And that is a fish catching joker. I had my doubts about it but i caught 10 or 12 in about 30 minutes. They werent just hitting the bait either they were knocking the piss out of it

They friggin' destroy it when they hit it. It's not a bump or swirl. They smash it.

I didnt catch anything over 2 lbs on it but even the 12 inch bass would hit it so hard it would scare you

Just wait until a 4- or 5-pounder smacks it.

Alright, what size should a feller start with? Taking Mon-Wed off to catch some of those "Heads"

I really want this bait to work for me, but it just won't do it. I am throwing the big one though. Might should drop down to the little one.....

I went with the 90 size. I was skeptical of it working so i wanted to ease into it. Ill pick up a 130 soon unless they are making a 110

Hey Clem, what size & color do you like?

Clem likes em large and black....

Lol

LOL

I have the 130 size in Phantom Shad. I don't get into the color deal too much with topwaters like this that I move quickly. The WP Munky Butt color was hot with some of the bass pros for a while but it's just a shad color like Sexy Shad or something IMO. Whatever else I buy would be Phantom Shad, maybe Crystal Shad, Bone or Black (for cloudy days).

Honestly, though, I don't think the color matters that much with something like this all the time. Sometimes, sure. But IMO the majority of the time, no. Same with a buzzbait. One I throw regularly is a 1/4-oz size with a chartreuse blade that's peeling and dirty, no skirt and a pearl 3-inch grub. They either smash it or not.

But I have seen times when a copper blade worked instead of nickel or gold. Or gold was the deal. Same with topwaters like a Spook - sometimes they want bone or something shiny, other times clear or black. But I try to stick with just a few colors (and do the same with jigs and worms).

Ok...who has them? Prolly going down to our fish camp in May, and those lakes hold tons of 10-16+ lb fish!

I've seen them in BPS and Cabela's. They may be in some other big chains or local stores. They're $16 to $20 each, though, so some smaller stores may not carry them.

The tackle trap has them. And you can get them with or without rattles. I haven't had near as much luck on the ones without rattles. It will still catch them but not like the one with rattles. And 16 to 20 dollars is too much for them.

Stopped by Cabela's in H'sv today and they only had three Ploppers. Lot of empty pegs.

I don't mind paying $17 for a good lure. Paid $25 each a few years ago for some giant Lucky Craft wake baits that aren't in production anymore. I'd do it again if I could find them. Glad I'm not into giant swimbaits like the Bull Shad, but they do catch big ones.

I've got a bunch of them if you'll take me with you

I fish a bullshad too. I fish it on heavy enough gear i dont worry about losing it

The right rod, line and reel for these kind of baits definitely is critical, Beadle.

GTO in Gville supposed to have tons of em in stock. Or they did a few weeks ago anyway.

Marks outdoors in Bham had a bunch of them. Think I'm going to buy one or two next time I'm in there.

Im throwing the 90 on a 7 foot medium veritas with a quantum pt 6.3:1 either 12 or 14lb suffix mono. The medium veritas rods are more of a medium heavy. Ive got a 7 foot mh duckett terex frog rod thats really more of a heavy action with just a little tip ill probably throw the 130 on ive got 50lb power pro on that setup. But i might throw it on my 7'6 powell with 65 lb braid not really sure yet. The 7 foot med veritas feels perfect for the 90 though

I ordered a couple from DSG with free shipping at a reasonable price.

I throw the 130 on a Duckett 6-9 med-heavy with 50-pound braid. Either the knot will slip (doubtful) or the rod may break, but the line won't. Likely would change things for the 90 but I'll have to see what it's like when I get one.

Another thing...you can't just come in here posting something like that without pictures!

I was by myself so i didnt take any. I caught several more on it this afternoon out of my kayak. I need to go ahead and pick up a 130 but the 90 is producing every trip

Dicks has them

I picked up a 130 in powder earlier

Picked up a couple from Shelton's yesterday so I guess I joined the Plopper club. I got a phantom and a bone color in the 130. My gut said I should have went with the 90 but I figured if Im throwing that thing Im going for a big fish so go big or go home.

Big ones will hit the 90, I'm sure, but I've not caught any tiny ones on the 130. Granted, I'm fishing mostly in a couple of giant neighborhood lakes (like, 60-80-100 acres or more) but like you I'm only interested in big ones. And they eat it. Will be getting some 90s soon, though.

This is kinda what I thought, If I try these and get short strikes and or catch big fish on the 130's I will go back and get some of the 90's. Im doubtful that Its gonna really become a huge staple in what I throw but in situations around grass lines Im willing to try. Do you have luck in open water on schooling fish with them too? From basically now on, but especially through the summer, when Im ledge fishing I always have a topwater handy. You never know when a school will erupt. 90% of the time I have a Bone Popper or Bone walking bait tied on in case a school fires up on the top.

