poppers?

[hungNtree]

I have never had much luck fishing poppers. (translation: no luck at all) But I just read that if you cast a popper out there, wait until all the ripples subside and then move it a little and wait for those ripples to subside, etc. I have never fished one that slow. Do you guys fish them that slow? I'm wondering if that has been my problem with poppers? I don't know if fishing them that slow will work or not, but I can't wait for it to warm up and try it.

thanks,
hNt

[Uncle Jesse]

HNT,

That's pretty much it, I don't wait all that long because unless you really plop a fly down there not that many ripples. I strip it in a little ways in jerk and spits, so to speak. About 95% of the time there is a wet fly of some type tied to the bend of the popper's hook. I catch considerably more fish on the dropper than the popper. What's really fun is one on each. This time of the year I don't expect poppers to be very productive on a regular basis.

[DaleW]

Love to use poppers for bream & bass! How long you leave the popper "rest" in one place just depends on how your fishing. While fishing downriver in my canoe does not usually allow for too much time as your on the move. There are places, however, when anchored or tied off to an overhanging tree limb where at little more time can be taken, or when fishing a pond or small lake and I cast the popper out I like to let it rest awhile ... maybe half a minute, then give it a couple short, small twitches ... making it look like maybe it was a live bug and let it rest again. Count to ten or fifteen and if there's no interest move over a ways to a new area and repeat. Usually if there's anything going on you'll get some kind of a response. One thing I've had happen with poppers and LM bass is that I have had the bass break right out of the water and snatch that popper in mid-air before it ever hits the surface of the water! What a sight and it catches me by total surprise every time it happens!




Dale

[SkipS]

I fish poppers all the time for LMB and I never fish them that slow.I find bass respond best to a popper thats worked back at a specific speed.Usually I start my retrieve as soon as the popper hits the water,or maybe just a few seconds after and I only rest 1 or 2 seconds between pops.This works good for SMB and pickerel also.Watch someone working a zara spook plug and you will get the idea.

[FishnDave]

I will usually start off with more aggressive retrieves at first. If the fish respond positively towards this, great! If not, I will slow down the retrieves, and put longer pauses in, until the fish decide they like the presentation.

When fishing at night, I've noticed that long pauses sometimes work really well for bass. Just when I think its been so long that certainly NO fish can still be paying attention to my fly, one will just blow up on it and startle me!

[rainbowchaser]

My biggest fly rod bass came when I left the deer hair fly sit along the edge of a patch of lilly pads while talking to a guy I went to high school with. He pulled up in his new boat to say hello and we got to talking for at least five minutes. My float tube got pushed by the wake of a passing boat and I twitched the fly when I kicked to get straightened out. That's when the water erupted and the conversation was suspended.

[jeffnles1]

I catch a lot of fish on poppers. Next week, I'll be posting some step by step pictures on my blog (see link in sig line) for tying poppers.

I usually start off fishing them slow, if that doesn't work I progressively work them faster and faster.

I've also found there are times when "popping" them does not work but a slow steady retrieve will trigger strikes. In fact, I catch about as many with a slow to moderate retrieve as I do poppinng and twitching them.

For warm water fish, especially in ponds, poppers are among my "go to" flies.

Jeff

[hungNtree]

Sounds like I need to slow down. I was afraid I was really doing something technical wrong, you know, like not holding my mouth right or wearing my had twisted or something.

thanks for the help guys, can't wait to try it this spring.

[Big Bad Wulff]

I let it hit. If no immediate response, I give it one pop, THEN let it sit for a bit.
Poppers are much more effective in the spring.

[raw69]

I was taught to always let it sit for a time before the retrieve, how long is up to you and the fish. The old Rapala method was to wait for the rings to disappear and then pop it 3 times, wait, 3 times, wait, repeat. Spring Smallies will wait long periods and then strike a still fly/lure, but I never have the patience to wait more than 5 minutes.

A hint for LM in still water. Cast to the farthest point from shore that has structure/cover first and work your way in. Say there is a drop-off 20' from shore, another at 15' , and then a tree laying down all the way to shore. My first cast will be over the first drop-off, the second cast at the second drop-off and then move in on the laydown 3' per cast until I hit the shore or even land the fly and hop it back into the water. Remember that the fish will be looking into deeper water and if the first cast is over him, he is likely to spook.