DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

1
Designing Poppers, Sliders & Divers
Practical Advice for Crafting Top Water Fly Fishing Lures

by
Steven B. Schweitzer

Photography, illustrations, patterns and text by the author

unless otherwise noted
DESIGN AND LAYOUT: International Standard Book Numbers:
Page layout created with Serif ISBN-10: 0-9890180-9-1
PagePlus X8. ISBN-13: 978-0-9890180-9-8

Line art illustrations created with Text and Photography Copyright:

Serif DrawPlus X8. Steven B. Schweitzer, 2017. All rights reserved.
www.serif.com.
Editorial Review:
PHOTOGRAPHY and EDITING: Dick Shinton
Primary Camera: Nikon D7000
Primary Lens for most shots: Contributors:
18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 James Dorr
Prime: 50mm f/1.8 Dr. Todd Larson
Photo and HDR Editing: Adobe Martin Joergensen
Lightroom 4.4 Mark McMillan

FRONT AND BACK COVER DESIGN:

Design by Cortland Langworthy
Relish Studio, Inc.
www.relishstudio.com

FRONT COVER:
Photograph by Steven B.
Schweitzer Published By:
Pixachrome Publishing
Northern Colorado, USA
www.pixachrome.com

Printing By:
Friesens.com - Altona, MB, R0G 0B0, Canada

No portion of this book, either text or photography, may be reproduced in any

form, including electronically, without the express written permission of the
publisher.

Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data:

Schweitzer, Steven B.
Designing Poppers, Sliders & Divers / by Steven B. Schweitzer
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-10: 0-9890180-9-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-9890180-9-8
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017902236

The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained within this book. From time-to-time, the information within can
become out-of-date and require updating. If you find information in this book
that requires revision, please notify the author/publisher for correction in
future printings. As always, your comments and suggestions are encouraged
and welcomed.

Email comments to info@pixachrome.com

Acknowledgements
T his book takes me back to my formative years
and my roots in fishing. Thank-you to my
father and mother, Richard and Marilyn Schweitzer,
for giving me a farm pond to catch my first fish on a
popper, and to my late Grandpa Ricketts for taking
me fishing at 5am on many summer mornings to teach
me the ins-and-outs of pan fishing. Thanks to my
brother Mark Schweitzer, for being my first fishing
buddy. The fun times we had chasing bass and bluegill
around the farm pond (literally) will never be forgotten.
This book required thousands of hours of writing,
editing, rewriting, re-editing, tying patterns, filing
cork, sanding wood, gluing this and that, epoxying,
spraying paint and experimenting with materials and
fly lure designs. It all was made possible by several
individuals that each contributed in an important way.
Thanks goes to Cortland Langworthy III for
creating the books cover design and giving guidance
on typography and layout.
Thanks to John Cates and Roger Seiders of Flex
Coat for the generous product support and many
phone calls on discussing lure coatings and advice.
Thanks to Don Davis of www.breambugs.com for
providing 50 Years of Popping Bugs, a historical
reference.
Thanks to Imagination International, Inc for the
use of the Copic marker color chart.
Thanks to Chris Chandler of JerkbaitMania for
(Pike Skinz) for great lure making material and
generous product support.
Special appreciation goes to my long-time fishing
and fly tying friend, Martin Joergensen for the tying
thread information.
A special thanks to long-time and closest of friends
Mark McMillan for sharing his innovative tying
techniques and for teaching me the value of thinking
way outside the box when it comes to fly tying and lure
crafting.
Thanks to Letraset for the use of the marker color
chart.
Thanks to Loon Outoors for making innovative
products and providing generous product support.
Thanks to Jessie Riding of Rainys Flies for the
generous product support.
Thanks goes to Softex creator John Ryzanych
who provided technical guidance on the many uses of
Softex.
Thanks to Dick Shinton for the detailed work in
editing the books copy.
A special thanks to long-time friend Marcos
Vergara at Hareline Dubbin for the generous product
support and fly tying product knowledge.
Thanks to Wapsi for creating the Perfect Popper
Pack and their generous product support.
A special thanks to long time friend Dr. Thomas
Whiting of Whiting Farms for the generous product
support and historical knowledge.
And thanks goes to Umpqua for the top water fly
designs and generous product support.
A special thanks goes to Mr. Walter Cary and Mr.
Walt Holman, whom I deem the grandfathers of
modern popper making. Their techniques and designs
will always stand the test of time.
And finally, this book would not have been without
the incredible support of my wife Renee Schweitzer.
She encouraged the time necessary for work on the
manuscript, development of techniques, making
hundreds of lures and photography. She
accompanied me on field trips to test top water lure
designs, fishing them alongside me, often out-fishing
me. Her encouragement of me to write this book was
unparalleled and very much appreciated.
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Contents
Beginnings
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................9
Using this Book ...........................................................................................................................................12
Poppers, Sliders and Divers Throughout Time .........................................................................................13

