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Mike West

It’s Popper Time again

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I dont even need anymore of these but I just love doing it.

 

I have some new ideas for paint jobs this time and I really want to try to duplicate what the Stippled Popperdoes after his SBS post on how he goes about getting the effect and look he gets.

 

Ive tried it before but with less than satisfactory results.

I dont think most people realize how talented he is until they try to put some simple dots on a popper and make it look like his.

 

These are pre shaped factory foam,hand shape foam, balsa wood & cork. Glued on, filled, sanded with two white base coats and one clear topcoat.

 

Now I will paint all the bellies with pearl and then its time to get the airbrush out.

 

Ill keep the thread updated as I progress slowly .

 

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2_DFBBC2_B_08_BC_4310_8_EC0_5_A7_BFDA184

 

00670067_F569_4_DF1_BCE7_698_F393_BB127.

 

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Looks like you're off to a good start, Mike. I'm in the process of cleaning up my tying room and then rearranging my tying desk. Once that's done. I'm going to start working on some poppers. Like you I don't need them, just enjoy making them. Question. On the frog popper with the yellow bulging eyes. Are they pin heads?

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I dont think most people realize how talented this guy is until they try to put some simple dots on a popper and make it look like his.

 

Oh! I realize fully! That’s why I don’t even try to do what you guys do...

 

Looking good already.

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I never got out popper fishing this summer for smallies, really I didn't want to deal with the landing at my favorite place. And the other place I go to do that they closed the landing to non resident people from Memorial Day to Labor Day ( it's over our town line) and neither is particularly wadable. Late May or early June might work out next year though on the big lake.

 

You have one heck of a bunch of poppers there !!

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Mike, what do you end up coating your poppers with? I have really enjoyed those double barrel bodies. They fish well

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I'm realy liking the torpedo/cigar shaped ones. I bet the action of those would be hard to replicate with any other material.

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Thx guys

Philly,

Yes they are pins.

 

1hook,

I’m not married to any one product but inbetween paint colors(so I can wipe off mistakes without damage to the color beneath it)

I just use a water based poly. For the final topcoat I use Sally Hansen’s and my latest favorite is Liquid Fusion because it’s more durable and doesn’t dry as fast as HS or chip like HS.

 

Caloosabug

I stole that design from here:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/062606fotw.php

 

It’s one of my favorite top water styles.

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Thanks Mike!. I thought they were balsa or cork..heck, by other materials, I was referring to foam. Turns out that is what they are.

 

I've tried the dremel and foam marshmallows a couple of times with mixed results and a lot of frustration and mess. I'd much rather spin and stack hair. But thanks to you, I may have to give it another shot.

 

Only because I have plenty of poppers and divers in my box..but nothing in between.

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Caloosa,

Heres some I did awhile back. Pretty easy really, just buy some 1/4 & 3/8 cylindrical foam and shape them mounted on a tooth pick or small drill bit.

 

247_A281_A_D836_4_DAF_AD95_7632_B3_DF12_

 

09_BF38_D6_9_E3_F_4_BFF_9_FE5_3_F51_EDFF

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Caloosa,

Heres some I did awhile back. Pretty easy really, just buy some 1/4 & 3/8 cylindrical foam and shape them mounted on a tooth pick or small drill bit.

 

247_A281_A_D836_4_DAF_AD95_7632_B3_DF12_

 

09_BF38_D6_9_E3_F_4_BFF_9_FE5_3_F51_EDFF

 

Do you glue them to the toothpick and turn them on a drill or dremel? I have wonder about shaping my own foam popper heads but have yet to give it a try.

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I mount them on a toothpick or very small drillbit like 1/32

With a tiny tiny bit of CA glue to hold them on. Then shape them with a emery board and a Dremel tool.

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I mount them on a toothpick or very small drillbit like 1/32

With a tiny tiny bit of CA glue to hold them on. Then shape them with a emery board and a Dremel tool.

Mike, very nice work! Do you spin the drillbit or pick in the Dremel or other drill? If not, what bit are you using with the Dremel? Do you have a fly rod version of the Zara Spook? Friends, spin fishers, locally were killing the Tigers with a Chrome Z Spook, and a "Walk the Dog" retrieve, during the fall bite- up to 42 inches.

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I've worked up a couple of foam spooks, I've used the smaller pan fish sizes and have caught fish on them. The one full size one I did was too bulky for my 6 wgt and I don't normally fish an 8 wgt in fresh water. The one thing about trying to tie a foam version of a lure is that you lose a lot of the action of the original when you tie it on a single hook. Not so much with the Hula popper but with the Spook, Jitterbug and Tiny Torpedo. With the Spook, "walking the dog" is equally rod action, the shape of the lure and the location of the "hook" eye. It's just tough with a fly rod to maintain the line tension need to "walk the dog"

FWIW. These are the Spooks I "tied" up. Now that I have them I'm going to swap out the split rings and hooks for smaller ones on the pan fish version over the winter.

 

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