Bait poppers

I have just made some bait poppers for the first time. I have never used them before but will be in the near future does anyone else use them and are there any noticeable benefits. Does it improve your catch rate??

Garrypiker wrote:I have just made some bait poppers for the first time. I have never used them before but will be in the near future does anyone else use them and are there any noticeable benefits. Does it improve your catch rate??

had my best fish on a pop up i always have 1 on a rod

What have you used to make them?

I've always used balsa sticks pushed down the deadbaits throat.Buy balsa dowel in different thickness,cut to length required,drill a small hole in one end to tie to the trace swivel,sharpen other end and off you go.I used to varnish them but don't bother now.I feel more confident if I have a bait just off the bottom,and with all the different sizes you make it's easy to get the bait just how you want it.I like to have the head raised of the bottom and the tail on the deck,probably still catch the same pike,but a confidence thing,thinking it's more visible.

noodle wrote:What have you used to make them?

I used savage gear bait poppers in various sizes and colours and made them how fox describe in there book

I wouldn't say they improve your catch rate but it's always useful to have a mixture of methods employed.

As an instance, if the water if calm, your bait might not create a scent trail and if it's hidden from view, it could take hours to find, if at all. A pop-up is at least visual.

I normally fish one rod with a pop-up at least and if it goes more than once, I'll happily stick them on all 3 rods.

i find a lamprey section for some reason a good bait to pop up maybe its the scent or the bait is not that big and it is a better presentation done well on lamprey and smallish trout......

Greys prowla screw in pop up sticks, really are the dogs do das, tough and easy to use. even screw in to frozen baits

I used some fox pop ups for the first time last year, the red foam ball ones, so basically my bait looks like a small fish trying to eat a boilie, I had two runs a fair bit faster than your normal pike run, I struck and nothing there, I don't think it was a pike so not sure if I should use um them again, bright red boilie looking ball might work for carp but pike?