Looking to get into making popers!

[cjsnyder1234 0]

Hey I am semi new here and have been tying flies for about 13 years and have never really got into making poppers. Just looking for some advice on what I should get for tools and materials. Looking to make a wide range of popper sizes from bass/pike to panfish not really sure what hook sizes or even if foam over cork. I would like to paint them via copic air brush seeing as I live in a small apartment and do not have a shop where I can set up a full on air brush system. main things I need help on are.

 

- Hook style/sizes

- Popper heads foam/cork pre cut or I have seen a jig for cutting your own

- Clear coat? to make them shinny and longer lasting

- Any other advice is much welcome

 

Thanks ahead of time and I did search tomsee other posts but most had just bits and peices of the puzzle. Maybe im making more of this than it is but there seems to be an endless way to make one kind of fly as with most other patterns.

[tidewaterfly 0]

Cj, as you already have said, there is many ways to make most flies, and that includes poppers. I've made my own from scratch by shaping cork and balsa wood, and have used the various pre-made bodies. For ease & saving time I now prefer the pre-made in hard or soft foams such as those made by Rainy's or Wapsi. Of course we all have our preferences, and much depends on what you like to do. I make them with simple bodies from foam cylinders too, especially larger sizes for bass or saltwater use.

 

To answer your questions, hook sizes depends on your interests & preferences. I seldom make popper sizes smaller than a size 8 hook, but make them on hooks as large as a 5/0.

 

I often coat them with epoxy, but there are other coatings that work well. You may have to experiment & see what you like best.

 

For advice or tips, size the body & hook together properly. I like the largest hook I can place in a popper body & still have it float. This usually gives the widest gape. Of course this is also one of those things that every person may not view the same.

 

Don't over dress them so that the dressing blocks the hook gape & possibly interferes with hook ups.

 

I like to use good quality hooks in my poppers. Even use straight shank plastic worm hooks & sometimes offset shank worm hooks for bass poppers such as those made by Gamakatsu or Owner. I use the kink shank popper hooks too, and like the Signature Series that Mustad produces. In smaller sizes, for panfish there are many good hooks that can be used, and they don't necessarily have to be "popper" hooks. Even inexpensive Aberdeen hooks can be used. Again you have to decide what you like best for your fishing.

 

For the most part, you have to make some & see what you like best. Everyone has preferences and none are right or wrong.

 

BTW, I usually epoxy the bodies to the hook after first placing a good thread base along the hook shank. However, I have used other ways to attach them such as CA type glues (Super Glues) hot glues, and other general adhesives. Each has pro's & con's and various degree's of durability.

 

Hope this helps!

[FlaFly 0]

Depends on what you intend to catch. If you're going after bluegills, they don't need to be fancy. A piece of foam rubber or cork will do for a head. Paint it whatever color you like, and tie some feathers (a tail and/or a hackle waist). Bluegills will eat pretty much anything. I purchase popper heads from BPS or Cabelas. Hook anywhere from 6 to 12.

 

If you're fishing for bass, you'll probably need to make them at least resemble something like a frog or mouse but to be honest, I've caught bass on bluegill poppers.

 

There are lots of poppers on the fly pattern database (top of page) that you can get inspiration from. warmwaterflytyer.com and other sites have step by steps if you need them. Also you can just go to google images and search "popping bug flies".

 

Finally, there was another thread on this forum a couple of months ago about poppers that might help you.

[Eric Hanson 0]

There is indeed several ways to make popper. The best tier, IMO, for poppers is Ronald Braud. He uses a technique called stippling and has done a very comprehensive guide.

 

Here's one of his popper heads on a fly I've tied up:

 

 

Here's one with a head I've done using a different technique:

 

 

And some more using another technique:

 

[cjsnyder1234 0]

Thanks I love the Ideas posted and those patterns with the heads facing backwards are really sick looking. Just wondering about shank length now that you guys have said it really is not needed for it to be a "popper" style hook. gonna look into the already made heads and start from there. Add to my addiction! This is like fuel on fire lol.

[cjsnyder1234 0]

Also those last poppers look like a pop r lol sick

[shoebop 0]

There is indeed several ways to make popper. The best tier, IMO, for poppers is Ronald Braud. He uses a technique called stippling and has done a very comprehensive guide.

