POP MAX Female Gill

[Harold Scoggins]

This color has been very good me. (you can't go wrong with a lure with reddish orange on the belly or chin) I wish American retailers would carry more JDM colors like this.

[J Francho]

I have a python colored Popmax that has pretty much out fished all other baits combined for the past few years.  I do fish a lot in the evening, and throw it a lot, so that figures in too.  It's just a great, versatile bait.

[Harold Scoggins]

17 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I have a python colored Popmax that has pretty much out fished all other baits combined for the past few years.  I do fish a lot in the evening, and throw it a lot, so that figures in too.  It's just a great, versatile bait.

White Python?

[J Francho]

Yes.

 

[A-Jay]

With the yellow perch being the predominant shallow bait fish in many of my home waters, when targeting shallow water smallies, a perch colored Pop Max is tough to beat . 

A-Jay

[evilcatfish]

The Hookup Tackle actually stocks a decent amount of JDM colors, but the regular sexy shad has been my best producer

[Beetlebz]

I gotta ask, and no I'm not trying to be a jerk about it, I'm just curious. What makes the pop max worth the price tag? Are they really that good?

[J Francho]

9 minutes ago, Beetlebz said:

I gotta ask, and no I'm not trying to be a jerk about it, I'm just curious. What makes the pop max worth the price tag? Are they really that good?

 

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

I have a python colored Popmax that has pretty much out fished all other baits combined for the past few years.  I do fish a lot in the evening, and throw it a lot, so that figures in too.  It's just a great, versatile bait.

 

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

With the yellow perch being the predominant shallow bait fish in many of my home waters, when targeting shallow water smallies, a perch colored Pop Max is tough to beat . 

A-Jay

Do you need any more evidence?

[Falkus]

@A-Jay

 

Love the bass fever moment (shaking hands) when you brought her on the boat 

[Beetlebz]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

 

 

Do you need any more evidence?

Well, simultaneously yes and also no. I viewed and interpreted those posts as evidence that straight body poppers (pop-r style baits) work. So the question  was what makes the pop max worth it for $19.99 when booyah sells a popper that you can walk that's roughly the same size for $7.99. However, your response would indicate that your interpretation of those posts was that the stories of success are attributed to the specific bait and not just the style of the bait, which for better or worse is a result. 

 

So to answer your question yes. and also no. ?

[NorthernBasser]

6 hours ago, A-Jay said:

With the yellow perch being the predominant shallow bait fish in many of my home waters, when targeting shallow water smallies, a perch colored Pop Max is tough to beat . 

A-Jay

Heck of a beast!

 

 

8 hours ago, Harold Scoggins said:

This color has been very good me. (you can't go wrong with a lure with reddish orange on the belly or chin) I wish American retailers would carry more JDM colors like this.

 

Pop Max has some beautiful paint jobs. This one almost looks too cool to throw.

 

[deaknh03]

4 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Heck of a beast!

 

 

Pop Max has some beautiful paint jobs. This one almost looks too cool to throw.

 

white python

5 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Heck of a beast!

 

 

Pop Max has some beautiful paint jobs. This one almost looks too cool to throw.

 

 

[Logan S]

2 hours ago, Beetlebz said:

I gotta ask, and no I'm not trying to be a jerk about it, I'm just curious. What makes the pop max worth the price tag? Are they really that good?

Megabass products are built to a very high standard, IMO their price tag is deserved.  Whether that price tag is worth it to an individual angler is more of a personal decision.  

 

The PopMax has a similar reputation as the Vision 110, one of those baits that just has that special 'it-factor'.  If you like fishing topwater, you won't be wasting money on a PopMax.

[NorthernBasser]

6 minutes ago, Logan S said:

 If you like fishing topwater, you won't be wasting money on a PopMax.

I agree with this...until a Pike or Muskie bites you off. ?

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

I agree with this...until a Pike or Muskie bites you off. ?

