Poppers are designed for slow-moving rivers and lakes.
Poppers are extremely buoyant flies used to catch bass, panfish and pike. The flies are tied using a combination of feathers and a foam, hair, wood or cork body. The flies dip below the surface when retrieved and create a popping sound upon reemergence. The popping sound combined with the motion of the feathers attracts predatory species. Poppers are an exciting method of fishing because the strikes are aggressive and visual on the surface of the water.
Instructions
1. Place the streamer hook in the vise and clamp the jaws. Measure the foam-core popper body against the hook shank and note the distance between the hook eye and end of the popper body. Start the thread at the end of the popper body.
2. Select two saddle hackle feathers from a bunch. Measure the tips of the hackle to match the length of the hook shank. Make 10 thread wraps over the hackle feathers at the measured point. Adjust the feathers as you make the wraps to maintain an upright position.
3. Measure a marabou plume to one-half the length of the saddle hackle tail. Cut the base off the marabou plume and hold the marabou on top of the shank. Apply pressure downward to cover the circumference of the shank with marabou. The material will create a collar around the tail. Make 10 thread wraps to secure the marabou. Cut the excess marabou and base of the hackle feathers from the hook.
4. Measure a round, rubber leg to match the length of the tail. Fold the leg in half and hold it against the side of the hook shank. Make five thread wraps to secure it in place. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the shank. Apply a small drop of instant glue to the thread wraps and cut the thread from the hook.
5. Apply a thin layer of five-minute epoxy to the bare hook shank. Slide the foam-core popper body over the hook eye and onto the shank. Align the foam with the flat section on the bottom of the fly. Leave the fly untouched for five minutes to dry the epoxy.
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