My new big popper heads for toothies

[PACOFRANSICO]

I got the idea from Carolina Fly Company they made some big popper heads for the MCO guys. So I went to the hobby store, me being the cheapo guy I am. And got the supplies.

It started out as this.

I whittled it down to this and sanded with 400.

Then gave a couple of coats of green floro testors.

Its about 1 1/4 square. Tomorrow its gonna get mounted on a 8/0, cleargoo eyes and a couple of coats of 2 ton epoxy.

 

[Fishidiot]

Neat!

Is that balsa? I've often eyeballed balsa blocks and sheets in arts/crafts stores and pondered their practicality for making lures and flies.

I'm curious to see how they turn out.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Yep whent he coats of epoxy set it will be hard as nails. And more importantly slippery as hell.

 

[Fishidiot]

Probably a good idea. As you know, there's an old belief among muskie guys that wooden lures need to be extremely hard surfaced otherwise when a big esocid grabs hold of one, his teeth will sink into the wood and thus cause the hooks to fail to purchase when the angler tries to set the hook.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

That whas my idea, The 2 ton will harden it up, hopefully it ill slide through there teeth. The foam was giving us false hooksets and you'd have rip the foam free of the teeth to bury the hook.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I got head mounted on the 8/0 hook and the eyes on. Put it on the turner and the brushed on the 2 ton epoxy. Its a little lumpy in the pic but since has smoothed out.

 

[mooney4]

Hey Fish, i've been tying up some poppers for bass and anything larger. Theres a really cool video on Utube called "Basswood popper" theres a part 1 and 2. The guy uses balsa and a dremel. Ive been toying with the idea of trying it out.
Heres an example

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I finallly got my 1st balsa headed fly done. Its a reverse tyed popper on a big 8 ot. Its about 10 inches long and thats right in the toohies wheel house. Il see how it fishes sunday when I pull it over some muskys heades.

 

[mooney4]

Hey Paco, Very cool tye first off!! Ive just started tying these bigger flys and fishing them. I've got just one question. Is there any secret to casting these big bushy flys? Im having one hell of a time getting them out there!!

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

They "knuckle" on the forward & back cast.I throw them on a fast 10wt with a SA 400grn clear tip express (intermediate). My leader is kept short. Just keep the line speed up, double haul. Let the rod do the work. Don't rush it.

 

[nealfish]

have you ever tryed cedar or pine wood for poppers?

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Nope just balsa. And with the finish I should need too. Plus ya need to take into consideration of weight also.

 

[mooney4]

Thanks for the tips!! Im trying to work my way up to a full fledge muskey size fly. Ive had reports from friends about sightings of muskey's on a lake near my moutain home.