Experienced fishermen successfully catch large rudd with floating artificial bait - Popla Popper. This lure was invented and developed specifically for catching large rudd in difficult conditions among thickets of grass, water lilies or rare reeds.
At the same time, you can not be afraid to tear off the bait due to its design features. When catching rudd with this bait, perch of different sizes or large bleak and other white and predatory fish, the main thing is to choose the right leash length and imitation of an insect on a hook.
Popla Popper - a thunderstorm of rudd
You can make a Popla Popper yourself, with your own hands, using simple tools and accessories. To do this, you will need a 10 cm piece of wire with a diameter of 1 mm, a piece of hard foam, fluorocarbon lead material, a hook with a long forend No. 5-7 (depending on the attachment used) and a piece of sheet lead.
A minimum of tools that can be found in any home: pliers, side cutters, a sharp knife, sandpaper of different grain sizes, paint of the color that will be painted with P-P, quick-drying varnish and epoxy resin or glue.
The first step is to shape the prepared foam with a knife, while the size of the bait should not be more than 30 mm.
After rough processing of the workpiece with a knife, it should be processed with coarse sandpaper,
at the same time, you need to grind a small "cup" with the same sandpaper, which will create a noise effect during wiring.
Having given the shape of the future bait to the workpiece, it should be processed with fine-grained emery paper, which will relieve it of roughness.
Now you can start mounting and painting the bait. To do this, you need to make a longitudinal section at the bottom of the resulting workpiece,
into which the manufactured wire with ears will be inserted
for attaching a leash with a hook and a cord or fishing line. By inserting the wire,
you need to coat the cut with epoxy or glue, after which you additionally need to insert a piece of sheet lead, which will make a "tumbler" out of Popper Popper and give the necessary weight for casting.
The weight of the lead must be selected depending on the test of the spinning rod for which this bait is made, and the density of the foam, choosing the weight of the lead so that it does not flood the bait. After inserting the lead, the cut must be coated again with epoxy or glue. After the resin or glue has hardened, use fine-grained emery paper to remove any unevenness resulting from gluing. Now it should be painted, almost ready P-P and, after the paint has dried, open it with a colorless varnish.
The hook should be tied to a fluorocarbon leash, about 15 cm long, with an inch with a bite tail attached to it.
You can also use fly flies, which often give more best result imitating a fallen insect. Tie a leash to your homemade Popla Popper.
The growing trend in fishing for the symbiosis of different lures has led to the birth of the so-called pop-popper. The classic spinning lure - the popper - has been transformed into a special float for highly efficient surface water fishing.
Popla popper - classic example the fact that modern fishing is developing not only by developers famous brands and athletes, but also amateurs. It is the latter that we owe to the appearance of an extraordinary bite signaling device with the functions of a surface wobbler.
I was introduced to the popla-popper by a good friend who, by an experimental method, independently mastered fishing with this piece of equipment. As a web genius, the design of the pop-popper is pretty simple. In fact, this is a normal popper about 3.5 cm long, weighing 3-3.5 g, from which both tees have been removed. The meaning of such a "toothless" bait is that it turns into a bite signaling device and at the same time allows you to wire with the classic popper effect. Cutting and splashing water, the popper emits its inherent "gurgles", attracting the attention of fish. Well, the latter are caught on a classic leash with a hook, which increases the permeability of the bait attached to it in difficult waters and reduces the number of hooks. The possibility of successful use of fly flies instead of a hook is not excluded.
The main fish for the pop-popper is the rudd. With its help, it is this inhabitant of the upper water that can be successfully pulled out of the overgrown and encircled water areas, where the use of other rigs is problematic or even impossible. At the same time, other fish that are sensitive to sound are still successfully caught with the popla-popper: perches, bleaks, chubs, etc., for which eating insects floating in the water and falling into the water is the norm. Even carp, crucian carp and pike are among the constant trophies of such fishing. Let them often be small, but quite decent.
Fishing with such a rig attracts with its simplicity. Web, what is required is a rigged rod and a wading suit. Even those who like boating can refuse to use watercraft. However, we'll talk about the intricacies of fishing later, but for now let's dwell on the popla-popper itself in more detail.
Pop-Popper Line
The simplest and most reliable pop-popper option is the factory model. It is not always easy to choose a suitable imitation, and even bright in color, so that it is clearly distinguishable from a distance. Plus, many complain about high price such a bait, believing that, throwing it into the thickets of grass, they will cut off one after another. If you can somehow agree with the first argument, then I will argue with the second. With a properly mounted rig, one pop-popper will last for more than one year. Well, when the cliff occurs at shallow depths, at which fishing is mainly carried out, it is often possible to get the torn off element. In any case, with regular float fishing, the risk of breakage is much higher.
