The range of baits used when catching predatory fish is so wide that it sometimes surprises you with its diversity. Some of them imitate a sick, wounded fish, others repeat the movement of possible prey, and others copy its appearance. Among these baits, poppers for pike stand out, in certain conditions outperforming the more familiar wobblers, spinners and silicone.
Fishing Features
First, let's get acquainted with the bait. It is made in the shape of a fish with an open mouth, its appearance is shown in the photo above. If a wobbler, thanks to the blade protruding from the front, is capable of going deep, then this is impossible for such a bait. It moves along the surface of the water and makes squelching sounds, which attracts a predator.
Perch, asp, pike perch and even catfish are also caught with bait when the mustachioed giant comes out into shallow water in the evening.
There are two types of poppers available - floating and sinking. The difference between them is that the first ones are immersed in water for half of the body, while the drowning ones have a buried tail. An example of such a bait is shown in the photo below.
It remains to add that poppers are made in the form of:
- fish;
- a monoblock that vaguely resembles living creatures;
- frogs;
- flexible components connected to each other.
In some models, cavities or channels are made inside the body, which are filled with shot. Thanks to this, the movement becomes jagged and a noise appears, like a rattle, which additionally attracts fish.
Popper is a surface bait, it is characterized by some features:
- When retrieving, it makes sounds as if a fish is slurping, feeding on grass or insects that have fallen to the surface. In July, splashes of juvenile fish can often be heard near seaweed thickets, especially if you quietly approach them by boat. Realistically simulating the movements and sounds of fish swarming on the surface is the task of a high-quality popper.
- The popper moves along the top so that the angler can watch it and see the stages of pike bites (attacks).
- Predatory fish constantly monitors the upper layers of the reservoir. What is happening there attracts her attention. If a fish that looks like prey suddenly starts splashing, this will provoke the pike to attack.
However, it is difficult to achieve complete imitation of prey behavior; for this, suitable gear and special wiring methods are used.
Bait effectiveness depending on the season
The peculiarity of the popper's behavior is also determined by the time of year. It is better to fish with such bait in the summer, when the water is warm, there is a lot of food on the surface, and peaceful fish feed heavily. However, it can be used in open water and at other times. You can catch pike with a popper even in the fall, when the predator stays in the depths. But such fishing requires some experience and patience.
The weather at the time of fishing can greatly affect the result. It is better to use this bait in calm water. Ripple and waves significantly reduce the effectiveness of a popper.
After spawning, pike feed heavily, so at this time they can be caught using any type of bait. You can catch pike with a popper in the spring, but it’s better to do it in shallow water, where the toothy one comes out into warm water.
Suitable reservoirs and fishing areas
When choosing fishing spots, take into account the characteristics of the bait. In our case, this is a game in the surface layer of water, which allows it to be used in places inaccessible to conventional wobblers or spinners. First of all, you need to keep in mind the bays, backwaters, and bays overgrown with grass. In reservoirs and lakes where there is no current, there are thickets of grass in which the fish feel safe.
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It is not easy to get pike in such places. One way to do this is to run a popper along the surface in windows of aquatic vegetation. Or another, no less common option - thickets of grass occupy a huge area, leaving a thin layer of water free on top. Poppers again allow you to fish in such places.
The bait can be passed over thickets of grass without any snags, tempting the grass pike with its gurgling and splashing. By spraying water, the popper will imitate a struggling wounded fish, which will again attract the attention of the toothy one. Catching a predator in stagnant water, remote and rarely visited toad grasses, and overgrown ponds is a nice thing.
However, even on the river, in the current, fishing for pike with a popper is often effective. Sometimes a gurgling bait manages to lift an ambush predator out of a hole, from the depths, provoking its attack.
Very promising fishing spots include areas with flooded trees or stumps, which is often found in reservoirs. It is difficult to cast a regular lure in such places, and sometimes fishing ends with the loss of bait. But catching pike with a popper in snags can be quite successful; the predator simply loves to ambush in such places.
When planning to catch pike with a popper, you need to remember that the best time for this is morning or evening dawn.
