Bass Poppers on a Budget

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I love fishing for bass on poppers. So about two seasons ago I realized poppers are getting quite expensive. You used to be able to buy a pack of two decent quality poppers for about $5.49. The last time I broke down and bought poppers I spent almost $7 a piece and ended up being out about $40 for a small handful of poppers.

So being annoyed at the cost I went on a quest to find a cheap way to make them. I looked for the hooks, bodies and materials and realized that finding those materials readily in bulk is difficult. So after a bit of researching and experimenting I decided my next $40 spent would be my last in a long time.

After a trip to the hardware store and the craft store I was and had all the materials needed for a couple seasons worth of popper material.

1. Corks which are about 20 cents
2. Pack of cheap long shank aberdeen hooks
3. Jewelry plyers
4. Fine sandpaper
5. Wood scroll saw blade
6. Large needle
7. Locktite all purpose glue
8. Acrylic paints, clearcoat
9. Basic materials, rubber for legs, saddle hackle

When I make poppers I tend to do so in an assembly line fashion. So I will shape a bunch of corks or glue hooks in place because glue / paint take time to dry.

First thing I start off by shaping the cork and cutting a channel for the hook to be glued into.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Now the other thing I do is that I bend the hook shanks in a slight "S" shape. If you want your poppers to last and endure smacking off of rocks and logs and punishing bass strikes this is essential because the "S" helps prevent it from rotating in the cork and gives a better bond with the glue. It basically makes the hook fit in the cork like a key.

This is where the jewelry plyers come into play. They are like a needlenose only the ends are two rounded so you can shape the hooks with them. They actually make popper hooks but they are more expensive and hard to find.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

You can see here in this crappy pic, that the hook is glued into place. I also have it pegged with a piece of toothpick in the channel where the hook fits.

With some good glue and with the S shaped hooked, I have found the finished poppers will last quite a while. I usually lose them or the paint comes off before they ever fall apart.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

You gotta have legs on a popper and to get them on there I just thread them right through the body with a large needle. You might need some plyers to finesse the needle through the body and I usually thread a few extra rubber legs through because sometimes they break on the way through. You can always trim the extra away.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

The rest is pretty much just paint and feathers. I make sure to put a clear coat on top of the acrylic. I use ModgePodge. After everything is dry I put some saddle hackle around the hook and usually a saddle hackle tail or two.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Now of course the reason I'm making poppers right now is because I used up all the ones I had made last year. My poppers range from crude to nice looking depending on how many I need made and how much time I have.

So anyway, I figured I would just post a little how to since I finally got the old vise out and dusted everything off. If only I could find some pics of some finished poppers while this dries.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Here's a finished popper. And another strung up on the rod. Had to throw a pic of my dog in there too

So there. I hope this helps anyone out looking to make some poppers. It takes some shopping around and a little bit of time but in the long run its fun and a cheap way to stay on the water.

Tight lines,

Jake

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

P.S.

Yeah, I spelled pliers wrong ... and missed a few words lol. About as good as I can do wingin' it on this smartphone.

I know I left some details out. Any questions just ask. I may have an answer.

 

[fritz]

Very cool Jakes. Thanks!

 

[nomad_archer]

Cool write up and thanks. I am actually impressed you did all of that on the smart phone. Good looking pup as well.

 

[acesedgley]

I went on a foam popper kit binge a couple years ago...still have some left I haven't assembled yet.
One of the most successful patterns I did though was fashioned from a piece of two toned (green/white) foam toe separator used for pedicures.
Last year I started doing the deer hair thing inspired by NJTroutbum...couple really simple patterns that caught lots of fish and do not require special hooks or paint.
This year Lv2nymph has some balsa for me to pick up at the jam, and there are tons of corks at the recycling center I go to I can try out.
Thanks for the play by play, and the tip about the jewelry pliers especially.
Great job on those poppers!!

Thanks for your play by play

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I've got a bunch of wine and champagne corks too. And I always have an eye out for cheap flip flops in various colors. You could make poppers for years if you find a $2 pair of flip flops.

 

[nomad_archer]

I bet you could make poppers out for the foam kneeling pads they sell at the dollar store. Mike Richardson was making frog out of them a few weeks ago.

 

[Volksnurse]

Great post! Thanks for all that work in putting that together!

 

[mike_richardson]

awesome. I picked up some custom fly boxes when I met a guy at Joanne fabrics. I saw some of the cork in there and thought about it. Just too much going on right now to get addicted on another thing.

Those look great and I appreciate this post!

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Here's a few poppers I finished today. The first one is my take on a cicada.

 

[Dave_W]

Those are some neat poppers.

A good thread and thanks for the tips on how to build them.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

Thanks,

One thing I should add, and wish I could edit in is that I usually wrap thread around the hook before gluing it into the cork. It helps with glue bonding and gives a nice fit in the channel cut into the cork.