Robina Lures Rico Rio

[Jim Sutter]

How good are the above mentioned poppers? Are they worth the money?

[Mobasser]

I've never bought one, but have heard good things about the Rico. I think they are tuned to imitate the "spit" sound of shad on the surface. Two other poppers worth checking out are the Yellow Magic, and Don Iovino Spash It.

[RDB]

23 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Two other poppers worth checking out are the Yellow Magic, and Don Iovino Spash It.

+1 on the Yellow Magic.  
I haven’t used the Rico Rio but they have a loyal following.  During the last Tackle Warehouse 25 Days of Savings sale, they had Rico Rio blemishes for $9.99 for 1 day and limited the number you could buy.  They still sold out before I could place an order.

[Jim Sutter]

Mobasser and RDB, Thank you for your replies. Sounds like a popper I would like to try. Hope you two have a wonderful and safe evening.

[Deleted account]

Not a fan of the Rio, the regular Rico, Oh yes.

[fishwizzard]

24 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

Not a fan of the Rio, the regular Rico, Oh yes.

I will be curious to hear your thoughts on all of those, I’m just starting to dip my toe into upscale poppers. I bought a pair Ricos a few months ago to start with and I want to pick up another pair of a different brand/style in the next couple weeks to compare to/complement them. 

[Deleted account]

16 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

I will be curious to hear your thoughts on all of those, I’m just starting to dip my toe into upscale poppers. I bought a pair Ricos a few months ago to start with and I want to pick up another pair of a different brand/style in the next couple weeks to compare to/complement them. 

First, just to be clear, the Rio Rico is the larger version of the Rico. The following applies to the standard or smaller poppers the size of a pop-r.  As the story goes, and depending on who you believe, one of several anglers to include Zell Rowland and Rick Clunn (whom the Rico is named after) discovered or developed a way to fish a popper that involved subtle blooping and spitting rather than loud pops. Rowland then became known for fishing the Pop-r, and modifying it by shaving the lower lip and sides to enhance this action.

Most high end poppers are actually enhanced versions of this and excel at spitting. There are slight differences, but the Michael, Rico Yellow Magic, and Don Iovino are essentially the same. I find more difference between individual ones rather than from the different brands. Much like crankbaits, these poppers are individuals, and each just a little different. For what it's worth, I find the Don0 Iovino the most consistent. Yellow Magics were changed somewhat when the name was sold for US distribution. The ones that come in the plastic box that mimics the Rico are the new ones. Another great popper that wasn't on the picture above is the Zell Pop, now rebranded Boss Pop.

I find one of 3 actions work best most times, and like a JB, the proper action and cadence varies from day to day.

 

Spitting: The action I like is for water to shoot forward in small droplets landing inches (at times feet) in front of the popper without it moving forward much, and no discernable blooping or popping. I like pausing just long enough for the popper to stop dancing before the next rod flick.

 

Blooping: I want water to wash over the popper like a small wave, without much splashing or popping, again, wait just long enough for the popper to come to a complete stop.

 

Drunk Sailor: This is a combination of blooping above, which is mostly a straight ahead thing with walking. I want it to come forward in an erratic way moving side to side, almost just changing direction as opposed to traveling side to side.

 

Will other actions work, oh yeah, but after 15 (or is it 20) years of experimenting and obsessing, These have proven to be the most productive. These poppers are best on calm days with little or no ripple on the surface. If it gets a bit rougher I'll go to the larger poppers and fish them either walking or popping, but I consider that a different presentation. That only scratches the surface, but it's a good start.

 

[Jim Sutter]

BassWhole, and Hawg, Thank you for responding to my question. I appreciate your information. Sometime this year I will purchase a few of these lures. However, it won't be for a few months.

 

[fishwizzard]

21 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

 

Spitting: The action I like is for water to shoot forward in small droplets landing inches (at times feet) in front of the popper without it moving forward much, and no discernable blooping or popping. I like pausing just long enough for the popper to stop dancing before the next rod flick.

 

Blooping: I want water to wash over the popper like a small wave, without much splashing or popping, again, wait just long enough for the popper to come to a complete stop.

