Good hook for use in tying cork body poppers

[DrippingSprings330 0]

I don't want to use a kinked shank "popper hook" but a fine wire xlong hook to allow me to pull the bugs out of deadfalls. Any suggestions please!

[RickZieger 0]

Wrap thread on the hook, several layers. Put superglue on the thread and lightly clamp the cork on the thread.

Make sure the cork is all the way around the hook.

 

Rick.

[Flat Rock native 0]

Wrap thread on the hook, several layers. Put superglue on the thread and lightly clamp the cork on the thread.

Make sure the cork is all the way around the hook.

 

Rick.

Rick,

 

What kinds of clamps are your preference?

 

Dripping... welcome to the forum and keep posting, all questions are good ones here AND as you see AN expert, will always ring in to help out. Carry On...

[Flat Rock native 0]

I don't want to use a kinked shank "popper hook" but a fine wire xlong hook to allow me to pull the bugs out of deadfalls. Any suggestions please!

Welcome to ftf!

[RickZieger 0]

The few I did were with clamps to hold pages of paper. Enough pressure to hold the cork together, but not to deform it.

Did this as I was to cheap to buy the kinked hooks.

 

Rick

[Flat Rock native 0]

The few I did were with clamps to hold pages of paper. Enough pressure to hold the cork together, but not to deform it.

Did this as I was to cheap to buy the kinked hooks.

 

Rick

Thanks, Rick, I have many of the rectangular binder clips, with two folding "handles." Looking foward to firing up the Mini-Lathe soon!

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

I've had limited success with 'roughing up' the hook shank and then lashing mono on top of and/or bottom of the hook shank - soaking in crazy glue or equivalent - then (number 2) allowing for cure - THEN (number 3) tying popper body to hook assembly.

 

BCT

[shoebop 0]

I don't know where you are buying your hooks but J Stockard has popper hooks at a pretty good price compared to a similar sized straight shank hook maybe even cheaper.http://www.jsflyfishing.com/mustad-classic-33903-fly-hook

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/j-stockard-j2-245-streamer-fly-hook

 

I see no reason to go through all trouble when the easiest solution is also the best and least expensive. Just get popper hooks and bada bing...bada boom!

[mikechell 0]

$8.95 for 100 kinked shank hooks.

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/mustad-classic-33903-fly-hook?child=HK-049903-G004&%2Fitem%2Fhk-049903-g004%2Fmustad-classic-33903-hook-size-4%2F1_html=&utm_source=google_base&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=gbase_feed&gclid=CLDmwbHJztICFQqRaQodECAJSg&p=1

[Stippled Popper 0]

I don't want to use a kinked shank "popper hook" but a fine wire xlong hook to allow me to pull the bugs out of deadfalls. Any suggestions please!

 

a fine wire hook? I believe a stronger hook with a proper weed guard would serve better for your stated purpose.

[Hatchet Jack 0]

I don't want to use a kinked shank "popper hook" but a fine wire xlong hook to allow me to pull the bugs out of deadfalls. Any suggestions please!

 

DrippingSprings, I think I know exactly what you're getting at.

Deadfalls = panfish, especially crappies.

 

Don't laugh but here goes - jig hooks!

 

Might be a tad dodgy because of the 90º bend but many light wire jig hooks are

made specifically to bend with a strong pull and thus tear free of snags. You'll have

to play around with the design and your tippet size, but I think it's workable.

 

Just be sure to wrap a good thread base on the shank, as others have mentioned.

[Kentuckysteve 0]

I have used eagle claw cricket hooks on poppers to be able to pull them free easily.The hooks are long and very thin wire,They will bend like a crappie hook if you hang them but strong enough to land a fish.

 

Eagle claw also has an aberdeen hook in gold that is thin and bends easy.Have not used them for poppers but they would work.

[Philly 0]

I like to use straight shank hooks for my poppers and sliders. I don't like messing with cork. I do use the Eagle Claw Aberdeen style crappie hooks both for my poppers and also for Woolly Buggers. Eagle Claw does make them in bronze color. I use the same method that Rick does for attaching the body to the hook. I'll put of coat of super glue on the shank and wrap the thread over it then build a thread body so that when I slide the body on there's a bit of resistance. I tie in the tail and hackle. Coat the shank with thick slower curing super glue and slide the body on. Before the body comes in contact with the hackle I clean up any excess glue being pushed by the body.

When I first started tying poppers, I wanted pencil poppers. I bought a bunch of the cricket hooks in various sizes to make them. Despite thin wire they're pretty tough. I've got a couple I saved that survived three dozen snapper blues that I caught on them. Here's a couple that I tied on them.

 

 

[Poopdeck 0]

Anytime I want a bendable hook I reach for your standard gold Aberdeen hook. I've determined the kinked hooks are worth the money for cork poppers. I've used wine and champagne corks for floating jig heads for decades and poppers for years. In fact I've never used anything else.

 

I never clamp the cork because it's to easy to crack the cork and not notice it when trying to wrap the cork around the hook. I cut a slot in the cork with a hacksaw blade. Wrap hook in tying thread and place in slot. I then fill the slot with slightly thickened epoxy without squeezing the cork. I do it this way because I usually have a bit of time in shaping the cork up to this moment and it's really disheartening when you crack the cork by squeezing it around the hook shank. Again, I really like the kink shank hooks for cork.

[DrippingSprings330 0]

I have purchased 200 size 4 Mustad 3193 hooks. The shank is xlong and the strength of the hook is a little ore than I wanted. I will be cupping a large amount of cork blanks I bought at a farmers market close to Austin, TX. I appreciate the tips on the binder "clamps" and will be using a mix of Liquid Nails and Elmers to seal the cork bodies. I am lucky enough to have a neighbor with a drill press for a rotary tool to help with cupping the face. I am looking now online for a set of templates for tapering the bodies. My choice on my poppers is a flat bottom. I replicate some old Weber bugs by using craft pin heads for the eyes. Thanks for the help y'all.