[fishabuoy]

First of all, new to this site and WOW what a great site !!! Thanks to the owner/admin for providing such a resource and to the board community for such artistic work and sharing of knowledge!

After reading through and admiring many of your popper/diver creations, I've been inspired and am getting ready to tie a run of panfish poppers for the upcoming bluegill season. I have never been settled on the best hook chassis to use for pan fish poppers & divers. Proportionally the TMC 8089 #10 (my favorite bass/crappie hook) is a tad too big for the foam heads I want to use, not to mention a touch too big for all but the biggest slab gillies to consistently cram into their mouth (gluttons that they are, I'm sure they'll try ). I'll be using both Rainy's soft foam "pee-wee pops", and the Wapsi "perfect popper" hard foam bodies both of which are nearly the same size.

So what is everyone's favorite hook to use for hard/soft pre-formed foam panfish pops & divers??

Thanks, and Best Regards-
Bob

[JSzymczyk]

Mustad Signature R43 (1x fine wire, 3xl shank) or the classic 94841 if you can find any, in size 8. Best foam-bug hook out there. If it had a straight eye, it would be perfect.

The CK52S kink-shank popper hook is available to size 10, and is made specifically for popper bodies, with a kink shank. I personally have not used that hook because I've never had a need for a kink shank for any of my foam bugs. It would be a good one though.

Also the "curved shank" hooks such as the C53S or Daiichi 1270 as used for stimulators and hoppers, make some excellent foam bug hooks, size 6, 8, and 10 for bluegill bugs.

[Stippled Popper]

With Rainy's Soft Foam Pee-Wee Pops, the Mustad CK52S in a #8 seems about right to me. However, I don't care for using the pre-drilled hole the bodies come with for the hooks eye to protrude from. So I cut a slot in the bottom of the head and seat the hook that way in order to improve the effective Gap of the hook.

For the Wapsi Hard Foam #8 Cupped Poppers I use the same hook as above and sometimes trim a bit off the rear of the head and use the CK52S in #10.

For the Wapsi Bream Poppers, I use Dry Fly Hooks and Orvis Big Eye Hooks specifically for anything smaller than a #10.

[skidoosh]

First of all, new to this site and WOW what a great site !!! Thanks to the owner/admin for providing such a resource and to the board community for such artistic work and sharing of knowledge!

After reading through and admiring many of your popper/diver creations, I've been inspired and am getting ready to tie a run of panfish poppers for the upcoming bluegill season. I have never been settled on the best hook chassis to use for pan fish poppers & divers. Proportionally the TMC 8089 #10 (my favorite bass/crappie hook) is a tad too big for the foam heads I want to use, not to mention a touch too big for all but the biggest slab gillies to consistently cram into their mouth (gluttons that they are, I'm sure they'll try ). I'll be using both Rainy's soft foam "pee-wee pops", and the Wapsi "perfect popper" hard foam bodies both of which are nearly the same size.

So what is everyone's favorite hook to use for hard/soft pre-formed foam panfish pops & divers??

Thanks, and Best Regards-
Bob

I have to go with the Mustad 3366. I use a layer of thread and super glue and have had very solid connections and no problems with poppers spinning. I think the hook gape is fine. Gamakatsu B10S is another solid performer but a bit narrow, requiring more thread. Post some pics if you have them I would be interested to see how the proportions look!

[tidewaterfly]

If they're strictly panfish poppers, then Aberdeen panfish hooks work very well, and are very inexpensive. I've come to prefer Mustad Ultra Points, in black nickel, which are more expensive than older style Aberdeens, but they're super sharp & much stronger too.

For big Bass poppers, Mustad Signature poppers hooks, as mentioned above & Gamakatsu straight shank work hooks. I've found them in sizes from 2 up to 3/0. The worm hooks have a couple of barbs on the shank which help hold the head better than a hook with a smooth shank. I epoxy the heads & have never had one come un-done.