Later, especially at noon, the feeding fish become less active and move to the lower layers of water. The only exceptions can be considered the end of August and part of September, when the fish feed almost all day, intensively replenishing fat reserves for the winter.
Features of seasonal pike fishing with popper
The season begins in late spring and continues until the first frost.
in spring
In the spring, when pike recover from the cold, a good place to fish is shallow water. The water there is warmer and there is more food for the predator.
In different latitudes of the country, fishing for pike begins after freeze-up, before spawning. At this time, the predator accumulates strength and hunts not at depth, but on the surface in shallow places.
In summer
Summer fishing includes features:
- Fishing for pike with a popper in mid-summer is carried out next to pike shelters. Shelters are located among algae, under snags, in the shade of trees, etc.
- An excellent time of day for fishing is morning and evening twilight, as well as cloudy weather.
- During rain and thunderstorms, the predator bites the bait more actively, especially away from shelter, but fishing in bad weather can be dangerous.
If fishing occurs in strong winds, it is worth taking stronger gear and spare baits with you.
How to choose a catchy popper for pike
There are many surface baits of this class (walkers, floating wobblers with shallow depth, etc.). This leads to the fact that choosing the right one is difficult for beginning spinners. The popper is distinguished by its catchability, so when using it, you will have a catch more often than not. Nevertheless, there are rules that make it easy to choose the desired model for specific conditions on a pond.
Bait size and shape
First of all, the dimensions of the popper affect the size of the fish caught. To hunt for trophy pike, it is better to use large bait. The larger it is, the larger the predator will attack it. Another nuance is that small poppers are more often attacked by perches. If the goal is to catch a good pike, then there is absolutely no point in fussing with the size of the bait.
Pike have no specific preferences regarding the shape of poppers. The toothy torpedo is caught both on models that copy fish, and on those that vaguely resemble them. The catchability depends on the choice of location and correct wiring.
Natural and aggressive colors
This issue is not completely clear. Some fishermen believe that pike do not distinguish colors, others have the opposite opinion. Everyone makes their own choice using personal experience.
There are recommendations that determine the color of the popper used when fishing. First of all, it depends on the conditions prevailing in the reservoir. On a sunny day in clear water, preference should be given to natural flowers. Their body is often translucent, which further imitates small forage fish. On a cloudy day, and also if the water is cloudy, it is better to use bright, poisonous colors.
According to the general opinion of fishermen, pike react better to a bright popper. When choosing specific colors, green and yellow are considered preferable.
What else to pay attention to
Popper is a relatively light bait, so it will be difficult to cast long distances. For fishing in the grass and in shallow water, the cast is made close, as a rule, this is enough. For reconnaissance in unfamiliar bodies of water, it is better to install long-range models. In this case, a sinking popper will do. It is heavier and flies further.
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In addition, if the fishing is on the shore, the fishing result may be better when using a sinking popper. Due to its good flight qualities, it becomes possible to fish in remote places. The versatility of weighted models allows you to successfully fish both from a boat and from the shore.
When and where to use poppers?
Fishing with popper-class surface baits is suitable for situations where fish are feeding at the surface of the water. In our area this period falls in the summer months. At this time, the fry concentrate in large numbers in shallow water. Here he has all the conditions necessary for a full life - a rich food supply and shelter from predators.
Naturally, pike follow small fish to such areas. For her, such places provide good conditions for successful hunting. The toothy one can easily camouflage itself among the stems of aquatic vegetation, hide in their shade from the scorching sun and periodically attack a gaping or wounded fry.
So, the best places to hunt for pike using poppers are:
- bays and oxbows with aquatic vegetation;
- shallow channels and branches of large rivers and reservoirs;
- extensive shallow areas with bottom algae and relatively uniform bottom topography;
- small rivers with shallow depths;
- toad fields, peat quarries, swamps and other enclosed bodies of water.
Productive fishing for pike with popper begins at the end of May, when the water in shallow areas warms up well and the aquatic flora covers large areas of reservoirs. Topwater fishing continues until the second half of September. Then these baits cease to be so effective, since the cooling water and “sinking” algae force the fry to move to the depths and, therefore, leave the summer promising zones and the toothy predator.
