Blockhead popper bodies finally available!!

[Jonn Graham]

I absolutely love blockhead poppers. In addition, I prefer to make my own. The only problem was that the bodies have never been made available commercially. Until now...................

 

Brad Miller at flybass.com has contracted with a company to make the bodies. In addition, these babys have a pre-cut hole going through the foam to allow easy installation of the hook. No more cutting the foam with a razor blade. I have already ordered my first batch and tied them up and tried them out. They are OUTSTANDING!! You can purchase them at www.flybass.biz. Or www.flybass.com.

 

Here are a couple of mine using Brad's bodies:

 

[Rob G]

John, what size and type of hook do you prefer with these bodies? And do you really feel that fish and smallmouth in specific react to these poppers more than say the more traditional conical hollowed out body? Just curious because supposedly they're Tim Holschlag's favorite as well.

[Jonn Graham]

yes, I do think these are better than standard cup-faced poppers................most of the time. I like to use Tiemco 8089 NP #6 or #10, but there are many different hooks that will work just fine. These poppers have a very different sound than standard cup-faced poppers. They push more water and are quite loud for their size. In addition, they cast like a breeze.

[Rob G]

OK, I bit and bought a dozen. I'm such an easy sell. When quoting P.T. Barnum, he had me in mind when it comes to tying materials.

[Jonn Graham]

Rob:

 

You won't be dissapointed.

[Jim J]

I have fished with Jonn while he is fishing these. I can vouch that these things sound great in the water.

[Rob G]

I tied up some of these this past summer with very luke warm results vs. my old standbys. I was hoping they would be mesmerized into hitting the darn things. No such luck but then again I did have a couple of bass stop by for a shave and a haircut when throwing the red/white one.

 

[jude]

Has anybody seen Waldo?

[Guest rich mc]

jonn have you tried reversing the popper head to make a diver or sneaky pete type fly? funny that at shabbona, sliders and divers work in the am and poppers work in the pm. rich

[Guest airbornemike]

Cool, I've banged LMB with the big blockheads for the past couple seasons. I buy em off Tim at the fly show when he's in town, things last forever. Rob there Tims favorite because he originated them.

[Rob G]

Mike,

I know Tim promotes them a lot but not sure he is the originator since there's a couple of older fellows over in the Fly Tying Forum from KY that claim "they had tied blockheads for years....very simple, and very old popper design...they were very popular in the south, OK, TX in the 40's and 50's. Most were wittled from balsa or basswood....today's advances in materials make them quick, cheap, and easy.....most of all...they catch a lot of fish!"

[Mike G]

Jonn,

 

The profile is similar to Clouser's EZ Pop.

 

EZ Pop

 

I know you have used both. How do they differ?

[Jonn Graham]

The clouser pop is great, but not as loud as the blockhead.

 

Rich:

 

I have tried reversing the blockhead, but they will not dive. You would have to modify the slope of the face to get them to dive.

[Rob G]

So how do you fine fellows like to dress the posterior portion of your poppers?

[Jonn Graham]

I like to dress with marabou or calf tail out the back and then, in place of hackle, I like wrap a few wraps of estaz.

[Mike G]

Rob,

 

Dressing like salad dressing may be a matter of taste. More and more I favor a KISS approach. The prime example is Lefty's Bug.

 

 

Lefty sez that bulky tails and hackle collars have two strikes against them. First, the bulk makes casting them more of a chore. Second, the same bulk tends to lift the hook so one gets fewer hookups. Since the classic Lefty's Bug is a real ugly duckling, it probably does not have as much angler appeal as the more dressed up version sold by sources like Rainy's.

Rainy's Version

 

Only the fish like it.

[Rob G]

MIke, you're correct, that top photo is an ugly duckling. What is that black post-like thing on the front, a photo artifact or something of intention?

[Mike G]

MIke, you're correct, that top photo is an ugly duckling. What is that black post-like thing on the front, a photo artifact or something of intention?

 

Rob,

 

The black trangle was added to the photo to emphasize the slanted face appropriate to Lefty's Bug. Though it beats nothing, I need a better picture, I guess.

[Rob G]

Well here we go, Brad was nice enough to get the popper bodies out very quickly. I ran down behind the house to the river this evening and got a few casts in. Yea, they move some water, much like a snow shovel would. Look forward to using them next year. John, thanks again for the heads up.

 

[Mike G]

Rob,

 

I want to do justice to Lefty's concept. But it is hard to find a good pic of Lefty's Bug probably because it lacks the pizazz of the more glamorous commercial patterns. Here's one by the Master himself.

 

[Jonn Graham]

Rob:

 

Those are real beauties. You will find bronze attached to them next year. Maybe this year if we get a warming trend...............a guy can wish.

[Rob G]

John, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery so here I am cheating off you again. Had to use chartreuse bucktail though.

 

Thanks Mike for the photo, since I'm sure Lefty has caught more fish on that Ugly popper than I ever will, it just goes to show how we often over think these things and how flies/lures are designed more for our eye than than the fish.

 

[Jonn Graham]

What hook are you using?

[Rob G]

John,

using the standard Mustad 33903 Kink Shanked Popper Hooks. Size 4. It's what I had around and I'm pretty sure that's what Brad was using as well. Inexpensive hooks, 100 for about $7 and Joe C. uses them as well for his clousers and mixed media fly.

[Rob G]

BTW, these look kind of neat, anyone tried these? Instant frog