Okay, I took the bait and bought two of these last nigh(I had a gift card, don't think I ever paid that much cash for a lure in the past).
I hope they work as well as mentioned on here and I haven't bought a couple of floating clorox stumps.
Both are the 90mm, one Phantom Shad and one I Know It.
Will give them a try in the morning on Lay....

Geez, you may get your arm broken on Lay throwing those.

10-20 wind tomorrow with clouds and rain. Keep that thing in your hand all day and you will catch a big one at lay tomorrow

I can't imagine a 3- to 5-pound spot hitting that Plopper 90, much less the bigger one. Egads.

Wind is going to be tough... I'm going to remember my rainsuit tomorrow. Went two Saturdays ago without it, got caught at noon in the shower.. Wet head to toe.. Truck showed temp at 45% when O backed in to load boat...
I am hoping one of those big ones grab ahold of this dang lure....

So did the new clorox stump baits work? post up a pic of that big one.

Well, I gave it a try on Lay yesterday morning. Nothing on the whopper. Didn't see much top water action.
I did put 14 in the boat. All on a jig and lizard. Biggest five might have made 14 pounds.
Ploppers will get another chance next time out.

I think the weather's still funky. Have decided the WP is sort of like throwing big swimbaits: it's a commitment but can pay off.

Still can't wait to see a redfish or speck eat one.

Academy has them on sale this week, limited selection at the Hoover store.

I slipped off early this morning on Jordan. Caught my first WP bass on the first cast. Caught two more in about a 30 minute span. Largest was a head about 4 pounds. Wind picked up and put too much chop on the water.
Caught 3 more on a worm before I had to get off the water around 9:30. So I am sold on the WP now.. if I can find some calm water.

The 90 or 130?

90 in the Ghost color.

Y'all Yankees set the hook in me about this one and thought our Speck's would be clueless about this bait, so I bought the stump. If pressure washing slows down soon, I will hopefully give you a report from the Mobile River.

I will gaur-an-dam-tee I will chase a jack down if one decides to eat it.

If I ever get down that way again to fish, I hope to have all three sizes to see which won works best. I suspect they all will, although I'd probably throw the 90 and 130 for reds and trouties.

A jack definitely would need an ass-kicking if it grabbed the WP.

Went with the 90. My favorite topwater is bone/chrome, but just didn't care for the bone wp.
I will buy the 130 next trip.

Come on down after May Clem and you can throw one into your arm falls off.

The bone looked too dingy for me so i got one in powder

I thought about the bone color but figured I'd end up taking some sandpaper to it to rough it up, so I opted for the clearer colors.

I've got a little wildcat tourney in the morning, I'm going to throw a 90 & 130 the whole time...swing for the fence.

Same on bankhead Friday no plopper action at all.did manage 16 bass on worms and traps

I pulled a good'un out of the neighborhood pond tonight. Just shy of 5 lbs. 4.93 on the digital scale. I swear when she hit it looked like someone threw a brick in the water. I can't post pics on here from my phone but if someone wants to see it and post then I'll text it to them. Only part that sucks is she hit so hard she warped it or somehow threw it off alignment. It isn't wanting to run straight now.

Wow, it warped the bait?

You should contact River2Sea to let them know about that. Sounds like a bad bait.

https://www.river2seausa.com/contact-us


That strike, though. Yeah. Like a hand grenade going off. Love it.

That's the best I can figure...no visible damage or bending, but instead of running straight it scoots back and forth and rolls over constantly, and it was running fine before the big fish.

I stand corrected. It was bothering me so I went out to the garage and took a closer look with light and magnifying glass. It was just a build up of seaweed/scum which was making the back end not want to turn. Cleaned it out and it was spinning freely so I'm guessing it'll run right now.

Took my kayak to the pond below the house this afternoon and caught a few on the plopper

Here's the one from Saturday:

I finally caught a few on mine Sunday on smith

Dang good one right there

Thanks. Most of the fish in my neighborhood ponds are much smaller, so when that one hit and I set the hook I just about pissed myself.

Fine bass, mcninja! I've yet to get a big strike on the 130 in our H'Cove lakes. I think the bass are spawning, and I saw shad spawning yesterday, and it's all still screwy. Won't be long until the bluegills are bedding and then things get hairy.

My buddy caught one on the plopper off a bed sunday. He said its the only bait the fish would hit

Thanks. That one was on the 90, bluegill color.

Bone colored 90, 6 cast 4 fish then lost it in a tree! None over 1 lb but still impressed!
Going back to get it another day but I am sold!

Where at ill bring my ladder to go get it

Haha I had the same thought!

What kind of knot yall tying to one?

