Popper that casts well?

[HawkeyeSmallie]

4 hours ago, Brett's_daddy said:

The Strike King KVD Splash is a good one and it weighs twice as much at 1/2oz.

 

We have several of these and they seem to work great.

 

Serious question: What can a $20 popper do that a $7 KVD Splash can't do?????

 

Thanks

[long island basser]

3 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

We have several of these and they seem to work great.

 

Serious question: What can a $20 popper do that a $7 KVD Splash can't do?????

 

Thanks

 

Nothing.

[WRB]

The KVD Splash 2 1/4" is 3/8 oz, 3" 1/2 oz @ that the price point would be a good choice for the OP.

Tom

[IndianaFinesse]

7 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Serious question: What can a $20 popper do that a $7 KVD Splash can't do?????

 

Thanks

Walk.

[wdp]

33 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Walk.

I can walk a KVD splash. And a skitter pop, a pop R and even cheapo poppers from Academy. 

[IndianaFinesse]

15 minutes ago, wdp said:

I can walk a KVD splash. And a skitter pop, a pop R and even cheapo poppers from Academy. 

Huh, I can't seem to walk my pop-rs very well at all.  I can a little, but not very well and certainly not as well as my pop x.  That said pop-rs are great poppers, I use them for fishing around targets, and my pop x is better at fishing an area.

[wdp]

2 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Huh, I can't seem to walk my pop-rs very well at all.  I can a little, but not very well and certainly not as well as my pop x.  That said pop-rs are great poppers, I use them for fishing around targets, and my pop x is better at fishing an area.

Well, I didn't come by it easy. Took me practicing most of one summer a few years ago to get decent at it. I started with a skitter pop which is a little tougher since you tie directly to the bait. I use a 6'8" M spinning rod with braid. Was using 10 lb power pro, but respooled with 20 lb a few weeks ago to give it a try. It's a little more manageable under breezy conditions. 

 

The academy popper actually walks a little easier since it's got a split ring for tying line. It still takes me a few mins to get the hang of it if I've been using one brand of popper for a while then switch to a different one. The KVD splash is quite a bit heavier than a balsa skitter pop. My twitches are more subtle to get the KVD splash to walk. 

[J Francho]

So, for $10-13 more you get a bait that walks easily straight out of the package.  That choice is easy for me.

[Brett's_daddy]

13 hours ago, J Francho said:

So, for $10-13 more you get a bait that walks easily straight out of the package.  That choice is easy for me.

But why do you want a popper to walk? Isn't that what you have walking baits like a spook, gunfish etc. for?

[wdp]

25 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

But why do you want a popper to walk? Isn't that what you have walking baits like a spook, gunfish etc. for?

It's a more subtle walking action & a lotta times it gets more bites. I can't buy a bite on a few lakes with a spook, but for some reason they kill a walking popper. It def looks more like an injured baitfish than a traditional cigar shaped walking bait. 

[jbsoonerfan]

Pop MAX.

 

What does the barber say?????? Next........

[clh121787]

With the right set up any popper will cast well...

[Hooligan]

23 hours ago, wdp said:

It's a more subtle walking action & a lotta times it gets more bites. I can't buy a bite on a few lakes with a spook, but for some reason they kill a walking popper. It def looks more like an injured baitfish than a traditional cigar shaped walking bait. 

No it's not. It's far less subtle, and sends a lot of water gurgling and splashing with the Popmax.  

The question was asked what a $20 popper can do that a $7 splash can't, here's your answer: It'll walk, easily, it'll spit without chugging.  It'll chug and splash.  It creates a great bubble trail.  It will create a very subtle splash, or you can make it dance on the spot.

There isn't a single popper anywhere near as versatile as the Popmax or PopX.  The knock of the 1/2 ounce version is without equal, as well.

[flyfisher]

another popmax vote from me.  I got one in the fishmas x-change on here a few years ago and now it's all i throw, well that and the Pop-x

[FCPhil]

Found the Megabass pop-x at Dick's sporting goods for $2.99 because was mislabeled. Not exactly the size I was looking for but I couldn't pass up a deal like that!

[wdp]

3 hours ago, Hooligan said:

No it's not. It's far less subtle, and sends a lot of water gurgling and splashing with the Popmax.  

The question was asked what a $20 popper can do that a $7 splash can't, here's your answer: It'll walk, easily, it'll spit without chugging.  It'll chug and splash.  It creates a great bubble trail.  It will create a very subtle splash, or you can make it dance on the spot.

There isn't a single popper anywhere near as versatile as the Popmax or PopX.  The knock of the 1/2 ounce version is without equal, as well.

The question I answered was why would you want a popper style bait to walk. 

[Hooligan]

On 5/14/2017 at 0:02 AM, wdp said:

The question I answered was why would you want a popper style bait to walk. 

The question you answered was why you wanted a popper to walk.  I get that. And the comparison doesn't stand. A popmax walking is less subtle than a Sammy or spook.

[A-Jay]

Yellow Magic Japanese Popper is offered in 1/2 oz.

Although a little on the $$ as far as poppers go, it casts & performs well.

YMMV

A-Jay

[J Francho]

On 5/12/2017 at 9:51 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

But why do you want a popper to walk? Isn't that what you have walking baits like a spook, gunfish etc. for?

It has way more commotion than any of those baits. It also takes less input to make that commotion, and therefore allows a much slower retrieve.

[wdp]

You guys must be walking your poppers different than I do. When I walk a skitter pop, KVD splash, Pop R, etc. I walk it in a more gentle approach. They walk well for me and I do get a little spitting & splashing, but nothing extreme. Plus, this more subtle approach works better for me 90% of the time. There are times I'll work it more aggressive, like when it's windy. But on calmer days, the subtle approach can be great. 

 

Spook and cigar style walking baits track so far left & right, to me it's a bit less subtle for lack of a better word. 

 

Granted I haven't tried the PopX or Popmax, but I catch fish fine with what I'm using & doing. Don't see the need to buy a more expensive popper.

 

EDIT: Guess I should add that's what make poppers so great. You can work em so many ways & still be successful. They've quickly become my go to topwater in the last few years. 

[HawkeyeSmallie]

Well maybe I'll have to buy one of these and try it. Crazy how expensive this sport is getting.

 

Not sure I'll want to throw it if there's potentially Pike in the area as I'm sure a leader will mess everything up on it.