Of the smart factory models, suitable for adjustment for pop-popper fishing, I will name the floating surface lures A-elita 50F (color 761 and 861). Their characteristics are slightly higher compared to the relatively common pop-popper imitations (5 cm, 5 g), however, due to high-precision balancing and breaking of the body, both have increased stability, which is important for tempo fishing and on a strong wave. Plus, they make a sharp and clear sound, spray water and fly further on casts, and bright red fronts provide good visibility.
The practice has become widespread self-made Styrofoam floats, old floats or wine corks.
Pop-Popper Rig
Popla-popper is a light, superficial lure, therefore the best rod for casting it is a spinning rod of the "ultralight" class. It is tough, sensitive, pushy and good at dampening vibrations after casting. The length of 2-2.1 m is enough to work in any conditions. The spinning reel is equipped with a braided cord with a diameter of 0.06-0.08 mm.
Optimal leads are obtained from fluorocarbon line with a section of 0.16-0.18 mm. For this I use Pontoon21 Gexar Zarkazma or Pontoon21 Marxman Hfc threads. Thinner ones are not suitable not only because of the cliffs that threaten after each cast, but also because of the overlaps of the "braid" during the casts. The length of the running leashes is 5-50 cm, depending on the type and activity of the fish, which are supposed to be caught. Starting usually with a leash 15-20 cm long, I shorten it to a minimum with a good bite, making the tackle as simple as possible. Sometimes it comes to the point that you can completely abandon the leash by connecting the hook with the pop-popper by means of a winding ring or a tied loop of fishing line. However, when it is required to immerse the bait deeper into the water, the leash, on the contrary, lengthens.
When hunting for rudd, and even more so for perch, I did not use leashes longer than 30 cm, but when fishing for carp and crucian carp in surface waters, long ones were better suited. As for the pike, it is not the bait on the hook that attracts it, but the popla-popper itself, which the "toothy" periodically attacks. That is why some anglers who have mastered this kind of fishing attach an additional hook to the bottom ring of the pop-popper. I guess this is a rash decision. In our case, the pop-popper does not act as a bait, but as a bite alarm and an extra hook is just an obstacle. He will significantly increase the number of hooks for plants, and catch on open water most often less effective.
However, catching small pikes is possible. They are able to flatter any imitation of food, even from the category of insects. A curious incident happened to my friend, when a hungry predator under 1.2 kg swallowed a popla-popper along with a leash on the move, and then threw it through the gills. As a result, the "braid" entangled its mouth, preventing it from being bitten off. The pike was successfully pulled ashore.
And the last piece of the rig is the hook. Taking into account my own developments, I settled on No. 12-16. Moreover, the first option is the most preferable. The bend of the underwear is better smooth, arched, without bevels. Good models- Owner 50145, Owner 50457. If you intend to fish exclusively with artificial baits, it is appropriate to wind a thread on the forend so that the imitation does not slip later.
Pop-popper lures
Despite the effect that attracts fish, baits are indispensable when posting a pop-popper. As such, you can use both artificial and natural.
The main bait, aimed at virtually all surface fish, is the silicone maggot. If in a static position it attracts fish weakly, then with active posting it is the other way around. The main requirement is a decent size. An excellent choice is Power Bait (Berkley). I crochet the imitation and pull it over the forend. In order not to move out, you can first wind the thread on the fore-end. I tried to use maggots with pheromones, but did not notice a significant difference.
At the same time, I note that the artificial maggot is good in the warm season. In early spring and in late autumn there are fewer bites on such a bait. In addition, there are days when the fish are finicky even in summer. Therefore, I always keep in my pocket a jar of natural fly larvae. They can either be hooked to an artificial relative, piercing through the head, or used independently.
Fish are also perfectly caught on thin strips of finely porous foam rubber, pre-soaked with egg white and boiled. In reservoirs where there are many cupids, it is useful to tie a strand of grass to the hook, which these fish will probably not miss. You can equip the hook with an edge or string beads on it, as in ice fishing. In short, experimentation is appropriate and justified.
I don't see any point in dwelling on such baits as bloodworms, worms, etc., as well as on baits. Fish will bite, however, such baits are not created for active postings, so you can not remember about them. Well, their silicone counterparts are inferior to maggot when fishing for "peaceful" fish.
The subtleties of fishing
On the reservoir, you can act in two ways. The first is the simplest. We choose a promising place and try to catch it. There are no bites, we feed the point, as in ordinary float fishing, and expect the fish to show activity.
The second scheme seems to be more preferable. This is an active fishing, associated with the search for places of rest for fish, which, with proper observation, will give themselves out in splashes on the water. The main object of pop-popping is rudd; it is a schooling fish, so it is not difficult to spot it. The main landmark is the water area overgrown with egg capsules, reeds, reeds and other vegetation. Moreover, as a rule, with calm water, in extreme cases with a slow current. The presence of "gold" fish is evidenced by the quivering leaves of plants, circles on the water. Here, among the "grass", you can catch the rest of the fish.