 

Drunk Sailor: This is a combination of blooping above, which is mostly a straight ahead thing with walking. I want it to come forward in an erratic way moving side to side, almost just changing direction as opposed to traveling side to side.

 

 

 

 

Awesome, this is what I am looking for.   For me, the Rico is very much a Blooper, a Pop-X/Bubble Pop 65 is a Spitter and the Pop-Max would be the Drunk Sailor.  

[Deleted account]

3 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

 

Awesome, this is what I am looking for.   For me, the Rico is very much a Blooper, a Pop-X/Bubble Pop 65 is a Spitter and the Pop-Max would be the Drunk Sailor.  

Yeah, depending on the rod/line, it's going to affect each popper's action. Some almost want to do one thing, others are more prone to changes in rod action, and might be more versatile. 

Based on the projected vaccine schedules, and water temp trends, I propose late May or early June for the first annual MD POP-OFF.

[fishwizzard]

1 minute ago, BassWhole! said:

Yeah, depending on the rod/line, it's going to affect each popper's action. Some almost want to do one thing, others are more prone to changes in rod action, and might be more versatile. 

Based on the projected vaccine schedules, and water temp trends, I propose late May or early June for the first annual MD POP-OFF.

 

I am down for that time frame.  I want to order a pair of Evergreen OB's and a pair of Pop-X's before then, but trying to find a store that has both in stock in the colors that I want is proving hard.  

[Deleted account]

Haven't fished the evergreen, I have the pop-x, it's was just alright for me dog...

[CountryboyinDC]

I would watch this.  I also fished a guy wit a little more gray in his beard who used this retrieve and got me hooked on the Rico.  There may be other baits that do the same thing, I know the Pop-Rs and Heddon lures do not.

 

[Deleted account]

I've got a couple of modified Pop-Rs that will outfish most Ricos. I had the perfect one modded out a few year's ago, it was bar none the best popper I've ever touched. I made the mistake of nicknaming it God's popper. It's nowhere to be found, and I don't know where it went. 

[fishwizzard]

13 hours ago, CountryboyinDC said:

I would watch this.  I also fished a guy wit a little more gray in his beard who used this retrieve and got me hooked on the Rico.  There may be other baits that do the same thing, I know the Pop-Rs and Heddon lures do not.

 

That’s a very interesting take on things, thanks for posting it. Before I got on the popper train, walking baits were my preferred non-frog top water and I tended to work them fairly quickly.  With the poppers I’m trying to break that habit and work them very slowly, but it is good to hear that speeding them up isn’t the worst idea out there.

[Deleted account]

16 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

That’s a very interesting take on things, thanks for posting it. Before I got on the popper train, walking baits were my preferred non-frog top water and I tended to work them fairly quickly.  With the poppers I’m trying to break that habit and work them very slowly, but it is good to hear that speeding them up isn’t the worst idea out there.

Very good info.

Rod/reel, retrieves, cadences, and feather lengths will require a completed SF86, and signed NDAs and Non-competes...   

[CountryboyinDC]

1 hour ago, fishwizzard said:

Before I got on the popper train, walking baits were my preferred non-frog top water and I tended to work them fairly quickly.

The motion is popping on slack line, a lot like you would with walking bait, but faster than I walk anything, even when it's really hot.  My fishing buddy calls this 'skitting', whatever that is (it does seem to fit).  I was under the impression that you needed 30 lb. monofilament leader for this to work, but since Rick Clun says it works with 17 lb. test, that's what I'm using next time I fish one, which will probably be soon.  

[Deleted account]

25 minutes ago, CountryboyinDC said:

The motion is popping on slack line, a lot like you would with walking bait, but faster than I walk anything, even when it's really hot.  My fishing buddy calls this 'skitting', whatever that is (it does seem to fit).  I was under the impression that you needed 30 lb. monofilament leader for this to work, but since Rick Clun says it works with 17 lb. test, that's what I'm using next time I fish one, which will probably be soon.  

Who am I to disagree with Rick Clunn, but I find 12 and 15 lb BG work great. I'm sure the diameter of the 15 isn't too different than some 17s.

