Pop'R

[Slyster]

Caught my first bass today on a popper.. or Pop'R or whatever they call it... [PoorWordUsage]er?

I had no idea how to fish it properly, but what I did seemed to work. I casted.. let it sit for 5 seconds or so.. then popped it 2 or 3 times.. sit for 5 seconds... etc... the fish I nabbed grabbed it while it was sitting there.

Now I think I remember seeing a show where someone was winding it in FAST and going pop, pop, pop, pop... the whole way in.. like 2 pops per second.

What is the BEST way to fish these things?

[delmuts]

all the above! i know the saying that let the fish tell you, but?? the only way to determine a fishs' mood is to experiment with different retrieves! i usually start out with the faster one, and if that don't work , then start slowing down, but either way just keep trying .i go with four or five quick pops and let it sit the second or two as i reel in the slack, but have had times when i knew there was a fish there and i would let it just sit above the fish after one or two.( this may draw one of those explosive strikes that scares the bejeazous out of you!! ) as always; if one thing isn't working, try some thing different.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

The fall is one of the best topwater bites of the year. Like del said, their is no real wrong way to fish it. I usually fish poppers slower the way you were. Though you can tell a bit about a fish's activity level by how they hit the bait. If its an explosion of water, the fish are probably aggressive and you can fish the bait faster. However, if they just barely nab the bait with little more than a lite swirl they are probably less active and a slow retrieve is best.

[ikeslayer]

like already stated is there ever a wrong way to fish something???? i always think it is bad when we can't think out the box and we stick to the retrieve we are suppose to use. Don't get me wrong i am not knocking this post. I have posted things as well looking for other possiblities that others have thought of that is what makes this HSOforum so great. one of my favorites is a jitterbug. i cas it out and fish it like a jitterbug for a while with a straight retrieve and then i stop let it sit and give it a few good pops and it pops water a mile and it darts alittle like a zara spook. This becomes a very versitile bait. i have also seen a guy who used only chuggers which are the longer pencil types and he would work them about as fast has he could. No right or wrong just about a million possibilites. Good luck and let us know what works best for you as i too am always looking to think out side the box and find a new presentation for an old lure. ike

[Slyster]

As for me, I just wanted to know how to use the popper.. that was my first time, and they don't come with instructions! You'd think they would come with something to suggest usage.

[Deitz Dittrich]

come to think of it though sly.. very few lures do come with instructions.

Here is my take on it sly... If I feel the conditions are good for catching fish, I will work it quite fast. Maybe not as fast as say a spinnerbait.. but a steady retrieve while popping the rod tip. If conditions are maybe not perfect, I will work it slower with longer pauses. I will also work the bait in areas i dont feel a fish may be, and work it a lot slower in areas I feel there has to be a fish. Also, water temp will play some.. the higher the water temp, the more apt I am to work the bait faster.

Just my opinions... Of all topwater lures, I tend to reach for the popper type lure first... then the walk the dog..

[bmc]

Here's a little Pop-R story from last night. I drug my Otter Stealth into a little non-motorized lake near here yesterday afternoon. Just a beautiful afternoon to be on the water. I rigged up a Senko, wacky style and immediately was on fish! I caught about a dozen bass, including some smallies, which I never knew were in the lake, they're not even listed on the MN DNR lake finder for this lake. The bass were all in the 10-13" range, not huge but fun. Right around dusk I figured I'd give the topwater bite and try and tied on a shiner minnow colored Pop-R. First cast, pop, pop, pop, WHAM! A huge smallie hit it so hard he jumped out of the water. He held onto the bait and when I set the hook, I had him on for a split second and the 10 lb test line broke! I was totally bummed. I re rigged and before I could make the first cast, there my Pop-R was floating...that made me feel a little better! I'm stuck on nights now, but will get my daughter's out there this weekend if the weather cooperates. Anyone ever try wacky rigging using a bobber? It'd just be easier for my kid's.

Brian