Well, after starting a batch of 10 bass poppers about 4 months ago and getting side tracked by work, I am finally finishing a batch of bass poppers. I have been using the Wapsi foam popper bodies, crazy glued and epoxied on the hooks and got them painted a brilliant yellow color. I am going to “feather” them on the weekend (barring not having to work). What do you use for the eyes on your poppers? the little eyes like are used for crafts (white back and black center)that you glue on? Stick on eyes of some other sort or do you paint your own on? I have not put the top coat of finish on yet so I can still paint on them.
Also, I got another 2 packages of popper bodies, what colour(s) should I paint the next batch to attrach smallmouth bass? I already have 10 all yellow ones.
I paint mostly…I use the butt end of drill bits…an idea I got from RonMT…dip the butt into paint [color of choice] and then later [minutes] a smaller drill for the pupil [color of choice…mostly black]
You can use a lot of things but the drills are cheap [dollar store]and there is a big range of sizes.
After you do this eye trick, then do you put a clearcoat or some other finish on? I got a pile of drill bits (mostly broken ones) which will work nicely.
Yes and no…do if I want to coat the whole head…doing it does increase durability though…but if the eye is breaking down after fishing and the fly is good as new it’s easy to repaint…
For hardbodied poppers I use acrylic paints and different size nail heads to apply the eyes but for softbodied poppers I use black plastic half round eyes (brand: Texas Beads) CA Superglued to the popper, pusher, or slider. Finishing with either an overcoat of Sally or epoxy.
The reason I use acrylic enamel paint on the hardbodies is it stays put but I doubt it would on softbodies as they are more porous. If I were to use any paint on softbodies it would most likely be those flexible and washable T-Shirt paints that does stay put on softbodies. But I prefer the plastic half round eyes because its easier and I don’t have to mess with the T-Shirt paints or permanent magic markers.
I do all my poppers with soft foam bodies. I use the stick-on eyes or the 3-D eyes. The last couple of months when I’m using the 3-D eyes I’ll make a depression in the popper to fit the eyes in. The poppers and sliders don’t look so bug eyed that way.
I don’t paint my poppers. I use permanent markers and a lot times, I’ll apply some type transer foil to the body, mainly Mother of Pearl, but I also use Holographic Silver or Gold.
As far as colors for smallies, my top color is fluorescent yellow. I use a fabric pen for those.
Here’s some pencil poppers I tied up for smallies. These are my favorite colors.
Top row
Fire Tiger, Orange Tiger, Fluorescent Yellow
Bottom row
Shad, Perch
I haven’t tried these yet but a tyer at the Texoma Tie-In was making his own half-bead eyes with 5 minute epoxy, wax paper and a drop or two of black paint. Looked pretty good - project for the weekend.
Yeah. That round head for the Nymphomie is why I call it a pusher since it pushes water as opposed to popping water (flat face/cupped “popper”) or sliding (bullet head type “slider”) through water. It is a Dremel bug because the head is shaped on my Dremel lathe ala Jim Hatch.
IF you are putting dolls eyes on a foam popper, then sand or cut a little of the foam off where the eye will go. You want a flat surface for them to go onto. This will make the eyes more durable.
.JPG)
.JPG)
