Best Pop-R type lure ?

[CountryboyinDC]

Lobina Ricos.  The Pop-R's have probably caught more fish than all the other poppers out there combined, though.  I don't fish poppers a lot anymore except at night.

[Shadow1]

Don't want this reply to be too long so, I will give my opinion and then a short story . . . Chug Bug.  Now the story . . . in Canada 5 years ago with 3 other friends.  We made friends with a cabin next to ours.  We were all there for smallmouth and a few eater walleyes.  Anyway, the weather wasn't real good lots of cold fronts moving through.  I was the only one in the group fishing Chug Bugs.  There were guys throwing Ricos, Popmax, Pop rs etc.  They couldn't buy a topwater bite.  However, the old Chug Bug was what those smallies wanted.  By the end of the week, I had sold a few of my other Chug Bugs to guys in the group (at quite a profit for me $$$).  Not sure if it was the action, sound or what, but I had a very good week considering the weather. 

[NorthernBasser]

What size Rico's do you guys throw? The 1/4 oz Rico or the 7/16 oz Rio Rico?

[schplurg]

I'm no expert, but it seems like if the fish are hitting topwater they'll hit just about any popper that floats. I reach for whatever popper is on top in my tacklebox most of the time.

 

My first dozen bass caught were on poppers over a series of weekends. It was dusk and even dark half the time and it seemed like any color or design worked. If it splashes and has a few hooks on it the fish will notice it and say hello, my opinion.

 

I have a lot of confidence in the little guys. One of my favorite things is tugging and watching a popper and anticipating a strike. Edge of your seat suspense!

 

If I miss a strike I know a recast has a high percentage of scoring. I freakin' love that.

[Kidflex]

Best bang for the buck- yozuri 3db

best overall- yellow magic.  

[CountryboyinDC]

22 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

What size Rico's do you guys throw? The 1/4 oz Rico or the 7/16 oz Rio Rico?

I only have/throw one, and I was turned on to it when I was fishing at Briery Creek at night with a friend who was catching them fishing behind me fishing a Rover.  I stopped in at Green Top on the way home and bought a couple.  I had to go to the garage and measure it - it's 2 5/16", and solid black (at least I believe it was new).  It has a black feathered rear treble.  I'd say it is the 1/4 ounce one if there are 2 sizes, but it cast a lot better than other 1/4 ounce plugs like a Speed Trap.  I think I paid $25 a piece for these things, and I almost went home and got a pole saw to get one I threw 10 foot up in a tree.

[Beeno]

Original rebel pop r

[frogflogger]

On 4/8/2020 at 4:27 PM, Mobasser said:

Most companies make a popper type lure these days. The Rico and Yellow Magic are made to get the "spit" sound of shad breaking the surface. I've never used either, although some guys love them. My own favorite popper type bait is the Storm Chug Bug. 

I love the chug bug but like the old creek chub plunker I consider it a chugger.

Bob Pop by demon lures!

[scaleface]

I'm kind of an odd ball when it comes to poppers . I  use them when there is a fair amount of wave action during the hottest parts of the year . I dont get out much anymore during the heat  so I dont use them like I once did . There are two poppers that I utilize  . One is a large Rebel popper and the other a Large Pico Pop . Both vintage lures . I dont know the weights but they're twice the size of a regular Pop R .These things spit water 6 foot or more with a short , sharp snap of the wrist . Thats  what I'm looking for in the high waves . On Mark Twain during hot July , August days I'd target  main lake standing timber . I fished the edges and caught large numbers of bass , sometimes over fifty a day .The best rod is a 5.5 foot to 6 foot pistol grip . I can not get the lure to work properly with a longer rod .It needs to spit 6 foot and yet only move  a couple of inches  .

[evilcatfish]

The pop max/pop x are tops for me. The evergreen OB popper is also worthy of consideration.

 

If you are more budget minded, the basic rebel pop-r is the way to go

[Smells like fish]

On April 8, 2020 at 9:23 PM, Shadow1 said:

Don't want this reply to be too long so, I will give my opinion and then a short story . . . Chug Bug.  Now the story . . . in Canada 5 years ago with 3 other friends.  We made friends with a cabin next to ours.  We were all there for smallmouth and a few eater walleyes.  Anyway, the weather wasn't real good lots of cold fronts moving through.  I was the only one in the group fishing Chug Bugs.  There were guys throwing Ricos, Popmax, Pop rs etc.  They couldn't buy a topwater bite.  However, the old Chug Bug was what those smallies wanted.  By the end of the week, I had sold a few of my other Chug Bugs to guys in the group (at quite a profit for me $$$).  Not sure if it was the action, sound or what, but I had a very good week considering the weather. 

