Making And Tying A Better Popper (A Bit Pic Heavy)

[BilletHead]

This is kind of flysmallie inspired. I wanted to start making and tying poppers. By seeing Ronnie's work it got me kick started. Started by buying kits with hard foam bodies. Glued some up and started to paint. Used a combo of brush, stippling (various dot sizes) and spray paint from cans. This gave me the results I wanted and I am getting better as I go. Tried to use a clear spray paint finish with mixed results. It did water proof the paint but not too durable. if you had a bad back cast or shot the line too far and hit a rock on the river the popper would explode and loose a chunk of foam. Trial # 2 was with epoxy. I was a bit scared with this as the only epoxy I have ever used was 5 minute. It got hot and runny. Worked fine on my epoxy minnows setting quick and I did not mind turning the vice for a couple of minutes on them. I have a epoxy motor driven driver that I had never used so here we go with 2 ton 30 minute stuff. Ok I picked a popper, mixed up a small batch, took a small disposable paint brush and give it a coat. Hey this stuff is pretty thick! Put it on the drier and let it spin. Watched the puddle of unused epoxy on my mixing paper and when it started to set up I turned the drier off. Checked out my prize, very happy with the finish. Then I started tying, making more and painting. They fish good too! I will start off with a few untied bodies. Please have patience with my photo taking:)

The one that looks like a clown Mrs. BilletHead painted. Don't laugh, she will catch fish with it.

More that are tied and finished Some of these are kind of ragged because they have been munched on by bass.

Ok now I have been messing around with balsa and doing it all,

Various stages of the process with three stages.

Ok here is Pat's favorite,

And one of her bass from the other day

The one I was using that morning and me with a fish,

I hate to say it but Saturday morning she out fished me with the pink one but Sunday morning early I got even. Ok one more of the Mrs. Her first hybrid on the fly rod, on a popper to make icing on the cake I am not sure who had the biggest smile that day her or me,

POPPERS ROCK!

BilletHead

[Guest]

WOW!

[Lancer09]

Those are flat CLEAN.

So your mostly using canned spray paint, and then touching up with a brush and dowel before hitting it with epoxy?

[Buzz]

Very Nice. I like the paint jobs.

[BilletHead]

Thanks guys,

Lancer the only time I am using spray now is when I want to two tone/scale/blending effect. Other than that just a brush base coat of white, other colors and then the dots. Dots made with pin heads, needles with ends filed smooth to size desired. Not my original idea. There is another fellow who does this really neat with the dots. His work is unreal. You could use spray for the base coat desired but once you smooth on the epoxy any brush marks, divots etc. disappear. As for paint I am using acrylic craft stuff you can get at walmart. Hobby lobby has more color choices. Let your imagination run wild.

BilletHead

[fishinwrench]

Beautiful man!

Love the stippling, it gives a really cool effect. Gimme a white belly with 3 shades of yellow and my confidence is "with it" bigtime.

[BilletHead]

Three shades of yellow, hummmmmm Got to get more paint:)

[rvconrad]

Really nice work on the poppers Marty.

ralph

[Flysmallie]

Dayum. Those put mine to shame. Nice work.

[BassHunter132]

Those look real nice. Have made a lot of poppers and none of them are that clean. Nice work.