coupled with plenty of glue. Make sure you have a tight fit in the popper hook slot. Usually, the piece of line I use is just an extension of the weed guard, instead of extending it up the bend of the hook only, I take it all the way up to close to the eye of the hook where it helps secure the popper head.

 

Tom

[sniperfreak223 0]

added a foam strip to the top of a 3366 prior to gluing the body in place, and that seems to have stopped the spinning problem. I like that the soft foam bodies can be colored with pemanent makers, it makes my life just a little bit easier.