Problem with Whopper Plopper

[Grubber]

New 130 size that worked fine a few times but the other morning it decided to quit working, no whopp, no plopp, just wakes and acts like the body is trying to roll. The tail rotates fine and there is no damage to the bait, it's not taking on water and the rattles are rattling. The only way I can get it to work is jerk it up on plane and reel it fast, if I let it pause and then try to retrieve normally, it just will not get up on plane. I have compared it to another new one and see no difference at all.........anyone else have this problem or have any ideas?

[abkeenan]

5 minutes ago, Grubber said:

New 130 size that worked fine a few times but the other morning it decided to quit working, no whopp, no plopp, just wakes and acts like the body is trying to roll. The tail rotates fine and there is no damage to the bait, it's not taking on water and the rattles are rattling. The only way I can get it to work is jerk it up on plane and reel it fast, if I let it pause and then try to retrieve normally, it just will not get up on plane. I have compared it to another new one and see no difference at all.........anyone else have this problem or have any ideas?

Have never heard of this. My only few thoughts would be:

1. Has the angle of the plastic tail been altered as a result of heat, on a hot front deck in the sun or having it laying in a certain position for a length of time in a hot storage container/box? If that angle gets altered it would change the way the bait throws water and "plops".

2. Is there any corrosion or build up on the wire or shaft that the tail rotates on? Maybe those spacer beads got gummed up are causing friction on the tail and it's unable to spin freely or with added resistance? The tail piece naturally is pushed back towards the tail end on retrieve so maybe look there if there is more resistance from something.

3. Shaft of wire holding the tail is slightly bent?

That's all I got.

[176champion]

My 90 series plopper wont plop right away, it takes about 5 foot of movement before it starts plopping...my 130 works as soon as it is moved..

Make sure the plopper will spin freely by hand...

[Grubber]

abkeenan, The tail is on a flexible wire so I don't think #3 is the culprit, the tail spins freely (no binding), and I tend to believe that the direct heat laying on the deck has something to do with it but seems funny that only mine would be affected, the tail is very soft so the pitch could be changed very easily on a hot lure, I will experiment with changing the pitch and see if that helps.....I wanted to email River2Sea but their website is not very user friendly for customer support so I might call them if all else fails

[bfishn]

Hmmm... sounds like a case for the Whopper Plopper Hopper Stopper Copper.

[m&m]

I had that happen on a 130 but upon inspection I found that there was a piece of debris that got caught in the joint.  It caused the front to roll and twist my line.  I removed the debris and it worked fine.  I do realize that I have to let the WP hit the water, float back to the top and then begin to reel.  Otherwise it does not spin correctly for the first 5-10 feet.

Mike

[176champion]

The flopper is soft so i can see where if stored in a fashion that changes the contour of the flopper that the flopper wont flop right anymore....

[Alex Heitman]

I have had them roll on me and it is usually from the wire on the back end of the plopper being slightly bent and not straight. This causes it to belly roll. If you straighten out the wire it should work fine. 

[dtrs5kprs]

I'd like to throw all of my 90s in a cedar. They are about as inconsistent as redfins. The 130s run like champions. Of about a half dozen 90s, the only one that runs consistently is one my daughter picked out on the way to the lake in June. It runs as well as a 130.

I have to wonder if increased demand has them making the ploppers a little too quickly.

[crazy4fishin]

19 minutes ago, dtrs5kprs said:

I have to wonder if increased demand has them making the ploppers a little too quickly.

For something completely different ----- Usually a night of heavy Mexican food will cause making ploppers a little to quickly -  back to fishing, I have a couple of 130's and a 90 and they all run true. I would say they are about a year old! 

C4F