Poppers, wake baits?

[drew03cmc]

I've acquired some baits the past 2 months I was wondering what you thought about them. I have gotten some JDM Megabass Griffon Zeros, a Pop Max and a few Pop X. Do you all use poppers much on creeks and the wake baits have me pretty excited. How and where do you see yourself tossing these types of baits? 

[Smallieguy87]

2 minutes ago, drew03cmc said:

I've acquired some baits the past 2 months I was wondering what you thought about them. I have gotten some JDM Megabass Griffon Zeros, a Pop Max and a few Pop X. Do you all use poppers much on creeks and the wake baits have me pretty excited. How and where do you see yourself tossing these types of baits? 

I used some megabass Dog x and pop x and have caught some nice fish from a few of the small local streams. Your numbers will go down but quality will generally go up. The hooks on those megabass baits are freakin sticky!

[drew03cmc]

2 minutes ago, Smallieguy87 said:

I used some megabass Dog x and pop x and have caught some nice fish from a few of the small local streams. Your numbers will go down but quality will generally go up. The hooks on those megabass baits are freakin sticky!

The Pop X has produced on ponds up here already. I have a Dog X and a couple Giant Dog X as well. Are poppers more of a pool, eddy kind of bait to you? I can't see tossing it in swift stuff, especially while wading.

[Gavin]

I like the Giant Dog X allot...Its not giant plug by any means...about the size of a Sammy 100...but it works well. I don't fish a popper much on the river...but walking a popper seems to work better than pop, stop retrieves(usually),

 

[Smallieguy87]

57 minutes ago, drew03cmc said:

The Pop X has produced on ponds up here already. I have a Dog X and a couple Giant Dog X as well. Are poppers more of a pool, eddy kind of bait to you? I can't see tossing it in swift stuff, especially while wading.

You pretty well hit the nail on the head. I generally will only fish poppers those situations and don’t use them much in swift water. I’ve used baits like the Dog X and buzzbaits in the swift current with some luck. I’m still learning the tricks though. I’ve always been a more Low and slow type fisherman. I’m always looking to add to my skill set though. 

I know there’s lots of guys on here who are top water aficionados. Hopefully they can give you more detail. 

[drew03cmc]

22 minutes ago, Smallieguy87 said:

You pretty well hit the nail on the head. I generally will only fish poppers those situations and don’t use them much in swift water. I’ve used baits like the Dog X and buzzbaits in the swift current with some luck. I’m still learning the tricks though. I’ve always been a more Low and slow type fisherman. I’m always looking to add to my skill set though. 

I know there’s lots of guys on here who are top water aficionados. Hopefully they can give you more detail. 

Dude, I have lived and died by the jig and craw. I'm considering taking only a short casting rod to walk baits, fish buzzbaits, etc. Depending on water levels, time, etc, I may take my kayak, but may go wade somewhere. It'll just be nice to be back on smallie water. I'm really curious about that Pop Max, as I know it will pop, walk, spit, etc.

[Al Agnew]

What Gavin said.  I will use poppers, but only those which will walk and spit, and not go BLOOMP.  I hate that sound and action, and I don't think the fish like it much either.  And poppers that walk and spit must usually be fished rather slowly and in slower water, while ordinary walking baits can be fished in water with more current as well.  I haven't used them much in the last couple of years, but will occasional try them when the fish are blowing up on walking baits but not getting themselves hooked; sometimes they hit the popper more positively because of its smaller size.  

I'm not real impressed with the Dog X and Giant Dog X.  The Dog X is barely big enough to be worthwhile to fish, and there are other walkers that have easier and better action.  Don't make the mistake of going small with walking baits.  Even on small streams and ultra clear water, I never go smaller than the size of the Sammy 85.

[Guest]

Deleted.

[Flysmallie]

Stockton smallmouth like a chugger fished fast. As fast as you can fish it. They will just crush it. Lots of Saturdays and Sundays spent leaving the house at 4am to go chase that bite. They don't seem to like a WTD bait as much. 

[rps]

Berkley used to make a Frenzy popper. Fished fast it walked. It had crap hooks, of course, but it caught fish. I grew tired of modifying it about the same time they disappeared from the market. With good reason, people do not fish the Top Dollar. However, it spits and walks, if you find the right cadence, and it catches fish. If I can ever set up a good wake bait I will have a great arsenal.