Palomar

Palomar, on 50-pound braid. I leave about a third of an inch of tag line b/c I don't think it matters w/ braid and if it slips, there'll be a smidge of give. But it doesn't slip.


You guys with the small WP, the 90 size, does it have a split ring on the tie like the 130? Mine doesn't and I don't like the way it runs, in fits and spurts. Have tried fast-med-slow retrieves and its' just weird. Not like the 130.

Had a 4-pounder hit the 130 yesterday evening like a runaway train on crack.

My 90 doesn't have a split ring either Clem. I may put one on it and try it in a bit.

I'm going to get some and put them on, too. I don't believe it can hurt and may help, or at least make me feel better.

No chance of retrieving without the boat so I broke it off. I will be back down in a week so I will launch the boat.
But to answer the knot question it was an improved cinch and the knot did not break. I was using new 8 lb on a spinning rod.

8lb test!!!

8-pound test? Dangit man, you have cojones! LOL

I about puked when I looked up the price on those things. And the pic on academy has no hooks. So you gotta buy the lure at the price of several lunches and then put hooks on it?!?

No they have hooks. Just no tie ring. Tried it yesterday with the ring. Might work a little better with one at least in my mind. But I changed to braid too. That could be the difference.

Geno I remember in the late 80's there were people renting Shad Raps for $25 a day on Lay lake. I don't know what they charged if you lost one.

I remember reading about that. They did similar (I can't recall how much - I know it wasn't $25) with the original floating rapalas up north many years ago.

Why? Fishing was that good with one?

Still is a spot loves a shad rap

Man this bait is something else ive never seen fish react to a bait like they do this one. I stopped by a local neighborhood lake that is shallow gets a ton of pressure and is super clear. They wouldnt even look at a finesse worm but they were eating the wp. To top it off it was noon without a cloud in the sky

Fyi those whopper ploppers are on sale at field and stream for $10 I believe it's buy 2 get one 90mm free

Thank You!

how well built are they? I wonder if they would hold up to stripe fishing. I hate to buy one and tear it up on one fish.

Not sure but I would like to be the beta tester on a 30lbr!!!

I caught one today. See my post

I think they would hold up as well as any other bait

They were originally designed for Muskie fishing, that should tell you what the manufacturer hopes they can stand up to.

Holy crap. Ten bucks? For the big size, the 130? I'd wet my pants if I found them on sale for $10.


And as noted, they were designed by Larry Dahlberg for big game: muskie, pike and other big fish. Bass guys started throwing them several years ago and then word started getting out.

They'll hold up to stripers. Would love to get on some of those for sure.

Can you imagine tying into 10-15 lbs of pissed off pike or muskie on one of those things????? That 5lb LM I caught about made me piss myself.

Picked up a 90 in something-or-other the other day, I'll work on picking up a 130 before I go down to the fish camp in May, but if the hogs are cooperative, I may not even wet a hook.

Was in Canada in 1986 on a canoe trip into Quetico NP and we were limited in tackle, since we were canoeing-portaging-camping.

My box consisted mostly of Zara Spooks, 1/2- and 1-ounce Rooster Tails and Mepps spinners, a few crankbaits and some plastics/hooks. The in-line spinners and topwater Spooks generated the most results with the pike and smallmouth. And yes, a big pike on a spook or any topwater is a blast.

Definitely learned one thing: take some long-handle hook removers. Having a 25-inch+ pike with a Spook in its mouth at the canoe and you're trying to figure out how to get the bait without getting slashed or tipping over into frigid water is quite a challenge. If I ever go again, I'll have a Boga Grip and long hook remover along with some Ploppers.

That's awesome. All my folks live up in WI and MN and I get to fish with them every now and again. I've never caught a muskie, and haven't caught any BIG pike, but did manage to get a 34" northern pike on a buzzbait one time. That was a hell of a strike and battle.

Bought some whopper ploppers the other day. I got the last 3 academy had left. Used one for the first time this morning after I realized the turkeys weren't gonna gobble. Caught 21 in a little over an hour. I'm not a huge fan of the color I got, but it seems to work.

A bunch of the colors look good until you hold them up the the light and they dont look all that great. Perch has the best looking belly to me. ive got a couple in perch and one in powder. Ill pick up a loon this week to try

I'm going to get a Loon for cloudy days, and also because I think they'll hit it around bluegill beds as well.

I think powder is the color I got. The spots exploded on it yesterday

I caught a few yesterday morning, this was the biggest.

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Caught a few more this morning, on another pressured pond. Love this thing.

I got one last night. Ready to see if the hype is real or not.

Me and dad killed the spots on them this morning caught several over 3 lbs. A couple had the hooks almost in there throat. They were swallowing it!!!