13 replies to this topic

[NJ All Day]

What is your color preference when it comes to poppers?

[Kirk Dietrich]

If I were to tell you my favorite color, I would say White, Yellow, Green, or Black head if it is the head color you are asking about.
However, when I recollect on my popper selection and look on my rod, it is almost always a Green headed one with black tail and hackle, white silicone legs and a yellow face. Next most frequently tied on is White head, black tail and hackle, with white silicone legs.
You know, I didn't realize until I just wrote this that my favorite little yellow faced, green headed popper contains all of my favorite popper head colors. No wonder I'm always tying that thing on!

Kirk

[bluegill576]

I like to use greens/olives the most but I also like to use the black and yellow combination which the panfish seem to love. Also I don't know if this counts as a color, but I love to use glow in the dark poppers.

[TheCream]

So far this year, here are my best colors:

Bluegills: yellow/black



Bass: metallic pearl/metallic green



And a new bass color I just started using that I really like and have caught several bass on is metallic gold/metallic green:



And for what it's worth, it's hard to go wrong with basic black.

[tidewaterfly]

Mine are the same as I have for a lot of my bass & saltwater flies, and a lot of the lures I use. White, chartreuse, & black. I tie 95% of poppers with black hackle collar and hackle tails to match the body color. I will sometimes add natural or dyed grizzly in the tails, either in combination with a solid color, or alone. The only exception is some saltwater stuff, where I'll use hair for the tails, and no collar.

The rest are all one color, body, tail & collar. I generally keep them simple, but I will usually add eyes, either painted or stick-on, and if I add legs, they're tied in behind the head, and sometimes added to the tail.

As far as the bodies, and I really do like all the stuff you other guys do, but I keep them fairly simple too. Usually a single color, except that I will usually paint a cupped face with bright red, and an epoxy coating, and that's it. I own an air brush & a compressor, but just never seem to get around to using it!

In the past, I have played around with all kinds of colors & combinations, but those 3 colors are my all time favorites & most productive.

[perchjerker]

My Louisiana neighbors to the east will tell you that any color will work; as long as it is yellow or black! Or a combination of both.
Hence, most of mine employ a lot of yellow, black, or green, and combinations thereof.

perchjerker

[perchjerker]

My Louisiana neighbors to the east will tell you that any color will work; as long as it is yellow or black! Or a combination of both.
Hence, most of mine employ a lot of yellow, black, or green, and combinations thereof.

perchjerker

[NJ All Day]

Okay guys, thanks for the info, looks like I'll be buying heads that are white, yellow, green, and black. I got a few sharpies to cover anything else.

[denduke]

I always use the hot "neon" series of Testors...First time w/ Wapsi styro foam bodies...Hope the paint will not chip and they hold up well. Ain't thrilled about having to drill holes for the rubber legs...Could not get the needle w/pliers like it is so easy to do with the cork bodies...Smallest drill bit was 1/16; is prolly my problem...Just ain't right for me to tie the legs back in the hackle...Anyway..HOT COLORS...Work in progress. Later DL

[Stippled Popper]

I always use the hot "neon" series of Testors...First time w/ Wapsi styro foam bodies...Hope the paint will not chip and they hold up well. Ain't thrilled about having to drill holes for the rubber legs...Could not get the needle w/pliers like it is so easy to do with the cork bodies...Smallest drill bit was 1/16; is prolly my problem...Just ain't right for me to tie the legs back in the hackle...Anyway..HOT COLORS...Work in progress. Later DL

If you don't want to deal with drilling the Wapsi Hard Foam Bodies and don't want to tie the legs in at the rear of
the head which will tend to have them points to the side, you might consider trying the Wapsi Soft Foam Bodies.
You should be able to run a hole through them with a cold needle.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer]

heat up the needle and it goes right through like butter
popper colors for me are black,yellow, white,red and purple all with a bit of silver gold or black flash in the tail which is usually the same color as the head rubber legs to contrast and hackle collar of a secondary color

[Stippled Popper]

heat up the needle and it goes right through like butter
popper colors for me are black,yellow, white,red and purple all with a bit of silver gold or black flash in the tail which is usually the same color as the head rubber legs to contrast and hackle collar of a secondary color

How hot do you have to get the needle? I tried that trick once. The needle went in about a fourth of the way, stopped, and the area around the needle took on
a marshmellow like consistency.

[salty fly]

I like the norm as far as the green and yellow,black and orange with a little yellow.blue and white like a big dragon fly.I fish poppers a lot early in the cold greay light of dawn or after the sun has set.I dont really know witch colors matter when it is dark.The other night I fished for two hrs. not one hit. Around 9 or so it was getting dark fast.I needed to get back to the truck.I tied my last popper on,I vaporized one with a back cast in to my truck earler in the day,So tyed on my last popper in my box,the good old green and yellow on the third cast,wham! and landed a 8# largmouth.It was dark when he hit.I wonder if he saw just black or heard the popper doing its thing,dont really know.

[CoachBob]

To burn a hole in closed cell foam, heat a bodkin needle until red hot. Using the bodkin gives you something cool to hold. Pierce the foam from the head of the fly (which is usually larger) to the rear. Moving the hot needle in a circular motion will burn a larger hole. For small foam flies, put a small sewing needle in forceps. Standard sewing needles are called "sharps" and you will want size 10 (the smallest diameter). Heating a needle to red hot is easier with a candle than a lighter.