a great big hello from PA!! Bass poppers help???

[bubbadaman 0]

Hello everyone, thanks for adding me! I am looking forward to becoming a regular visitor with you all. My fav species is Bass. I have been teaching myself to fly fish since May '16. I have really enjoyed TRYING to tie Bass poppers. They look easy enough to tie, but when I go to it...whew, what a trial. I have learned (at least I think I have learned...lol) a trick. When tying foam poppers using flip-flop foam, that after I wrap the hook with thread, I go right into tying the material on, then put the glue on the wrap. Once that is done, then I slide the foam on over top of the fresh super glue. Then I will use a Sharpie marker to put eyes on and a stripe or two. Then I use a leather threading needle to pull thin rubber bands through the foam and cut them off to resemble the legs.

 

These poppers have worked, but they are NOT pretty, or long-lasting. It seems that they also want to sink under the water after a few dozen casts.

 

 

Snyder County, Pa

[FlatsRoamer 0]

I want to see a pic!

[bubbadaman 0]

Flatsroamer...how do I do the picture posting?

[bubbadaman 0]

This should give you an idea of all the more talent I have... 3 pics below.

Thanks

[tidewaterfly 0]

They don't need to be pretty to catch fish. Not bad, but could use some refinement. The materials you're using, likely even the foam is absorbing water after awhile & that's why they start to sink. You can either go to a different foam, or other body, or just change poppers more often, which means you need to make more of them.

 

Personally I like a wider & shorter tail. This is about proportion. I also gave up on threading legs thru the body many years ago, as I damaged a lot of bodies & that extra hole may be contributing to your sinking issue. I'm not a fan of the leg material you're using (rubber band?) either as it seems too thick for your popper size. I generally use jig skirt material, either round rubber or silicone, and I tie them in behind the body. Much easier to do, & when punching holes thru the body not always easy to get the holes straight across so there's good balance from one side to the other. Too far off & the popper might sit cocked to one side or cause it to roll.

 

Here's a popper I made several months ago. It's using a ready made soft foam body I had purchased, but the general idea for making poppers is the same. I also prefer epoxy to mount the body on the hook & do that before tying on the rest of the materials. Super glues do work, but are not really water proof and I try to make them as durable as I can. However, I always start with a good thread base along the hook shank. By doing as I do it, I can make a lot of bodies mounted on hooks & tie them later as I have time or inclination.

 

This particular popper is on a offset worm hook, Owner brand in a 1/0 size if I recall correctly. Th offset acts like the kink on a kink shank popper hook & helps keep the body from ever rotating. It's a little tricky getting the hook positioned correctly, but works. It also causes the hook point to be positioned a bit lower & at an upwards angle, which I like as I feel it improves my hook up ratio. Notice also where the hook point is relative to the back end of the body. This hook has plenty of gap & is far enough back so fish (bass mostly) will get the hook in their mouth.

 

Take note of the proportions. Length of the tail & width of the tail feathers & such and how & where I added the legs. There's a bit of marabou to in the tail, which is another possible way to make them. I make most of mine with splayed out feather tails as I like how they "kick" when retrieved. Not the only way to make a popper, but for me it's worked well. I usually use a black hackle collar as black works great with any color body I choose. I use strung saddle or neck hackle for the collar & often leave some of the fluffy, marabou looking fibers as you see in the pics.

 

The eyes I used can be found in many crafts stores. They have a stem on the back, and I cut it a little short, punch a hole in the foam & glue the eye in place, which seals the hole. I don't usually punch the hole completely thru the body. Isn't necessary but I like how eyes look.

 

BTW, welcome to these forums!

 

 

[Poopdeck 0]

Welcome. Search "gurglers." Flip flops are a PIA for larger poppers. Great for pannies not so great for larger poppers. Gurglers are cheap and easy to tie and are equally effective.

[mikechell 0]

Welcome to the site. Your popper looks great. I think you need to find some smaller thickness rubber bands, as that is what I think is sinking your flies.

I tie flip flop foam flies ... pretty much the way you describe. But I skewer the bodies on a large needle and sew in the legs before gluing to the hook.

 

 

I don't know what the difference is, but I've had one of these on until the foam was ripped in half and it still floated. When the foam gets destroyed, I peel off the torn body and put a new body on the hook.

 

 

Materials and instructions ...

"Chell's reusuable foam popper."

http://www.flyrecipes.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=987655986&Itemid=53

 

"Chell's fluffy tail popper."

http://www.flyrecipes.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=987656013&Itemid=53

[vicente 0]

Welcome to the site, I'm with poopdeck on the gurglers, easy to make work well and I just don't really like tying poppers.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I'll also give a vote for Gurglers if you decide to go with tying them. I like poppers, but Gurglers are certainly another productive option and cheaper to make.