2 hours ago, Burke said:

@A-Jay

 

Love the bass fever moment (shaking hands) when you brought her on the boat 

Me too Sir ~

And I'm willing to go some serious extremes to repeat that as often as possible.

A-Jay

[NorthernBasser]

38 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Me too Sir ~

And I'm willing to go some serious extremes to repeat that as often as possible.

A-Jay

I've thought about trying a steel leader, but didn't wanna mess with the action of the baits. These seems way more subtle. What kind of knot do you use to tie it to your main line? To the lure? 

[soflabasser]

Looks like it might be a good lure for peacock bass.

[Harold Scoggins]

7 hours ago, evilcatfish said:

The Hookup Tackle actually stocks a decent amount of JDM colors, but the regular sexy shad has been my best producer

Wow...you just saved me shipping on a JDM order I was preparing! I'll let you explain my Hookup order to my wife. LOL

[Harold Scoggins]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

 

 

Do you need any more evidence?

Yuki Ito provided all the evidence I needed the day he compared lure design to a katana. (Japanese sword) "Form follows function..."

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

I've thought about trying a steel leader, but didn't wanna mess with the action of the baits. These seems way more subtle. What kind of knot do you use to tie it to your main line? To the lure? 

Uni-to-uni and I go through a ton of this stuff each season.

Not so much for topwater (frogs occasionally yes) but early & late season when the bigger pike & Musky are more prone to be shallower and mixed in with the bass, I have this in front of most everything; including but certainly not limited to Jerkbaits, squarebill & crankbaits, lipless baits, Spinnerbaits & Vibrating and swim Jigs, all that mess.

Doesn't seem to affect anything except the improved landing of tanker toothy beasts and I don't get chewed off.

A-Jay

 

[J Francho]

15 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

I agree with this...until a Pike or Muskie bites you off. ?

If it does bite you off, you can replace it, and be assured that the new bait will be every bit as good.  You're paying for quality and consistency.

[fishwizzard]

I have a pair of them and honeslty dont use them very much any more. I can’t get them to pop or walk as well as a dedicated popper or walker.  I am very much not a topwater guy though and never really fish it unless the conditions are prefect for it. 

[Deleted account]

I have a couple, they catch fish, but not my favorite popper by far. 

[Fishingintheweeds]

On other posts, there have been people to swear by heavy mono or flourocarbon leaders around the pike and musky. Back in the spring and early summer, I would catch bass in the river...now, in the same spots, around the thicker cover, all pike. It probably doesn't help that most of my time fishing at the river is during lunch, so middle of the day. 

 

Before I realized that this is probably going to be the deal for the rest of the summer/fall (?) I'd gotten away with braid, no leader, until losing a pretty big one the other day. I've got 15 lb fluoro and I want to say 20 lb mono...do you think this would be even remotely suitable? 

 

 

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, Fishingintheweeds said:

On other posts, there have been people to swear by heavy mono or flourocarbon leaders around the pike and musky. Back in the spring and early summer, I would catch bass in the river...now, in the same spots, around the thicker cover, all pike. It probably doesn't help that most of my time fishing at the river is during lunch, so middle of the day. 

 

Before I realized that this is probably going to be the deal for the rest of the summer/fall (?) I'd gotten away with braid, no leader, until losing a pretty big one the other day. I've got 15 lb fluoro and I want to say 20 lb mono...do you think this would be even remotely suitable? 

 

 

@Fishingintheweeds Not to high-jack the OP's thread . . .

While slightly heavier mono may postpone a fish from cutting through a line, in my fishing world it is not suitable.

 'Suitable' to me means, without sacrificing bait action, I don't ever lose baits or any pike / musky (and even big walleye) due to being chewed off.   

The AFW 7x7 wire I posted above, does that for me.   The confidence & satisfaction of knowing that certainly comes at a cost and does indeed include the extra step of including it into my rigging.

But to me  - it's worth it.  

YMMV

A-Jay