Texarkansan
Member
What’s the largest size popper a guy can reasonably throw with a fast 6 weight and a floating bass taper?
Last edited:
Poppers for Smallies on a 6wt.
- Thread starter Texarkansan
- Start date
pcolapaddler
Well-known member
Perhaps this isn't as helpful an answer as was hoped...
I feel like it is more the dressing - feathers, etc. that affect casting than the body. Some that I have used sound like a helicopter as they are cast.
l believe that I can cast a moderately dressed Bass bug or frog on around a 1/0 size hook. Most of the Bass in the water I fish the most seem to prefer smaller bugs - I guessing around a size 2.
These are smallish largemouth of a pound or so. Many will take a number 8 or 10 bug on a dropper under a larger bug.
Sent from the largest mountain range in Florida.
I feel like it is more the dressing - feathers, etc. that affect casting than the body. Some that I have used sound like a helicopter as they are cast.
l believe that I can cast a moderately dressed Bass bug or frog on around a 1/0 size hook. Most of the Bass in the water I fish the most seem to prefer smaller bugs - I guessing around a size 2.
These are smallish largemouth of a pound or so. Many will take a number 8 or 10 bug on a dropper under a larger bug.
Sent from the largest mountain range in Florida.
ddb
Well-known member
- Messages
- 679
- Reaction score
- 275
I do not think any large bulky popper will cast well in that setup especially so in any wind. Gurglers on a size 4 stinger hook are my practical limit on light rigs. They have lots of action and a profile with length and some width. You do need a heavier leader/tippet to turn them over.
ddb
ddb
Rip Tide
Well-known member
Jack Ellis, who wrote the book "Bassin' with a Fly Rod" used to call size 6 poppers "fence riders" due to the fact that that size was good for both bass and bluegill.
If you use a straight mono leader of only about 6', You should have no problem with a size 6
As for the dressing.... Smallmouth are not like largemouth. SM like "fast food"
Smallmouth poppers don't need that same dressing that LM poppers do. Unlike LM poppers that need to look alive while at rest, what SM poppers need is to be somewhat aerodynamic so that you can cast them at a distance and retrieve them quickly(fast food
)
Like a Lefty's Bug
If you use a straight mono leader of only about 6', You should have no problem with a size 6
As for the dressing.... Smallmouth are not like largemouth. SM like "fast food"
Smallmouth poppers don't need that same dressing that LM poppers do. Unlike LM poppers that need to look alive while at rest, what SM poppers need is to be somewhat aerodynamic so that you can cast them at a distance and retrieve them quickly(fast food
)Like a Lefty's Bug
tpo
Well-known member
I don't know the answer to your question, but I do know this: my fast 6 wt rod will cast a 7 wt bass bug taper line fairly well (although maybe not a great distance, which is rarely needed) and a 7 wt bug taper line will give a pretty large bug a ride to where it needs to go. So, you have the ability to throw larger bugs with that rod by upsizing your line.
dylar
Well-known member
- Messages
- 215
- Reaction score
- 52
I would generally consider a 6 to be more of a bugger/clouser rod or something more along the lines of a creek bassin' rod. On bigger water, you're gonna be confined to poppers on the smaller end of the scale. For big river smallmouth fishing, where 60-80' casts are the norm, rather than the exception, I think you're doing yourself a disservice if you're not fishing a 7 or 8wt.
Last edited:
clouserguyky
Well-known member
- Messages
- 1,501
- Reaction score
- 603
I throw size 4 and 2 poppers on my 6 weight pretty often. Rather than tie my own poppers, I have had a lot of success with BoogleBugs. They are extremely durable and last forever if you don't lose them.
For larger deer hair patterns and big foam gurglers, I'd rather have a 7-8wt line driving those. But a fast 6 weight with the right line can handle most cork poppers.
For larger deer hair patterns and big foam gurglers, I'd rather have a 7-8wt line driving those. But a fast 6 weight with the right line can handle most cork poppers.
sixwtslinger
Well-known member
I have routinely used a 6 wt for a mix of smallies and largemouth at distances of 40-60' or so for the last 20 years . #6 and #4 Lefties bugs and/or dressed up gurglers usually get the job done for me. Both are fairly streamlined so cast decently. If I want to go bigger, or to more wind resistant/water soaked hairbugs, then I my go with a WF7F line on the same fast rod.
Your results may vary due to castign skills, fly choice, wind conditions etc..
Your results may vary due to castign skills, fly choice, wind conditions etc..
bigjim5589
Well-known member
Good replies! However, as some also mentioned, you didn't really ask about distance and that's going to be more of a limiting factor than the actual popper size. A 6 wt can cast a large popper.
At times, I've cast poppers & Sneaky Pete type bugs with my 6 wt, that were made on 1/0 & 2/0 size hooks, but being that big & heavy, couldn't get a lot of distance. Long distance casting was not always needed, but when it was, was not possible, especially if as someone said, there's some wind too.
What Dylar said, is on the money, and any any rod weight will have limits, particularly as you factor in distances needed on a regular basis, and other factors that may hinder casting, such as wind, and various overhead obstructions.
Another factor, is of course casting experience and skill level, as a more experienced and skilled caster may make a bigger size popper work well, with the same setup that a lesser experienced & skilled caster cannot.
My opinion is that generally a popper on a size 2 hook would be about the maximum that most folks could cast at any distance, like 50 feet or over. Size 4 or 6 would be more reasonable. If you want to go bigger than a heavier setup would be more practical.
At times, I've cast poppers & Sneaky Pete type bugs with my 6 wt, that were made on 1/0 & 2/0 size hooks, but being that big & heavy, couldn't get a lot of distance. Long distance casting was not always needed, but when it was, was not possible, especially if as someone said, there's some wind too.
What Dylar said, is on the money, and any any rod weight will have limits, particularly as you factor in distances needed on a regular basis, and other factors that may hinder casting, such as wind, and various overhead obstructions.
Another factor, is of course casting experience and skill level, as a more experienced and skilled caster may make a bigger size popper work well, with the same setup that a lesser experienced & skilled caster cannot.
My opinion is that generally a popper on a size 2 hook would be about the maximum that most folks could cast at any distance, like 50 feet or over. Size 4 or 6 would be more reasonable. If you want to go bigger than a heavier setup would be more practical.