poppers

[fly~by~night 0]

I am currently learning to tie poppers, and was needing some info on types of heads and what types of foams are good to use. I have seen the store bought popper heads and they seem to look more like a mushrromed dime then a old fashioned popper head ( cork ). Also some easy popper patterns could help me alot...i thank you all for any input

[Guest]

fbn,

 

The composition of popper materials are of many different types. Traditionally, cork and balsa were used to form popper bodies in addition to spun deerhair in some flies. Today many guys are using closed-cell foam because it is durable, floats very well and is easy to work with. You can buy it in many different shapes, sizes and colors.

 

For patterns, look in the Warmwater Forum.

[Guest]

This is a site for cork that a friend gave me and they all kinds of sizes and shapes. Give them a look.

 

Cork Store

 

 

Hope it helps,

Fatman

[fly~by~night 0]

nice but where can closed cell foam be bought at? craft store perhaps?

[mozes 0]

QUOTE

nice but where can closed cell foam be bought at? craft store perhaps?

 

 

You got it! Craft stores have them for something like 33 cents per 8.5 x 11 sheet. They have more colors that I can name . You can glue a few differnt color strips together to come up with any color combination.

[fly~by~night 0]

oh nice as you can tell i am just learning ( pickin up a vise tomarrow hehe). I thank ya very much for info

[WoolyBugger 0]

I've been tying poppers myself. Just finished 5 a few minutes ago. LOL If you go to Gander Mountain and purchase a bag of preformed foam popper heads (only 2.49) any size you like.

Go to WalMart and purchase crazy glue and cheap finger nail polish, and clear finger nail polish epoxy hard shell.

Tie some thread on your hook, a drop of crazy glue, press on the head, and paint the head with finger nail polish. Then apply the stick on eyes. When dry, paint clear sealer polish, and after a couple min. finish the popper.

I make wonderful poppers all the time. Cheap, quick, and easy. After you catch some bass, the crazy glue will keep the foam head from twisting.

You can chose the hook size and type you like, and the colors. Big advantage over the store bought crap. I've used hackle, marabou, and hair. All seem to work great for me.

Also, it's a lot of fun to tie your own.

 

Tight lines,

WoolyBugger

[fly~by~night 0]

i went and got a very cheap fly vise today ( holds the hooks i use well for now it seems) and some beginner tools ( workin on supplys now ). i got some 8/0 uni today and it is soooo much differt from rod guide thread hehe.

 

Thanks for info....i dont mind shaping the heads at all...just very new to tying and all and am soaking up any info i can

[Marty 0]

I like to use a kink shanked hook when tying poppers, it helps keep the head from twisting.

[Philly 0]

I tie up a lot of poppers. Mainly I use either craft foam, the soft foam cylinders, or preformed soft foam bodies, and over the winter I was able to get some decent cork bodies.

The easiest popper pattern is what I call a fun/craft foam popper. It was shown to me, I guess, 7 years ago by a local tyer. Get yourself a sheet of of 1/8 inch craft foam and something to punch out circles with. I use spent shell casings. I've found that .44 cal and above make the best circles. I like to use a straight shanked hook for the popper, light wire if I can get it. Put your hook in the vise.

Wrap the shank with thread. Now take the foam circle and pinch it at the bottom. It will form a cup. Slide the circle on the shank just behind the eye, wrap in place then apply a bit of Zap-a-Gap(super glue) to hold in place. Wrap thread to the bend, tie in a bit of flash, then some marabou for the tail. Tie in a piece of hackle by the tip, then wrap it forward to just behind the head. Wrap it down, trim excess hackle and whip finish. Then take a pair of scissors and trim the hackle flat on the bottom.

If you like to shape popper bodies. buy some of the soft foam cylinders that are out on the market. I always buy white and use permanent markers to color them. You can use a Dremel tool to shape them. I've been fooling with them over the spring, and now have some passable Hula Poppers, J Plugs and a couple of off beat poppers in my box.

 

[Guest]

After you've tied a few on preformed popper bodies, you may want to try your luck at a dremel. Jim Hatch at FlyAnglersOnLine.com published an excellent article on the subject and they are very easy to do and usually take under a minute to shape them. Basically what you do is cut a plug of closed-cell foam from flip flops etc, impale it on a short heavy upolstry needle mounted in a dremel. Turn it on at about 1000-1500 rmp and shape it with an emory board. When you're done, put a hook in the vise, make a base wrap of thread and give it a coat of super glue and slide on the popper head. I've gotten so I produce a couple of dozen popper or slider bodies and slip them onto a piece of paino wire. I then give one side a light dusting of paint for contrast. When the popper head is in place, you can coat it with epoxy and you have a masterpiece that will last all season. Lots of fun and really not very difficult to do.

 

Jim Smith

[Guest]

There is an article on dremel bugs and how to set it all up on Fly Anglers on Line see the link below. A friend Jim Hatch is who the article is about and he makes some AWESOME bugs this way. The best one is the pig fly and when you see the photo you'll see why.

 

Enjoy,

Fatman

 

 

 

Dremel Bugs

 

[Guest]

checked the link and it didn't work

 

use this one below

 

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/f...010603fotw.html

[fly~by~night 0]

very nice fatman thanks a million that link will come in very handy in the very near future

 

oh BTW fatman....did had a link to a hide vender on one of your posts on another forum topic ( cant seem to find your old post/link with it ), if it comes to mind could ya pop a link of it again for me if ya get a chance? thanks again

[PoPnBuG 0]

Hey Philly, do you have any pictures of the fly you describe? Sounds interesting, but I'm a 'visual sort of guy' !!

 

Thx