It is even easier to hunt carp, which on hot days rise to the very surface and patrol in flocks across the reservoir, being clearly visible even with the naked eye. In general, the primary key to success is observation.
Casting is done directly into the vegetation. Either the bait immediately falls into the "windows" between the greenery, or it must be directed there by a slight twitch of the spinning rod, pulling it off the leaf. Very often, a bite follows just at the moment of splashdown, because the rudd is accustomed to this behavior of insects falling into the water from the grass. If the fish did not react, we pause for up to 10-15 seconds and jerkily move the pop-popper by 5-7 cm, then pause again, etc. The pace of the posting can be critical. When the signaling device leaves the grass, it is more rational to reel in the tackle and perform a new cast than to conduct it in an open space: the probability of a bite will be low.
You should not be afraid of casting into the thick of strong-looking reeds and reeds. The main thing is that they do not grow very densely. The bites of large rudd, carp, crucian carp and even breeders occur exactly there or along the very edge of the vegetation wall.
Considering that we are fishing outside, we should behave very quietly in the water, so as not to scare the fish away. We move slowly along the reeds, meter by meter, catching new landmarks. The fish is less frightened when we stand in the water up to the waist or even higher. But the shallow depths (30-50 cm) found in some water areas should not be misleading. It is often at such points that a good result is obtained.
Personal observations show that with popla-popping best catches rudd occurs in April, May, June and September. However, in late autumn, the largest individuals (400-800 g) were encountered. By the time of day, noon, the very heat, is preferable. In the evening, the bite is worse, but the fish come across larger ones. For fishing, clear, windy days are best. With a light wind, choose a position when it blows in the back. With a wind of more than 5 m / s, it is impossible to fish, because the wave drives the pop-popper through the water and the hook with the bait cannot submerge.
If a small rudd bites, then the popla-popper slides through the water. If the individuals are large, the signaling device is surely submerged. Having found a flock, on favorable days, it is possible to catch 10-15 fish in just half an hour.
Fishing for rudds, especially large ones, can scare away the rest of the fish, so sometimes it is worth moving to another place, and returning to the same place after a short time. The bite will certainly resume.
There are very common, traditional ways fishing, but there are - very unusual, strange, but, at the same time, effective at the time and under the appropriate conditions. One of these extraordinary fishing methods is fishing with a pop-popper. Since soft silicone baits are used here, then this tackle and the features of its use will be discussed in this review.
The Popla Popper is a hybrid spinning rig. It is based on a device that combines the properties of a float and such a spinning bait as a popper. There is no hook on the popla-popper itself, but a leash made of thin fluorocarbon or fishing line is tied to it. A small single hook is tied at the end of the leash. A small twister, a silicone worm, a silicone maggot, an imitation of maggot, in general, almost any small silicone, is placed on it. Naturally, it is best to use an edible silicone impregnated with an attractant. The use of live animal attachments is also possible.
Pop-poppers catch the most different fish... Basically, the object of such catching becomes:
- rudd;
- perch;
- small pike;
- chub;
- asp;
- trout.
Catching rudd on a popla popper
In summer, in hot weather, on bays and oxbows, on lakes, large rudd keeps in the upper and middle layers of water, near aquatic vegetation, at the edges of water lilies. This is where pop-popper editing comes in handy. This device will allow us to throw the tackle far; attract a rudd from a distance (popper squish), and also, hold a miniature bait resembling a worm, larva or insect, at the very surface or in the floor of the water.
Of course, it is more convenient to catch with a small inflatable boat... It glides perfectly over the algae, if it scares the fish, it is only with a very radical approach. The watercraft allows you to become and throw as best, and not as necessary. But sometimes situations arise on small bays, where it is quite possible to fish from the shore.
So, we strapped a pop-popper with a leash to our light spinning rod. We throw it out the window among the algae, or on the edge of the water lilies. We carry out, like a regular popper, in short jerks. We make long enough pauses, during which the bait slowly sinks under the weight of the hook. It is during the pauses that the large rudd most often attacks.
Of course, as mentioned above, it's not just the rudd that bites the pop-popper rig. Perches cheerfully peck at this tackle. Comes across chub, asp, pike and other fish, which are not alien to being near the surface and in the middle layers of the water.
Popla popper with your own hands
Since the rig is primitive, you can do it yourself. After all, mini popper kits aren't always available on the market. The basic size of the float is 25mm, the weight is 2.5-3g. At home, you can cut a workpiece from a dry twig, a thick fragment of pine bark, hard foam, the thickened part is beveled at a slight angle, literally 5-10 degrees from the straight end cut. A recess in the bow is also chosen with a knife, or with a rounded chisel, if there is one. Well, they polish the groove by wrapping the rounded end of the stick with sandpaper.