 

Here's one of his popper heads on a fly I've tied up:

 

 

Here's one with a head I've done using a different technique:

 

 

And some more using another technique:

 

IMO the first popper is an example of a poor hook choice and possibly a poor head mounting option. As you can see, there is too little gape between the head and hook point. IMO the biggest mistake that can be made with poppers. There are several ways to avoid this. One, a longer hook shank so the hook point is well behind the popper head. Two, a larger hook with a larger hook gape. Three, mount the popper head so that it sits more to the top of the hook shank.

[FlaFly 0]

Leaving aside Shoebop's notes, the two top pictures are sliders, not poppers. You get them by turning the popper head backwards on the hook. Turn the heads around and those would be OK poppers, at least for bluegills.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Materials: Hard foam (Comal bobbers, strike indicators, pre-molded heads from WAPSI, etc.)

Soft closed cell foam (flip flops, foam craft sheets from 2 - 6mm to foam craft blocks, foam craft marshmellows, pre-shaped from several sources such as Cascade Crest, Rainey's, etc.)

Cork (bottle stoppers, wine corks, composite wine cork shapes from craft stores, different bottle stopper shapes from Netcraft, etc.)

Wood (balsa, tupelo, paulownia, etc.)

 

Hooks: Single hump, double hump, standard shank, long shank, articulated shank, tube to name a few.

 

Clear coating: here is a link to an article I wrote about clear coating durability comparisons http://onthevise.com/blog/10-clear-coat-durability-test-poppers

 

As you can see by my extensive yet partial list, there are many choices. What works best is what you are comfortable with using. I would do a search here on this forum for some past discussions as well as asking Dr. Google where you will find endless guidance and videos on the subject. Youtube would be a good source.

 

Good luck and be sure to post some of your popper results.

 

Kirk

[Stippled Popper 0]

Here is a link to an in depth discussion of the making of the foil/balsa pencil poppers shown in the bottom

image in Eric Hanson's post.

 

http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9487&hilit=Foil+Pencil+Poppers

[Unclelevi 0]

Tell you what, CJ. I have all my fly tying stuff packed up right now because I'm moving to Dassel, Minnesota next Saturday. But I have about --I don't know--at least several hundred-- popper bodies in two boxes packed up. If, early this spring, you want to try to tie poppers on some of these, get hold of me here and I'll send you a couple dozen to try. These are JUST bodies, some not even cut to length, but I've tied dozens of poppers on these and they're outstanding and long lasting for bass and bluegill. Anyway, if you want to try some of this material next spring, I'll have them unpacked by then. No feelings hurt if you're already set up with what you like by then. Have fun tying. Poppers are fun to experiment with--tying and fishing.

[Eric Hanson 0]

Shoebop said:

 

IMO the first popper is an example of a poor hook choice and possibly a poor head mounting option. As you can see, there is too little gape between the head and hook point. IMO the biggest mistake that can be made with poppers. There are several ways to avoid this. One, a longer hook shank so the hook point is well behind the popper head. Two, a larger hook with a larger hook gape. Three, mount the popper head so that it sits more to the top of the hook shank.

 

 

 

 

Shoebop,

 

You would be absolutely correct if this was the finished fly. The fly has a stinger hook (you kinda see it against the arm of the vise) and the front hook gets clipped off at the bend. Kinda a poor man's Waddington shank. The 'sliders' in the first two pics of my post are tied the same just that the second one has the front hook already clipped off.

[Eric Hanson 0]

Here is a link to an in depth discussion of the making of the foil/balsa pencil poppers shown in the bottom

image in Eric Hanson's post.

 

http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9487&hilit=Foil+Pencil+Poppers

 

Thanks for the link Ronald. I had since forgotten who had did those.

[shoebop 0]

 

Shoebop said:

 

IMO the first popper is an example of a poor hook choice and possibly a poor head mounting option. As you can see, there is too little gape between the head and hook point. IMO the biggest mistake that can be made with poppers. There are several ways to avoid this. One, a longer hook shank so the hook point is well behind the popper head. Two, a larger hook with a larger hook gape. Three, mount the popper head so that it sits more to the top of the hook shank.

Shoebop,

 

You would be absolutely correct if this was the finished fly. The fly has a stinger hook (you kinda see it against the arm of the vise) and the front hook gets clipped off at the bend. Kinda a poor man's Waddington shank. The 'sliders' in the first two pics of my post are tied the same just that the second one has the front hook already clipped off.

 

 

Well, looky there! I didn't even notice the trailer hook. It's good that I pointed out the hook gap issue though because it is a common error with tyers new to poppers/sliders.

[flytire 0]

 

you could start with popper kits in different sizes