Been Trying For Days, Can't Hook Up On Hula Popper

[shawnFL]

I'm looking for help gentleman. Sorry if this is a repost, initial search didn't yield results I was looking for.

 

I've had bass bump it, inspect it, but nothing has destroyed it yet.

 

My methods of using it:

 

Far cast, try to get it near vegetation (lilly pads etc.) Let it sit about 10 seconds or until wake is basically settled. I then give it a good enough tug that it submerges. Then I wait. I repeat this process until the lure is close to me, then reel in and repeat.

 

Sometimes I slow retrieve it, stop, pop it, wait for a possible inspecting fish to nail it, then slow retrieve again.

 

My question, am I popping it too hard? Should it be retrieved at all, or just popped over and over? I really enjoy fishing new baits and being successful with them. This one, I cannot get it going.

 

Also, I use 15# braid with a 20# mono leader and I tie it with a loop knot. (I usually fish heavy heavy vegetation areas.)

[Raul]

You are doing nothing wrong, except, what you are doing may not be the way the fish wants it that day. One day is pop it as loud as you can, instead of a pop ! it´s a nerve breaking loud PLOC !!!!!, another day is barely twitching the bait to make it ripple the surface, so there´s no "righ" or "wrong" the only right is when you do this the fish respond positively and wrong if they don´t.

[Josh Smith]

Try this:

 

Cast, and wait until the ripples settle.

 

Twitch it, and let the ripples settle.

 

Repeat.

 

Josh

[BassinLou]

Shawn, hulapopper, just happens not to be on the menu. Throw something else for the time being, and come back to popper later. 

[ColdSVT]

If i first i dont succeed usually slow down until i do

[shawnFL]

Shawn, hulapopper, just happens not to be on the menu. Throw something else for the time being, and come back to popper later.

Yeah I just fished it again. Nothing. Going to come back to it. Thanks guys.

[Crestliner2008]

Also, you might consider changing out the hooks. The stock variety are notoriously dull and add a split ring between hook & lure hanger. Also, they come with two of those weird trebles; try just one.

[shawnFL]

Also, you might consider changing out the hooks. The stock variety are notoriously dull and add a split ring between hook & lure hanger. Also, they come with two of those weird trebles; try just one.

I thought about doing this for a lot of my hard baits. Silly question, but I'm always in search of knowledge. Has it ever been researched, or proven, whether or not bass see the treble hooks and go the other way?

[frogflogger]

We use to change out the hooks on the 3/8th's and use a slow steady twitching retrieve and whack em pretty good.

[shawnFL]

We use to change out the hooks on the 3/8th's and use a slow steady twitching retrieve and whack em pretty good.

 

Yeah I tried doing a slow retrieve with twitches. I think I've exhausted every technique there is. The bass in my area are just saying no to it. I suppose I gotta deal with it and move it along.

[aavery2]

Sometimes the fish make us throw what they want to eat instead of throwing what we want them to eat.  If that makes sense try something else for a while, maybe get them worked up a bit, then hit them with the Hula.

[dam0007]

If you see them go up to it and not hammer it try throwing a spook that day. Some days on a certain river up here they'll hammer the spro popper frog, where as other days they wont touch it but annihilate spooks.

[Fish Murderer 71]

I find that if I cast a top water no more than 25 times in a particular area and dont get at least a swirl its one of two things. 1. theres no fish there or 2. they dont want it and I go to something else.  Hence the reason I have 6-10 rods on deck...  Time is very valuable when I'm fishing, waste as little as possible!

[bassin is addicting]

I'm looking for help gentleman. Sorry if this is a repost, initial search didn't yield results I was looking for.

 

I've had bass bump it, inspect it, but nothing has destroyed it yet.

 

My methods of using it:

 

Far cast, try to get it near vegetation (lilly pads etc.) Let it sit about 10 seconds or until wake is basically settled. I then give it a good enough tug that it submerges. Then I wait. I repeat this process until the lure is close to me, then reel in and repeat.

 

Sometimes I slow retrieve it, stop, pop it, wait for a possible inspecting fish to nail it, then slow retrieve again.

 

My question, am I popping it too hard? Should it be retrieved at all, or just popped over and over? I really enjoy fishing new baits and being successful with them. This one, I cannot get it going.

 

Also, I use 15# braid with a 20# mono leader and I tie it with a loop knot. (I usually fish heavy heavy vegetation areas.)

 

1st thing...change the hooks...

i normally fish it like you mentioned...slow and  then slower....but if you are intent on fishing it...then try fishing it faster and not give them too much of a chance to inspect it...

[roadwarrior]

Missouri Tiger

[shawnFL]

Missouri Tiger

 

I apologize, I'm not following you here?

[Mswen]

The Hula Popper is one of my favorite topwaters.  But the first thing you have to do is break out of the "cast, let the ripples subside, twitch, let the ripples subside, twitch, let the ripples subside..." and "slow down if you don't catch anything" mentality.  Vary the speed and force of the twitches.  And I would recommend twitching it as soon as it hits the water.  Like most predators, bass expect prey to try and escape when they see a predator approach.  I suspect this is why they are bumping it, they are investigating (or it could be bluegills pecking, but they seem to bother HPs less than other topwaters).  A few quick twitches might turn that into a strike. 

 

When I'm using a topwater, I usually give it about 4-6 light twitches as soon as it hits the water, and then a long pause, like some prey trying desperately to get away, but having a hard time, or a little disoriented.  About 80% of my strikes come on that first pause.  If nothing hits, or if you get a strike that doesn't hook up, continue this pattern all the way back, varying the length of pauses, and the number, speed, and the force of twitches.  You can do everything from light taps that barely cause ripples to hard jerks that spray water and pull the lure under.  A typical twitch, though, should spit just a little bit of water and rock the lure forward without it going under.  Basically, just keep trying things until you find something that works. 

 

The old philosophy was that you didn't want to spook the fish.  But if that was a problem, why do people catch so many fish on buzzbaits, Super Spooks, rattlebaits, etc.  It's like your dog.  When a cat doesn't react to their presence, they show little interest (ok, some dogs).  When a cat stands his ground and hisses, they might bark, but they usually lose interest soon.  But when it runs?  They chase.  If you fish the HP too slow, the fish lose interest. 

 

You might try some shorter, targeted casts, that way you can watch the action more and get a better idea of how it works.  I've caught a lot of fish by tossing it under overhanging trees and close to shorelines, basically anywhere you find frogs, insects, or other prey landing in the water.  I've even flipped/pitched them to weed pockets and brush piles or under trees where I didn't want to risk a cast.  A couple of twitches in hard to reach spots can produce some nice fish.  And you can toss it above dense brush without worrying that it will drop into a snag like you do with a jig.

 

As for changing the hooks, it can't hurt, but I've caught plenty of fish on the factory hooks.  One thing you should know however, because of their compact size, Hula Poppers are one of the easier lures for bass to throw.  Keep that in mind when you finally do hook one.

 

I've rambled on quite a bit, and even came back to add more, but Hula Poppers are a great lure and surprisingly versatile if you're willing to try a few things.  I've found that shorter, compact topwaters, like the HP, Jitterbug, and Frog-R seem to draw fewer swipes and pecks, and more actual hookups, at least for me.  The main things to take away are to vary your tactics, observe the lure so you know how it works, and think about how a fish perceives it.