If you have followed this blog from the beginning then you will know how keen I am about using surface lures & especially poppers. During Spring & Autumn time my fly box consists primarily of poppers. Unfortunately though the size of the poppers that are available to buy either from tackle shops or off the net are too small due to most primarily being designed for the bass fly-fishing market in the states, and just didn’t give me the surface disturbance I was looking for to attract larger fish so over the last 5 yrs here in Finland I have been tying up my own poppers which I have called the “PADDLE POPPER” There are 3 main features to this popper which I have changed.
The 1st being the popper head itself which I've started to make my own out of bottling corks. These have a wider surface area & make a louder popping sound when you strip it back. The 2nd is their length, and this is easy to achieve with adding longer strips of Zonker raccoon fur to the end of your hook + - 15 cm, and
The 3rd feature is the use of stiffer feathers tied on either side of the hook shaft which bend outwards and displace a lot more water similar to that found on a rowing boat.
If you have some time and you like using poppers then buy some bottling corks and shape a few heads and make some of these “ PADDLE POPPERS “ up. I did have a tutorial for this popper but have changed a few features on it and so have done a new and easier one for youOnce it has loaded up view in full screen mode
Simon-
ReplyDeleteI buy one inch diameter by 1 inch long in multiple colors from Rainey's. I can hook you up if you need my help.
I was prowling the screws and nuts bins (the section with the million little drawers) at ACE hardware (US) the other day and what little treasure did I find?
ReplyDeleteYou got it, bottle corks! Several sizes. I like this design here Simon. I'm gonna have lob some of these this year. Nothing rocks the top like Esox!
James...I gather its foam you're are talking about? Do they have a website so I can see some samples...Interested, cheers.
ReplyDeleteWayne I buy big popper heads from Edgwater (Master blaster's) but there is something about constructing your own heads that appeals to me.
Here you go Simon-
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rainysflies.com/foamproducts.php
As soon as I get home in the near future I just might attempt to tie a few of these myself. It is clear now that I need to head to the materials shop to pick up some larger raccoon fur strips and other feathers. This really is a sweet popper.
ReplyDeleteI have got to tie some of these up. I bet they would work really well for smallmouth bass too.
ReplyDelete