Anyone tied saltwater flies with a popper head before?

[Snatcher]

Just want to enlarge my armoury a tadge so this is my next project. Have used a shop bought popper with spinning gear before but really fancy tying a few up to try with normal fly gear.

I think Newt is sending a few "popper hooks and popper heads" across the pond to me shortly but I love to experiment with stuff like this.

When I finished work I popped into my local safety shop and bought some earplugs,you know the type,bright yellow foam stuff. Anyway they are very bouyant so will use these as the popper head for the first prototype.

Willing to accept any ideas from you chaps out there. Come on some of you must have had a bash at it.. Will post up a picture of the first couple I knock out just so you can have a good belly laugh!

Wish me luck!!!!!

[Salar]

I've not tied one but it would be very simple, Watch the balance though - if your hook is too heavy it will fish head up tail down unless you strip it fast. Try a bouyant body as well as a popper head - carve both from foam block/sheet you can buy from fly tying suppliers. Alternatively tie a wrap of foam round the shank with a tight whip behind the eye causing the foam to "flare" (like tying a deer hair head), that would make a bouyant popping head and body combined. Alternatively tie a full Muddler Minnow in sea colours and sizes, after all they are the originbal popping fly! I have used a popper fly in North Carolina for small largemouth bass and panfish, not exactly sea but brackish. Great fun from a kayak - does that count? They often take between "pops": attracted by the popping action, then take what they think is a wounded fish on the surface. You need to tie a pattern so it looks like a belly-up baitfish when at rest. Just a few thoughts - hope that helps.

[blindog]

Used muddlers to great effect for pollack in loch leven,just added a bit flashabou ,but interested in hearing how you got on .

[Snatcher]

Knocked up 4,just in the process of supergluing on some "goo-goo"eyes - sorry cannot resist using them. Will pop them into a pan to see if they indeed go head up!They look ok - I think,dunno what any self respecting fish will think though!

Hope to post up a picture tomorrow. Would appreciate some honest feedback chaps. Cheers

[blindog]

Look forward to seing them !!!!!!

 

I'll let you know tomorrow what i think.

[MJB]

Fag Ash Lil is a deadly Bass pattern. Bobs Banger is another favourite.

 

http://www.ukswff.co.uk/oceanthree.htm

 

 

Martin

[Snatcher]

Any chance you could put a picture MJB

[MJB]

Theres pictures of both on that link, but just for you.

Fag Ash Lil-

 

Bobs Banger-

 

( pictures courtesy of oceanflies.com )

 

Martin

[nolan]

Very easy to tie snatcher mate.

Have tied up ear plug poppers before and used them with some success for big rainbows in Canada, in fast water and tied to look a bit like a large stonefly fluttering in the surface trying to take off. As for salty stuff they're pretty easy to tie. I use a bolck of close cell foam and heat up a section of copper pipe. Then i push the heated end of the pipe through the foam and get perfect tubes of foam that i can shorten as i wish. The bobs banger pattern above is a great fly to tie in this manner. Use a heated needle to push a hole through the foam. Tie some thread along the hook shank and give it a coating of epoxy. then slide your popper head over the eye of the hook and leave to dry. You can then coat it with prizmatic tape like the fly above. You can experiment with shape of head by carving the foam into different shapes or by pushing heated implements into the foam. For instance a small mellon baller spoon heated and pushed into the front of the head makes a great cavity, which causes the fly to cause more disturbance and have a more effective 'pop'. I've even tied huge mouse and lemming patterns using this technique, by coating brown foam in epoxy then trimming fur onto it. With long rabbit fur tails and rabbit fur wound behind the popper. These were incredibly effective for Taimen, and caused some explosive takes fished across pools in the evening. Popper fishing rocks and they're really easy to tie.

 

[ 09. February 2005, 12:11 PM: Message edited by: nolan ]

[Snatcher]

Hey Nolan some great tips my friend,thank you. Had not intended tying anything up tonight but you have just wetted my appetite again.

Salar tied four up on 1/0 1/0 3/0 and 4/0 to see if the plug would take the weight ok. The tails stayed right on the surface. Will take a picture of them shortly,both dry and immersed.Put on goo-goo eyes but what a clart putting them onto foam.The next ones I try will have simple superglue on flat sequins. Have a load in silver

and gold.

Back shortly chaps. I am really enjoying this thread,very constructive!