Section One - Tools and Materials

Tools of the Trade........................................................................................................................................27
Lure Body Materials....................................................................................................................................35
Hooks & Thread..........................................................................................................................................43
Marking Pens...............................................................................................................................................53
Paints............................................................................................................................................................63
Adhesives......................................................................................................................................................71
Body Fillers & Finishes................................................................................................................................77
Body & Tailing Materials...........................................................................................................................89

Section Two - Elements of Design

Body Styles, Shapes & Characteristics........................................................................................................101
Eyes...............................................................................................................................................................111
Texturing & Scaling....................................................................................................................................121
Tails & Collars.............................................................................................................................................129
Hook Guards................................................................................................................................................135
Legs...............................................................................................................................................................145
Diving Heads & Lips...................................................................................................................................155
Spinners & Rattles.......................................................................................................................................159
Adding Weight.............................................................................................................................................161
Bubble Heads...............................................................................................................................................167
Painting Techniques....................................................................................................................................169
Applying Finishes.........................................................................................................................................197

Section Three - Making Poppers, Sliders and Divers

Common Procedures...................................................................................................................................209
Using Pre-shaped Styrofoam.....................................................................................................................223
Using Craft Sheet Foam..............................................................................................................................239
Using Sandwiched Sheet Foam...................................................................................................................253
Using High Density Foam...........................................................................................................................263
Using Balsa & Basswood.............................................................................................................................283
Using Cork...................................................................................................................................................291

AFTERWORD - The Essence of Design.....................................................................................................301

INDEX.........................................................................................................................................................302

5
 CONTENTS
Figures & Tables
Figure 1 - Advantages and Disadvantages of Top Water Lure Body Material Types......................36
Figure 2 - Adhesive Effectiveness: Gluing Hooks to Common Lure Body Materials........................46
Figure 3 - Common Tying Threads and Their Characteristics..........................................................49
Figure 4 - Effect of Commonly Used Marking Pens on Selected Materials.......................................58
Figure 5 - Effect of Sun Exposure on Common Marking Pen Ink.....................................................59
Figure 6 - Colors of the ProMarker Color System...............................................................................60
Figure 7 - Colors of the Copic Color System......................................................................................61
Figure 8 - Advantages and Disadvantages of Spray Painting Options for Lure Painting................68
Figure 9 - Adhesive Effectiveness When Gluing Lure Body Materials to Each Other......................75
Figure 10 - Light Wavelength..............................................................................................................83
Figure 11-A - Weathering Effects on Cork, Balsa and Basswood with Various Coatings...............87
Figure 11-B - Weathering Effects on High Density Foam with Various Coatings...........................87
Figure 12 - Rigging A Popping Head...................................................................................................106
Figure 13 - The Retrieve Path of a Typical Un-Weighted Diving Lure Head...................................156
Figure 14 - Effect of Rattle Sound in Different Lure Body Materials................................................160

Top Water Patterns, Step-By-Step

Bug-Eyed Frog Popper.....................................................................................................................................223
Sparkle-Skin Saltwater Popper........................................................................................................................228
Water Woggle...................................................................................................................................................232
Inconsiderate Frog...........................................................................................................................................239
Foam Skater.....................................................................................................................................................244
Silhouette Hopper............................................................................................................................................247
Jiffy Popper.......................................................................................................................................................253
Pirate Diver......................................................................................................................................................259
Cigar But Popper..............................................................................................................................................263
Jarhead Frog.....................................................................................................................................................269
Diving Triceratops...........................................................................................................................................275
Harvey Wallbanger..........................................................................................................................................278
Classic Balsa Popper........................................................................................................................................283
Blockhead Balsa...............................................................................................................................................287
Bottle Stopper Popper......................................................................................................................................291
RetroPop...........................................................................................................................................................294
Walkin Ball......................................................................................................................................................297