[fishwizzard]

Interesting. I am currently using a loomis 721c, a fairly light rod, and 11lb Defier Armilo (.0108”) for my popping adventures.  I went with such light tackle as my previous popper rod, a 6’3” M/XF Avid, has been re-purposed for other things so I don’t have appropriate line on it anymore. 

[CountryboyinDC]

The lighter rod shouldn't pose an issue.  I use a spinning rod, which has 15 lb braid, and a maybe 3' leader (which was 30 lb mono).  The regular Rico is a pretty small bait, and that's why the use of such a hefty leader seemed crazy, but it works, and keeping that knot (no loop knot here) cinched to the 'ventral' side of the eye seems key too.  

I'm with @BassWhole!, it's hard to believe that the whole thing won't work with 15 lb mono; I usually use 10-12 lb with my topwater plugs.  But the whole premise of what I was shown wouldn't be believable if it didn't work, and so I just kept doing what I was shown.  Now seeing this video, what is was shown was remarkably similar to what the Zen Master is saying, but if he can get it to work with 17 lb test, I'm going to make it work too.  30 lb leader is a bear to work with.

 

 

[fishwizzard]

45 minutes ago, CountryboyinDC said:

30 lb leader is a bear to work with.

 

Oddly enough, my M/XF Avid now has 30lb braid to 16-20lb saltwater leader on it.  I had spent years looking for the "perfect" Zoom Super combo and settled on that line choice last fall.  Thicker braid to mitigate the loose-line issue from slackline twitching and the heaver leader to deal with cover and sharp pickerel and snakehead teeth.  I am going to give it a try with lighter poppers but am not super optimistic.  

[CountryboyinDC]

The technique I'm talking about is exclusively for Ricos.  Take a Pop-R or a chugging Spook and use this technique, all bets are off.  There maybe other baits that will do this too, I just haven't used them.  

[fishwizzard]

2 minutes ago, CountryboyinDC said:

The technique I'm talking about is exclusively for Ricos.  Take a Pop-R or a chugging Spook and use this technique, all bets are off.  There maybe other baits that will do this too, I just haven't used them.  

I do have some 30lb leader, so I will give it a try with a Rico next time I retie.  

 

I may have also ordered a pair of both Evergreen OBs and Pop-Xs.  All in the same basic gill colorway as my Ricos, so the testing will be more even.  

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, fishwizzard said:

 

Oddly enough, my M/XF Avid now has 30lb braid to 16-20lb saltwater leader on it.  I had spent years looking for the "perfect" Zoom Super combo and settled on that line choice last fall.  Thicker braid to mitigate the loose-line issue from slackline twitching and the heaver leader to deal with cover and sharp pickerel and snakehead teeth.  I am going to give it a try with lighter poppers but am not super optimistic.  

I find 15 lb mono is enough to keep pickerel from biting me off and I fish it straight, for snakeheads, I'll go with 40 braid and 30 or 40 lb test mono leader, both for the teeth, and to apply max pressure to keep them pinned and yank them out of the slop.  No spinning, no braid for poppers, It can work, but I have the muscle memory for mono.

[fishwizzard]

4 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

I find 15 lb mono is enough to keep pickerel from biting me off and I fish it straight, for snakeheads, I'll go with 40 braid and 30 or 40 lb test mono leader, both for the teeth, and to apply max pressure to keep them pinned and yank them out of the slop.  No spinning, no braid for poppers, It can work, but I have the muscle memory for mono.

 

I don't enjoy the braid/leader fukein' life, but it was the best option that I tried.  I couldn't find a reel/spool that would both cast the fluke well and manage the thick, stiff, line.  The way I fish a fluke, fast and jerky, and where I fish a fluke, overgrown marshy swamps, conspire to give me a lot of loose-line on the spool issues, so going to thicker braid on a shallow spool fixes that for the most part. The leader is half for teeth and half for action, I don't like the way the fluke moves with straight braid.  I use thick, still leader because I want to get a good knot with the thicker braid and I find the stiffer the leader, the less I hate how the braid behaves.  

 

If in the last two seasons you were at a SOMD pond and some some dude squatting on the bank trying to swap out a spool while muttering to himself, that was me.  I tried so many different things and wasted so much 16lb Inivx.