An axial hole is made in the workpiece with an awl or a thin drill. The frame is bent from copper or steel wire. The wire axle is primitive. Just two eyelets at the ends. A spinning line is attached to the front, which is in the nose. To the back - a leash with bait.
It is necessary to unload the lower part so that the bait takes correct position in water. To do this, make a longitudinal cut or drill a hole. Either a strip of lead or pellet is pressed there. Testing can be carried out at this stage, for example in a bathtub or in shallow water. It is necessary to find out if the funnel creates a gurgle when dashing. Then the product is dried if it was made of wood.
It remains to paint the popper in a bright color with nitro paint, so that it is clearly visible on the water in different lighting conditions. We tie a fluorocardon leash to the back loop, with a thickness from 0.12-0.15mm to 0.2-0.25mm, depending on what kind of fish we are going to catch. The hook is usually single, small, thin, so that the bait sinks slowly. We select the silicone itself at our discretion. You can take something like an artificial one, or you can use the classic micro-twisters or other forms of micro-edibles, the mass of which is described on this site.
Popla-popper, description of the bait, photo. How to equip the bait. What can you catch on him. How to wire. Features of pop-poppers.
Many anglers who are transitioning to the lightweight rod class are starting to microjig, as well as spinning and spinning lures. In their catches, in addition to the usual predator, white fish such as roach, breeder, ide and chub also slip through. A few years ago, experienced craftsmen came up with catchy bait for catching rudd, calling it a popla-popper.
Design and description of a pop-popper
The appearance of the artificial nozzle resembles a cropped miniature one. Most often it is painted in white, red and yellow tones, applying multi-colored spots on the body.
Popla-popper incorporates two methods of fishing: fishing with a popper and fishing with a float. Wiring resembles a light twitch with small pauses, during which a bite follows. At this moment, the bait acts as a signaling device and makes it possible to hook the fish in time.
Spinning players use popla poppers different sizes, color and weight. The design has two ears. A fastener is attached to the front, tied to the main fishing line, and a leash is mounted to the back. Its length ranges from 20 to 50cm. The more active the fish, the shorter they take the leash.
The main advantages of the pop-popper
1. Availability. Miniature artificial bait is in a comfortable price range. Unlike expensive wobblers, any angler can afford it.
2. Permeability. The popla popper is designed in such a way that it is easy for them to fish in the most overgrown areas. The design has no hooks and, when tightened, covers the leash from obstacles.
3. Efficiency. At the moment, the bait is not very popular among the general public, however, in terms of effectiveness, it easily bypasses edible silicone and miniature spinners.
The design of the bait is so simple that some anglers make it on their own using wine stopper, metal wire and glue.
Who gets caught with a pop-popper
The most popular spinning trophy is. It is this representative of the carp family that is ideal for fishing with this bait. The rudd lives in the upper layers of the water, feeding on aerial insects, shoots of young plants and fry. In addition, the inhabitant of fresh water bodies can reach an impressive size. Some specimens caught on a popla-popper weighed about 500 grams, which is very good for riding fish.
The popularity of the rudd is also given by its numbers. Since only a few are engaged in purposeful fishing for this beauty, it lives well in the waters without much pressure from humans.
In addition to the red-finned fish, bleak and a small chub... But this fish prefers the current, and the rudd is caught in shallow river bays, lakes and reservoirs.
During the testing of the bait, a group of enthusiasts tried to catch carp... I would like to note that the results were impressive. In the warm season, when the fish rose to the surface, the fishermen carried the bait past, and the carp reacted to it. but fishing with a pop-popper involves the use of delicate gear, which made it difficult to fight a strong opponent.
What gear to use
For fishing with a popla-popper, you need a lightweight rod. Its length usually does not exceed 2 m, and the upper limit of the test is 8 g... The best way for a popla-popper is a tubular, because the bite is tracked by a signaling device, and not by a spinning whip. The rod handle should be short so that the hand can freely perform the twitching movements.
Any ultralight reel is suitable for fishing. Ryobi Ecusima and Shimano Catana are inexpensive models. These reels have a smooth running and a good line guide, which is important when working with thin lines.
Fishing with a pop-popper does not limit the angler in choosing between line and line. Since a long leash is used, there is no difference between the two. The only aspect that can affect fishing is the color of the line. The bright color makes it clear exactly where the bait is. It is easier to work with a bright line or line in poor visibility conditions (dusk, cloudy, rain).
Every year, the popla-popper is more and more often found in the fishing boxes of spinning players. Spectacular fishing attracts adherents of any type of spinning rod. Even trophy lovers sometimes want to relax by getting a bite on every cast.