Trout popper

A few weeks ago after a long discussion about poppers,I was asked by one of the guides down in Merikarvia to tie up a set of trout poppers for him as he'd never caught one on a popper before. Here's a tutorial for my own interpretation of one.

Step 1:
Take a very small bottling cork and cut a wedge out of the front of it

Step 2:
Drill a hole through the center of it,from back to front. I also took a small slice away from each side above the mouth so the eyes will have a flatter surface to stick onto.

Step 3:
I used markers pens for these heads but one can use paints. Lips/Black, Mouth/Red, Head/Olive green,Brown dots only on the top of the head

Step 4:
Stick the eyes on.I used these bubble eyes just to give it a little more buoyancy. Then coat with clear varnish to finish it off.

Step 5:
As Popper hooks are hard to find in small sizes,I like to build three small balls up along the front end of the hook. This gives the cork something to bind to when super gluing it on.

Step 6:
Drill a hole directly behind the eyes and slide four pieces of rubber strip 50 mm long through the hole. Tie a knot towards the end and snip off excess to give you the front legs and toes. Then super glue the head on

Step 7:
Take a small clump of brown Raccoon fur and tie on at the back of the hook

Step 7:
Directly after the brown raccoon fur tie on four strips rubber legs 80mm long. knot the end and trim the ties. Then wrap green flash chenille down the length of the hook to the cork head

Step 8:
Start from in front of the back legs & palmer on 1 grizzly variant neck hackle then a chartreuse grizzly neck hackle.Whip finish