Top 10 best poppers for pike
Determining the most catchy poppers for pike fishing is a thankless task. This assessment is subjective and may change over time. Nevertheless, we have selected the 10 best models, according to experts, with which fishing for pike with a spinning rod practically guarantees a catch in a variety of conditions.
Megabass pop x
Despite its apparent simplicity, this is far from an ordinary fish imitation. There is a heavy ball inside, which causes the bait to yaw and wobble when retrieving. The holes in the body through which water passes as it moves cause gurgling and splashing, which quite plausibly imitates the feeding of small fish on the surface. Length – 64 mm, weight – 7 grams.
Daiwa td popper zero
Floating popper from Japan. Its peculiarity can be considered the realism in the imitation of a fish, especially the eyes and scales. Weight – 6 grams, length – 65 mm, makes squelching sounds when inserted. Designed specifically for shallow water fishing.
Owner gobo popper
The small size perfectly imitates a feeding fry, making gurgling, slurping sounds. The bait is perfectly balanced and allows long casts, which is facilitated by the heavy ball located inside. The housing is resistant to external mechanical influences. Length – 60 mm, weight – 6.3 grams.
Yo-zuri 3d POPPER 90
Heavy, large pike popper. Made of ABS plastic reinforced with metal, which also acts as a load. The wide mouth ensures resistance when retrieving, the bait has excellent flight characteristics. Length – 90 mm, weight – 24 g.
Yo-zuri 3db POPPER 75f
A surface popper with an excellent finish that realistically imitates a real fish. The imitation is successfully supplemented with a light reflection system, which attracts the predator with its glare, and not just the gurgling sound produced by the bait. Length 75 mm, weight – 10 grams.
Berkley frenzy popper
It has a shape characteristic of all types of poppers, allowing the bait to make gurgling sounds when retrieved. Made of plastic for long service life. Length – 70 mm, weight – 9 grams.
Pontoon 21 Preference POPPER 65
Small and medium-sized pike regularly “sit” on this universal popper. This model works best in jerky animation, simultaneously tempting perch. A ball mounted inside ensures that the bait moves from side to side. It has good aerodynamic properties and flies far. The length of the bait is 65 mm, weight is 10.5 grams.
Strike Pro GIANT POP 160
Heavy classic popper for pike, 160 mm long and weighing 85 grams. Thanks to its significant weight, it allows you to make long casts and fish remote areas of the water area with an eye on large predators.
River 2 sea bubble pop
A decent factory bait of Chinese origin. Inside there is a special weight system that ensures long and accurate casts. Slots on the sides of the head allow the bait to make a gurgling sound when retrieving it.
Fishycat popcat 85 f
When conducting, it makes loud sounds that can be heard from a great distance, which allows you to attract a predator from afar. Length – 85 mm, weight – 9.2 grams.
Surface lures for pike
There are many baits for catching pike from the surface and in the subsurface layer. These are shallow-water wobblers, walkers, silicone non-snags and, in fact, poppers. Catching pike with poppers is interesting and spectacular - often the predator attacks with acceleration, splashing, sometimes flying out of the water. In shallow waters, the toothy one also hunts for mice, chicks, and amphibians that accidentally fell into the water, sometimes reacting instantly. Often the bite follows immediately after casting - on the first splash of the landing bait.
Popper is a gurgling bladeless wobbler with a cup-shaped recess in the head, from the English word “pop” - gurgle, plop. When jerking, the cup collects an air bubble, which, when released, produces such a sound. Some poppers are equipped with slots on the sides of the recess, which, when wiring, gives additional trickles or splashes in the water. In addition, due to the configuration of the body and internal design, a good popper does not just jerk along the surface, but wags its body, creating its own vibrations, like a regular large shad and other crank-like varieties of wobblers.
When fishing for pike, it is advisable to use poppers in combination with other surface baits, fishing the entire clear layer of water at the fishing point. It is also necessary to check nearby bushes, using non-hooking pike hooks for this.
