Pop Goes The Weasel

Frankly, I have no idea what the above phrase means. Searching on the internet, it seems to be a term that is vague in meaning, and nobody is sure as well. But I thought it an apt name to title this for my exploration and learning in that luring technique: popping.

For those who are not familiar with fishing terminologies, popping is a technique that involves casting out a floating fish like plastic with a dish like mouth. The lurer (the person fishing) would jerk at it so that the dishy mouth would push against the surface water to make popping splashes, hence the term Popping. Apparently, this is enough to trigger a strike and to get fish! It sounds incredible, but it is a workable technique, and people do get fishes on them.

But personaly since I started luring few years ago, I had never thought that it was effective. As a matter of fact, one of my first lure to buy was a skitter pop after watching a very convincing Rapala video. After a few newbie casts, I thought I had been had and it had been relegated to my shelf of discarded fishing stuff and was never seen again.

However, of late, I started to experiment with Poppers again. Seeing that I had been consistently getting fishes on minnows and flies, I was wondering if it was possible with Poppers. I do know that many folks do use Poppers to target Tomans.

Starting with my Storm Chug Bug, I started to fish only with Poppers on my morning rounds with Pat and ZW. My initial attempts, did see some promising splashes that were after my popper. But for some reason, they missed! However, it was enough for me to pursue the technique and to keep trying.

I got a strong endorsement with we were fishing with YB, and he landed a 3kg Toman on Popper in 10 mins flat. ZW and I were shocked and that fueled me to keep trying and trying.

On a session with Pat, I finally got close in getting one when in the short hour session, I had 6 hits on my popper. 2 of which I was near to landing but unfortunately thrown the hook. 1 grabbed my Popper and disappeared with it into the inky depths.

Stamp of Victory (1st fish for my minipack as well)



1st fish on 3D Popper


KT against the beautiful rising sun


2nd fish on 3D Popper


This morning, on a session with KT, I finally passed my initiation, and managed to land one after losing the first 2 on the run. Seeing the PB thumping on the grass was stamp of victory. I was so successful with my technique now that I went on to land another 2, totalling 3. KT was impressed and he too started popping. And he did manage to get some bites, but was still in a daze when the PB struck and he never strike back. But he is getting there.