Poulin Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 Any advice on how to catch stripers on a popper with a fly rod ? Effective or not ? SnookFly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripernut1 Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 I have caught some very nice bass on a popper on the fly line. I most often use an intermediate line, tuck the rod under my arm and two hand strip, getting a good pop with each strip... flysully 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 Yes - VERY effective. But you HAVE to use a floating line - which is better than an intermed line in most instances anyway. Except when it's blowing. Intermed line wih smaller diameter will cast better. Herb Jayfish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook I Posted July 2, 2022 Report Share Posted July 2, 2022 I really enjoyed the Crease fly ( made by our SOL Hilltop ) in the fly swap . It was the only one I ever used and it was great in the back as the sun went down . t_man7 1 If it has fins i want to catch it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turkaholic Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 I have had some success with gurggler’s especially articulated ones. Lots of varieties to try. Preform nicely in the trough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theshadow Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 Poppers are a blast to fish.A floating line is not a must but it will be much better to "fish" a popper.Also,use mono and a non-slip loop knot.The mono floats and the loop knot will make the popper "act" much better.HL got the bug a few years ago when I gave him one to try.To help turning over a popper for distance try a tarpon taper line[if you're in the market for a specific line] and a shorter leader. numbskull and t_man7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C. Regalis Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 I've had some epic spring DAYS in full sun, with a simple white gurgler. I wouldn't necessarily suggest daytime, but I'd second the floating line. The intermediate seems to quickly overcome the floatation of most poppers. It's also worth noting that, while it can raise a ruckus on the surface, a gurgler is not really a popper. (Nor, for that matter is a crease fly, which Joe Blados designed for its subsurface action.) But topwater can be a lot of fun! "Life's too short to fish with ugly flies."Cynoscion Regalis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philly Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 I've had decent luck with poppers for stripers and blues. I prefer the pencil popper, long thin body, not the same as the lure. Standard body poppers also work. As far as the Crease Fly goes, two takes on that. I tie mine so that the body sits straight in the water not on its side. If I leave the mouth open, I'll fish it more like a popper and use a floating line. If I close the mouth, then I normally fish it off an intermediate or sinking line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleomaniac Posted July 3, 2022 Report Share Posted July 3, 2022 Very effective especially when they are blitzing, or early morning or on a cloudy day blind casting. These are made with flip flop foam that I found washed up on the beach, floats high and pops nice. I also drill a hole or burn a hole and put in a small rattle into the forehead, then epoxy it in. Jayfish, LB and Mass Trout 2 1 Worm Hatch Inspector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poulin Posted July 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 Interesting, I already have in mind spots where I will try. But what’s the difference between a popper and a gurgler ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theshadow Posted July 4, 2022 Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 35 mins ago, Poulin said: Interesting, I already have in mind spots where I will try. But what’s the difference between a popper and a gurgler ? A gurgler pushes water more foreward by the design.I popper pushes water more in an upward direction depending on the cut in the face and if it's cupped in the face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaryGreene Posted July 4, 2022 Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 Floating Poppers work well with a floating line and a Lightning Leader (70%-20%-10%). You can also thriftily make a sinking popper by drilling a small hole in the back top side of the popper and loading #8 Bird-Shot into it. Sinking poppers can be fished with either a floating or a sinking line. You can also make a Crease Fly with the face of a popper and a shortened body. I use the one pictured for peanut bunker blitzes. What's nice about a fly like this is. It's very inexpensive to make and with the prices on popper bodies these days a piece of foam is a lot more economical way to make a fishing lure. Hard-Body Poppers are absolutely money for Fall Striper blitzes. They also work at night. In my opinion, this style of popper is by far and away the best one. Electric Gurglers (enhanced with UV Flash) aren't technically poppers, but they're deadly surface lures and I would definitely recommend a floating line with them. Mylar Poppers are best for Bluefish Blitzes because they're the most indestructible of all Poppers. They also happen to work pretty well on Stripers too. Bob Popovics Popper is also pretty good and cheap to make. yarddog59, BrianDailey and baldwin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poulin Posted July 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2022 Very interesting, a lot of new things to explore !! Thanks for those good lessons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinfish Posted July 5, 2022 Report Share Posted July 5, 2022 21 hours ago, CaryGreene said: Floating Poppers work well with a floating line and a Lightning Leader (70%-20%-10%). You can also thriftily make a sinking popper by drilling a small hole in the back top side of the popper and loading #8 Bird-Shot into it. Sinking poppers can be fished with either a floating or a sinking line. You can also make a Crease Fly with the face of a popper and a shortened body. I use the one pictured for peanut bunker blitzes. What's nice about a fly like this is. It's very inexpensive to make and with the prices on popper bodies these days a piece of foam is a lot more economical way to make a fishing lure. Hard-Body Poppers are absolutely money for Fall Striper blitzes. They also work at night. In my opinion, this style of popper is by far and away the best one. Electric Gurglers (enhanced with UV Flash) aren't technically poppers, but they're deadly surface lures and I would definitely recommend a floating line with them. Mylar Poppers are best for Bluefish Blitzes because they're the most indestructible of all Poppers. They also happen to work pretty well on Stripers too. Bob Popovics Popper is also pretty good and cheap to make. I have been using a fly like the green one on the bottom, but instead of using a long shank hook, I use a shorter one with some bucktail and I feed the line through middle of the popper (think tube fly). The hook swims more freely. I get better hookups and longer casts since its less weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brushfly Posted July 5, 2022 Report Share Posted July 5, 2022 Gurgler and Crease Flies for me. Taken my PB Bass and Blues on them. (As evidence of the second photo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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