How to assemble a balanced tackle
The rating of poppers for pike is, of course, a useful thing, but this is not enough for successful fishing. At a minimum, you need a good spinning rod, and not only the rod itself, but also the entire set - reel, fishing line, various accessories.
Rod parameters
Considering the small weight of poppers, appropriate spinning rods should be used. First of all, this concerns such requirements as action, test load, lightness and length of the rod.
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According to the test, poles with a load of up to 25 grams are better suited. They will allow you to safely use most common popper models. The best action is fast; this allows you to make sharp short jerks, during which the bait moves as realistically as possible. For fishing in snags or among thickets of vegetation, a long rod is not needed; a stick 2.1 - 2.4 m long is sufficient.
The weight of the rod also matters, because you have to hold it in one hand for a long time, and at the same time play with the bait. For such conditions, it is better to use a lightweight carbon fiber spinning rod.
Coil
A regular inertia-free reel will do just fine. The main thing is that it lays the line evenly, and is correctly adjusted and does not form humps and depressions. If this requirement is not met, then “beards” are possible.
fishing line
It is best to use thin, but very tear-resistant braid. The cord, of course, also has stretchability, but to a much lesser extent than regular nylon fishing line. The braid is able to withstand numerous jerks of the caught fish and allows you to quickly unhook the bait from the vegetation.
Leashes
This element of gear is indispensable when fishing for pike. An attempt to tie a popper directly to the line often results in the predator cutting the line with its teeth while fishing. You can use steel string, fluorocarbon or tungsten as a leash. It's a matter of taste.
Which popper to choose for pike fishing?
Not every topwater in this category is suitable for hunting spotted predator. Which popper is best for pike? What to look for when choosing it? The main thing is the length of the bait. The toothy beast will not rush at an object that is too small or large. The optimal size of a popper for pike is 8–12 cm.
A surface bait with a length in the specified range will be the most catchy. It is capable of seducing a pike from half a kilogram to three or four kilograms into throwing. Larger topwaters are designed for trophy fish. However, in modern realities it is extremely rare to find such a specimen in a shallow water area.
Lures less than 8 cm long often tempt frankly small pike, as well as striped robber. Such topwaters are used in ultra-light spinning and light fishing rods. They are no longer considered specialized, they are universal and are classified as poppers for pike and perch.
The color of the surface bait has little effect on the fishing result. The pike sees the object against the sky, so any topwater in the eyes of the predator has a dark color. Catchy poppers for pike should have a tint that is noticeable to the angler, be visible from a long distance, and not get lost among the glare on the water and among the waves.
A pike popper should be equipped with powerful and sharp tees. The toothy predator is a strong and aggressive enemy, which, once hooked, powerfully resists, tries by any means to free itself and leave the fisherman with nothing. Bad treble hooks cannot withstand the pressure of a heavy fish, so they come off such baits quite often. Experienced spinning anglers always replace low-quality tees with products from well-known fishing manufacturers.
Seasoned fishermen are able to make a popper for pike with their own hands from scrap materials. In skillful hands, homemade baits turn out no worse than factory products and can be used in a variety of conditions when fishing for spotted beasts.
Fishing technique
The success of fishing greatly depends on the skill of fishing. The spinner's job is not just to madly jerk the popper to make sounds and splashes. Thoughtful animation of the bait makes a piece of wood or plastic imitate the behavior of a feeding or wounded fish, and do it realistically. If it was not possible to choose the right fishing line or to interest the pike, then there is a high probability of being left without a catch, even in those places where the predator has clearly identified itself.
Posting options
Each spinner tries to give his bait his own game, but the types below are usually used. True, the fisherman adds some kind of individuality to each of them - he changes the reeling speed, intensity, direction and frequency of jerks, and the duration of pauses. It is advisable to select all this for the popper model being used, only then will all its capabilities be revealed.
Uniform
After waiting a few seconds after casting, they begin to monotonously reel in the line with frequent small twitches. Thanks to the movement of the weight inside the bait, it rolls from side to side and scours from side to side, attracting the attention of a predator with its resemblance to a fry struggling on the surface. To make the popper's behavior more realistic, the reeling speed can be slightly changed.
