First Gill on Poppers

[lastchance]

Attached is a photo of the first bluegill I caught on one of my homemade poppers. Eyes didn't seem to matter much to the fish. They fell off and the fish still hit the fly. The eyes had adhesive backs and I also put some loctite on them, but they still fell off the faom body. I just wanted to show that even badly made poppers will catch some fish. Thanks for all of your help.

[billhouk]

If fish only took great flies then there would be no fly fishers. Try Softex or 5 Minute Epoxy, or Sally Hansen's to hold those eyes on. But, the fish still won't care.

[Uncle Jesse]

Bream as we classify sunfish down here are the teenage boys of the fish world. They see a fly and think "I bet I can get than in my mouth!" Their charm is they are usually willing to strike, fight hard for their weight and are delicious rolled in cornmeal and deep fried.

[Rick Z]

Taking a guess. If you have a dremel tool then hit the area where the eye will go and make it flat.
I use the sanding drum to do this, if I put eyes on.

Rick

[lastchance]

I do have a dremel. What do you suggest as glue besides Softex or Sally Hansons? I do have a bottle of Sally Hanson.

[aged_sage]

After about 15 years of making and fishing foam bugs for both the "bream' group, and their big cousin, large mouth bass, and trying almost every glue ever recommended, I have two comments: 1) DO NOT use any of the CA(super) glues! They become brittle and the eyes come off in short order; and, 2) Use Goop, any 'Flavor", thinned with either Toluene or Xylene (home-made flexament) and the eyes will stay on forever. My 90 year old fly fishing buddy had one he made that survived over 40 bass from 2-6 lbs, with the eyes still intact, but with severe corneal abrasion. The eyes were glued on with the home made flexament. A tube of Goop and a pint of Toluene will make a near-life-time supply.

[Panman]

Here is a popper that has been worked over by many a fish. The eyes, if you want to call them that, are still intact. The popper is made of cork The eyes are made from electrician tape and a paper punch. The tape can be found in many colors at most hardware stores and the punch at craft shops or many other places.

Tim

[lastchance]

After about 15 years of making and fishing foam bugs for both the "bream' group, and their big cousin, large mouth bass, and trying almost every glue ever recommended, I have two comments: 1) DO NOT use any of the CA(super) glues! They become brittle and the eyes come off in short order; and, 2) Use Goop, any 'Flavor", thinned with either Toluene or Xylene (home-made flexament) and the eyes will stay on forever. My 90 year old fly fishing buddy had one he made that survived over 40 bass from 2-6 lbs, with the eyes still intact, but with severe corneal abrasion. The eyes were glued on with the home made flexament. A tube of Goop and a pint of Toluene will make a near-life-time supply.

What percentage of Goop and Toluene do you mix?

[Uncle Jesse]

I recently made my most recent batch of homemade flexament, I squeezed some Goo into a glass jar and added a little xylene and stirred, and added a little more xylene and a little more Goo until I got it to the viscosity I wanted. I put a little xylene in a plastic cup only to have the bottom of the cup disappear. I will bet no one else has ever done that.

Sage, I need to come down to Katy and visit my old friends at the Crowne Plaza and let you take me to conduct a flood survey on that lake where you take your 90 year old friend. It's awfully low and flat down there, flooding can be a real problem.