popping bugs

[castle]

Does anyone know how to make popping bugs? My son brought a book home from his school library and there was a little exerpt about making these baits out of cork. Just curious!!! I thought this might be a simple project for he and I. I think they are used with a fly rod by many, but I always fished them with a spinning rig and a clear float placed about two feet above the bait. Any input would be appreciated.

Sam

[Redman]

They are a theadneck with a cork or Styrofoam head. Use to make them many years ago. The head is glued on a s curved hook then painted and feathers tied on the end. Would be a very simple project for a young tier.

A hundred hooks and heads would go a long ways. The memories would be priceless.

Redman

[Crappiehappy]

maybe this will get you on the right path...


Make Your Own Popping Bugs

[skeetbum]

I found a good variety of parts at BPS and Cabela's. I bought some a while back and put the hook and body together and gave them to Big Mack on the board here to finish. I have enough unfinished projects. The heads were preformed foam and the hooks had a kink in them to help them stay connected and keep the hook from rotating inside the body. Even if you made the heads I think that an investment in the right hooks would be a plus. Foam bodies will use a latex paint made for foam and plastics, but cork would let you use any kind of paint. Sounds like a fun project, keep us posted.

[skiptomylu]

I made a good many several years back, but used the formed foam heads. You sill had to paint and put the hook in which I used epoxy for. Some I even put silicone legs through and some not. Her are a few pics for you to look at with several shapes and sizes..

Skip

[STUMP HUNTER]

It will give y'all something to do together. There is a good bit of work that goes into making em look good. I had some last spring because I couldn't find the colors I wanted and they are not cheap to go buy. Y'all will have a good time while painting them as you may change colors as you go. Good luck with them.

[skiptomylu]

Your right Stump Hunter, there is a good bit of work doing them. Some just spin deer hair to make a popper, but that is far from easy too. It all can be a lot of fun.

Skip

[STUMP HUNTER]

Skip, I was looking at some deer hair poppers the other day and their work was amazing. I may try one sometime later but it would never see any water!Thumbs Up

[skiptomylu]

I have a couple that I bought on sale a few years back and the work is really good. What I have a hard time figuring out is some of these things is how they do the eyes and even a circle of different color around them. The ones I have just have stick on type eyes, but man some of the guys that tie that stuff is really awesome.

If I were these guys I would buy some balsa wood dowels and then you could go from really scratch. I was going to do that, but got busy and never bought the dowels.

Will try to post a pic of one tied by a fly tier on another site, I do hope this is okay to do. Just look at the color changes and how they do the circles I don't have a clue. This is not a popper, but same kind of tying and have seen many poppers like this.

Skip

[Micropterus salmoides]

Those are very cool looking!
What is that an imitation of?