) and does OK with it. That and I like Pop-X, up to 62 of em now 
Poppers
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Teal101
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Re: Poppers
Pop-x, only because it's gotten me more bites. My buddy fishes a pop-max (my old one ) and does OK with it. That and I like Pop-X, up to 62 of em now
) and does OK with it. That and I like Pop-X, up to 62 of em now -
Bass Junkie
- Elite Angler
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Re: Poppers
My rotation includes many of the lures mentioned here. As an overall view:
Jackall SK Grande: A little light for my taste, with inferior popping and walking abilities compared to many of the other's here. There may be some special niche for it, but if there is, I'm missing it. On the plus side, the hooks are sticky sharp.
Pop Max: Probably my favorite popper. Easy to cast, easy to pop, easy to walk. Hooks are good quality, although not as good as the Jackall's. The color selection is phenomenal, the build quality is second to none. It's also one of the most versatile I've used, and it has a tendency to call up big fish.
Chug Bug: Affordable, solid, and a good walking popper. The rattle is distinct and loud, but the hooks and color options are both a bit underwhelming. Swap on a set of better trebles and a custom tail in place of the mylar stock dressing and you have a nice power fishing popper.
Zell Pop: Excellent bait. They can be found for decent prices ($3/piece in the Excalibur Assortment selection at your local Dick's Sporting Goods). The color selection and hooks are both good, the dressing is decent. They are fundamentally the same as the modified Pop-R that Zell Rowland fished throughout his career. They skip and spit and have a knack for catching fish.
And now one that somehow has managed to avoid being mentioned, the Rebel Pop-R. They are decent, affordable lures straight out of the package, but with the correct modifications they're one of the best poppers I have found. Swapping out the stock hooks is a requirement, and since I'm a fly tier a custom tied treble is requisite. Shaving to bottom of the lip really makes a big difference, changing the action of the bait from a limited forward plop to a skittering, spitting, walking movement that is significantly more effective in most situations.
I always use mono (12lb or 16lb Sunline Supernatural Mono) for my poppers, usually on a 6'6" first generation Daiwa Cielo rod topped with either a Fuego, or a T3 1016HS for lighter baits.
Other random things: The line diameter can really affect the action of a popper, especially the lighter baits. It creates a lot of friction in the water, and too heavy of a line can severely inhibit the side to side movement of a walking popper. Adding a feathered or dressed treble has always been one of my customs, as it does increase the number of strikes I get, as well as the overall profile of the lure. The caveat being that adding one with too much material can create a lot of drag in the water. Good if you want to slowly pop the lure, or work it in place as long as possible, bad if you want to walk it. Keeping hooks sharp and using a reel with a good IPT are both of importance in poppers, given the amount of inherent slack involved in fishing them.
Jackall SK Grande: A little light for my taste, with inferior popping and walking abilities compared to many of the other's here. There may be some special niche for it, but if there is, I'm missing it. On the plus side, the hooks are sticky sharp.
Pop Max: Probably my favorite popper. Easy to cast, easy to pop, easy to walk. Hooks are good quality, although not as good as the Jackall's. The color selection is phenomenal, the build quality is second to none. It's also one of the most versatile I've used, and it has a tendency to call up big fish.
Chug Bug: Affordable, solid, and a good walking popper. The rattle is distinct and loud, but the hooks and color options are both a bit underwhelming. Swap on a set of better trebles and a custom tail in place of the mylar stock dressing and you have a nice power fishing popper.
Zell Pop: Excellent bait. They can be found for decent prices ($3/piece in the Excalibur Assortment selection at your local Dick's Sporting Goods). The color selection and hooks are both good, the dressing is decent. They are fundamentally the same as the modified Pop-R that Zell Rowland fished throughout his career. They skip and spit and have a knack for catching fish.
And now one that somehow has managed to avoid being mentioned, the Rebel Pop-R. They are decent, affordable lures straight out of the package, but with the correct modifications they're one of the best poppers I have found. Swapping out the stock hooks is a requirement, and since I'm a fly tier a custom tied treble is requisite. Shaving to bottom of the lip really makes a big difference, changing the action of the bait from a limited forward plop to a skittering, spitting, walking movement that is significantly more effective in most situations.
I always use mono (12lb or 16lb Sunline Supernatural Mono) for my poppers, usually on a 6'6" first generation Daiwa Cielo rod topped with either a Fuego, or a T3 1016HS for lighter baits.
Other random things: The line diameter can really affect the action of a popper, especially the lighter baits. It creates a lot of friction in the water, and too heavy of a line can severely inhibit the side to side movement of a walking popper. Adding a feathered or dressed treble has always been one of my customs, as it does increase the number of strikes I get, as well as the overall profile of the lure. The caveat being that adding one with too much material can create a lot of drag in the water. Good if you want to slowly pop the lure, or work it in place as long as possible, bad if you want to walk it. Keeping hooks sharp and using a reel with a good IPT are both of importance in poppers, given the amount of inherent slack involved in fishing them.
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Hogsticker2
- Pro Angler
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Re: Poppers
^^ Nice. Thanks for sharing
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Bass Junkie
- Elite Angler
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- Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 1:51 pm
- Location: N.E. Ohio
Re: Poppers
Absolutely 