Tactic: Fly behind a popper...

[carlcmc]

Here's a tactic to discuss. I read in a Bass magazine last summer about fishing for bass and panfish at the same time. Use a regular bass popper and remove the rear treble hook. Attach a snap swivel with the snap hooking onto the eyelet of the popper in the back. Then tie a length of light line ~4lb of about 1-2 foot length with a fly tied to the end.

I tried this when I wasn't having any luck for bass. I never caught a big bass on the poper but I caught ton on gills and some bass on the fly! I was shore fishing the whole time. I would cast it out 10-15 foot. And twitch it and the fly would slowly sink. This would draw them up to the surface and slowly just slurp it in. Pulling back lightly was all that it took to hook them. Always a lip hook.

Some of you probably already know this tactic, but thought i'd share.

Any others had luck or experience with this?

[CrappieJohn]

I might caution you that if there is more than "the rear" hook on that popper, it is not legal to use on any inland Minnesota water. Just so you are aware.It could be used on , say, the Miss. river backwaters where they are considered a border water with Wisconsin though.

[CrappieJohn]

Any lure can have more than one hook as long as it is attached by a screw or a split ring or snaps into some receptcle. The one lure trailing behind on another line makes it two lures. Look at it another way...if each lure can be fished WITHOUT the other, then you have two lures on one line. Minn/Wis border water legal, inland water illegal.And they do make what is called a casting bubble...essentialy a clear bobber that the line feeds thru from end to end so that you can cast a fly or streamer. These units fill with water giving them the weight needed for casting and are perfectly legal. And they do not tend to spook fish. Try one.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by CrappieTom (edited 03-13-2004).]

[carlcmc]

I didn't realize about those bubbles. I'll have to try it. Thanks.

[2dalake]

This tactic was covered in the June-July 2003 In-fisherman. I just pulled the article and scanned it - I don't see any reference one way or another about regulations for this rig. They often do address that issue if it's illegal in Minnesota.

[carlcmc]

The DNR says that if a lure has multiple hooks on it is considered "one hook". This is modification of lure to extend it somewhat. Would this not count as the "one hook" philosphy? If you used one foot of line and had the front treble hook on the popper and the fly at the end it would be equal in size to some musky lures. What do you think? Is it necessary to remove the front treble also? I have much more luck using the popper than a bobber because the popper extends the line out behind it while the bobber puts the line underneath. The end result is that with a bobber the fish are spooked more with the fly under the bobber, while with the popper, the popper stirs up attention when you pop it (which the panfish love is surface action) and then they see that slowly sinking a ways behind it.

Thoughts?

[deeky]

I actually just read about this in the MN fishing regs. Only one hook is allowed except "Three artificial flies may be used when angling for trout, crappie, sunfish, and rock bass". (page 14-15). So the question is - does a popper count as a fly? Are you using a fly rod? There are some poppers that I believe do count for sure (ones you would use on a fly rod), but I have only seen those with a single hook out the back. Hope this helps.

[decoy]

deeky is correct. I just read that also. (Top of Page 15) And Yes, a popper is considered an artificial fly.
I usually tie an attractor with bright colors in front and an imitator of some kind in the rear and it works great. I think a popper would be an excellent choice for an attractor in bass water.

Decoy

[Gus]

So can you tell me if this is illegal?
I was trolling using a spinner and live minnow. Tails kept getting bit off and I couldn't go much slower so I tied on a trailer hook about 2-3 inches back just about to the end of the minnow and that worked. Was this illegal?

[CrappieJohn]

People all over Minnesota use stingers as you descibed and do not get any heat from the co's. I would depend on the veiwpoint taken. You are not adding a second lure or bait, simply another hook making the lure multi-hooked.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
[email protected]