How did the guys do after getting their chug bugs? The reason I ask is many times I've seen 2 guys fish the same water together and throwing the same lure (exact same lure, no mods) but only 1 guy catches all the fish!

[soflabasser]

Rebel Pop-R's are one of the best poppers and they have been catching bass for many decades. They make them in many different sizes and colors so you can choose the one you feel works best in the places you fish in.

[Boomstick]

It's expensive, but my most productive popper for popping or walking has been the Megabass Pop X or Pop Max depending on the time of year. It's not a lure that I lose or damage too often, so that helps justify the cost. They just have a great action and the water intake really lets you pop it hard without going overkill.

 

Of course I also carry some Pop R/Maxs and they work well and are cheap. I will usually use them if there is anything I can snag or damage the lure on.

[Ogandrews]

Mine is hands down the river 2 sea bubble walker. It’s a popper style bait that is designed to also be able to walk. It’s a really loud bait and it literally leaves a bubble trail in the water when you walk it. You can fish it like a regular popper and if you do it with a little slack it will kick out to the side making it look different than most poppers in the water. Comes in 2 sizes, The smaller is 1/2 oz 3” and the biggest is around 5” 1 1/4 oz and has 3 trebles on it. If you haven’t fished it give it a try it’s an awesome bait. If I want to fish a popper like most people throw a popper I’ll either throw the r2s bubble popper or the Rapala x rap pop, both are good baits. I very rarely use a normal popping retrieve, I usually walk poppers. You can walk any popper really, you just need to make very small taps with your rod with some slack in your line, a lot smaller taps than fishing a spook style bait.

[Bluebasser86]

River2Sea Bubble Walker 80, Xcalibur Zell Pop (now Booyah Boss Pop),  or Yo-Zuri 3DB Popper

[basser27]

Another vote for the rebel pop-r

[WRB]

On April 8, 2020 at 6:23 PM, Shadow1 said:

Don't want this reply to be too long so, I will give my opinion and then a short story . . . Chug Bug.  Now the story . . . in Canada 5 years ago with 3 other friends.  We made friends with a cabin next to ours.  We were all there for smallmouth and a few eater walleyes.  Anyway, the weather wasn't real good lots of cold fronts moving through.  I was the only one in the group fishing Chug Bugs.  There were guys throwing Ricos, Popmax, Pop rs etc.  They couldn't buy a topwater bite.  However, the old Chug Bug was what those smallies wanted.  By the end of the week, I had sold a few of my other Chug Bugs to guys in the group (at quite a profit for me $$$).  Not sure if it was the action, sound or what, but I had a very good week considering the weather. 

The Chug Bug isn't a popper it's a chugger.

Tom

[Spankey]

Rapala Skitter Pop, Pop-R's, Chug Bugs have worked well on the river for years. Since fishing the lake the last few years more often I've stepped up my size a bit more and have been throwing a 1/2 oz. Strike King KVD Splash. I've picked up a few Googan Bloopers for this season.

[primetime]

Rebel pop'r in all 3 sizes, Rapala Skitter pop for lighter line 

 

River 2 sea has one I like, bubble pop I think its called.

 

Sometimes I think that if Bass are hitting topwater, accurate casts and cadence, size is more important than the brand you use. I have had some of my best days throwing the bass pro poppers & old xcalibur spit n Image. I have plenty of confidence with the Rebel or rapala.

[zell_pop1]

Lucky Craft G-Spash. They spit and walk good and ghost blue shad works great in clear water.

[Smells like fish]

Look on YouTube, Rick Clunn just posted a day ago a 11 min vid about the history of the Rico and Pop R. The channel name it's on is also called Rick Clunn 

[DFWbassin]

On 4/8/2020 at 12:43 PM, Offsethook said:

Best Pop-R type lure ?

There is one made by 6th sense called the splashback, it walks the dog like a spook.

 

 

[wordty]

Fished a pond two evenings and couldn't get a bite - put on a SUPER POP R and caught 4 in about 30 minutes - gotta love that.  

[Dwight Hottle]

Yellow magic gets my vote. 

[Cityangler7]

On 4/11/2020 at 1:56 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

River2Sea Bubble Walker 80, Xcalibur Zell Pop (now Booyah Boss Pop),  or Yo-Zuri 3DB Popper

Xcalibur Zell Pop (now Booyah Boss Pop) is my 2nd choice behind the Yellow Magic