Hula Poppers.

[Jim Sutter]

How do you fish them? Do you fish them using a soft pop or do you prefer a loud pop? Also, what is you favorite color?

[BuzzHudson19c]

I don't like the actual Arbogast "Hula Popper." I prefer the Rapala skitter pop. But I have to be honest, I haven't used one in a few years. It was a go to lure for a long time that just got pushed to the side. I don't fish at night as much anymore and that's when I used them a ton.

[the reel ess]

I caught my first bass on a Hula Popper ever last summer. I was just giving it short jerks between long pauses.

[deaknh03]

Both. Work it slow, work it quick. Try everything. 

[ohtheguilt]

15 minutes ago, deaknh03 said:

Both. Work it slow, work it quick. Try everything. 

This.

I like to change it up with poppers...both with retrieve and with lure weights. Slow rolls, burning, and jerking them have all worked for me. I haven't been using them much recently, but Hulas (and a few other poppers) were my go-to when I would go out just before dawn. I don't have a color preference for Hulas specifically...my box has 4 colors in different weights, but I used to gravitate toward the white belly frog 3/8 oz when I was out early in the morning.

[WRB]

I haven't fished a Hula Popper in 40 years,  when I did it was a frog pattern w/white belly and skirt. Hula poppers are designed to be fished very slowly; cast let's all the little waves dissapear then pop it once to make a load bloop and let rest agian. The skirt does the work at rest, the bloop creates strikes.

Storms a chug bug killed the Hula Popper.

Tom

 

[Jim Sutter]

Thank you for all your replies. I'm learning.

[Catt]

The only wrong way to fish it is not fish it!

 

Ya gotta establish the cadence the bass want on a particular day. Besides speed try holding your tip up or down, each causes different sounds.

 

Black, orange, or white belly; top don't matter!

 

Oh yeah! One modification ya wanna do is change out the hooks adding split rings.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Catt
Operator error

[NYWayfarer]

I agree with Tom. I like to cast my Hula Popper out and let all the ripples die out then give it a short pop.  

 

Bull frog and Cricket frog are my favorite colors.

[Jaderose]

Great old lure that still works just fine.  Tossed one the other day, in fact.  *pop* *pop* *pop* *POP!* *pause....repeat*

 

I like to throw them on my finesse spinning gear.  Why?  It's fun.

[Pro Logcatcher]

I own a couple Hula poppers but have never caught anything on them. I always manage to catch fish on the Rebel Pop-R, though. Not sure if it's my fishing style or the places I fish.

[RPreeb]

Long time ago I fished with Hula Poppers and loved them.  I hadn't bass fished for 50+years until this summer, so I hadn't even realized that they had fallen out of popularity.  I'm planning to try them again soon.  What we had the most success with in Wisconsin back in the early 60's were the black, the coach dog, and leopard frog.  We usually fished them early morning and evenings until after sunset, casting close to shore and working back toward the boat.... pop, pop, pause - pop, pause - try different rhythms on the retrieve.

[Jim Sutter]

Thank you, for all your comments. I have read them all. All of them, great tips. Take care and have a great day. 

[UPSmallie]

Haven't fished them in a few years as I feel there may be better topwater options, but I do love making them gurgle and bloop on largemouth ponds.  Just cast them near surface activity.  In my experience they seem to catch the smaller largemouth, but they are lots of fun to use.

[Jim Sutter]

Good Morning UPSmallie,

Thank you for your information.

[Crestliner2008]

The best suggestion was to change out the hooks and add a split ring. And while you are at it, remove that rubber skirt and put on a silicone skirt instead. A touch of super glue will assist with the replacement. The rubber, once wet, has a tendency to get gummy and loose a lot of it's original action.

[scaleface]

I know Hula Poppers are great lures and have caught millions of fish but  I never had much luck with them .  They are one of the first lures I ever had but never produced .  

[SuperCorona]

My first topwater catch, a big bluegill, was on a Hula Popper at Beaver Lake about 50 yrs ago.  I think it is what really got me excited about fishing.  That said, I haven't used one in 30 yrs.