Artisan Galleries
Ronald Braud...................................................................................................................................................195
Pat Cohen.........................................................................................................................................................118
Kirk Dietrich....................................................................................................................................................99
Jason Goodale...................................................................................................................................................207
Tim Jacobs........................................................................................................................................................25
Matthew Zudweg.............................................................................................................................................70

www.pixachrome.com 6
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Z TIPS & HOW-TOs
Testing Marker Colors..........................................................................................................................................................58
Basic Copic Color Choices..................................................................................................................................................65
Using Spray Adhesive...........................................................................................................................................................73
Painted Eye Choices.............................................................................................................................................................112
Using Mylar Tubing.............................................................................................................................................................122
Knurling Aluminum Foil.....................................................................................................................................................124
Wrinkling Aluminum Foil...................................................................................................................................................125
Using Metallic Fabric...........................................................................................................................................................127
How Tails Affect Lure Performance....................................................................................................................................130
Making a Single-Loop Hook Guard....................................................................................................................................136
Making a Double Loop Hook Guard...................................................................................................................................137
Single and Double Rakes......................................................................................................................................................138
Making a Looped Rake Hook Guard...................................................................................................................................140
Making a Forked Sweeper Hook Guard..............................................................................................................................141
Making a Looped Sweeper Hook Guard.............................................................................................................................142
Making a Removable Coiled Single Sweeper Hook Guard................................................................................................143
Making a Removable Forked Sweeper Hook Guard..........................................................................................................144
Inserting Legs with a Needle................................................................................................................................................153
Inserting Legs with Drilled Holes.........................................................................................................................................154
Shaping a Conical Diving Head..........................................................................................................................................156
Copic Air Brushing Tips.....................................................................................................................................................173
Copic Limitations...............................................................................................................................................................174
Filling Copic Markers.........................................................................................................................................................174
Advanced Copic Air Brushing Techniques.......................................................................................................................175
Back Flushing an Air Brush.................................................................................................................................................181
How to Apply Two-Part Epoxy............................................................................................................................................205
When and How to Apply Multiple Coats of Epoxy............................................................................................................206
Common Lure Making Procedures.....................................................................................................................................209
The Basic 8 Finishing Steps..................................................................................................................................................222

n DIY PROJECTS
DIY Color Chart...................................................................................................................................................................57
Base Coat Painting Jig..........................................................................................................................................................69
Multi-Color Marabou..........................................................................................................................................................94
Eye Stamps............................................................................................................................................................................113
Stick-on and 3D Eyes............................................................................................................................................................115
DIY Photo-Realistic Eyes.....................................................................................................................................................119
Making Scale Stamps............................................................................................................................................................125
DIY Texturing Rollers..........................................................................................................................................................126
Frog Leg Stencils...................................................................................................................................................................147
Making a 3D Thermoform Stencil Vacuum Tool...............................................................................................................187
Forming 3D Thermoform Stencils.......................................................................................................................................188
Carving 3D Thermoform Stencils........................................................................................................................................189
Painting with 3D Thermoform Stencils..............................................................................................................................190
Making and Using Hand-Cut Vinyl Stencils......................................................................................................................192
Making Custom Stickers with a Die Cut Machine.............................................................................................................194
DIY Cork Strike Indicators..................................................................................................................................................300

7
 CONTENTS

Authors Recommendations
Hundreds of products were evaluated and tested through demanding usage and environmental tests
to assess durability, fading, color-fastness and ease of use, among other less critical characteristics. The
list below summarizes the authors experiential and observational choices for products used in this
book.

Lure & Body

Best Lure Turning/Drying Wheel - FlexCoat Cordless Fly & Jig Turner Big Wheel
Best Coating for Hard Finishes - FlexCoat Lure Building Gel-Coat Epoxy
Best Coating for Flexible Finishes - Softex
Best Material Shaping Adhesive - Softex
Best Wood for Freshwater Top Water Lures - Balsa, sealed with MinWax Wood Hardener
Best Wood for Saltwater Top Water Lures - Basswood, sealed with MinWax Wood Hardener
Best Foam for Top Water Lure Head Creation - Wapsis or Rainys foam blocks
Best Pre-Shaped Popper Bodies - Wapsi Perfect Popper Pack
Best Wood Hardener - MinWax Wood Hardener
Best Body Filler - Elmers Wood Filler
Best Pre-Made 3D Eyes - Hareline Dubbin 3D Stick-on Eyes
Best Adhesive for Gluing Hooks to Body Materials - Cyanoacrylate Adhesive (eg - SuperGlue)
Best Adhesive for Gluing Natural Body Materials Together - E6000 by Eclectic Products
Best Adhesive for Gluing Foam Together - 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive
Best Kinked-Shank Hook - Mustad CK74S
Best Wide-Gape Stinger-style Hook - Daiichi 2770/2722
Best Lure Fly Tying Thread - Uni thread, size 6/0 and 8/0

Coloring & Painting

Best Marker for Hand-Coloring - Letraset Pro-Marker
Best Marker for Air Brush Painting- Copic Marker, Copic Air Brush System
Best Enamel Paint - Testors
Best Acrylic Paint for Hand Painting - Rainys Popper Paint
Best Acrylic Paint for Lure Air Brushing - Testors Aztek
Best Water-based Undercoat - Loon Outdoors Hardhead
Best Flash Powders - Loon Outdoors
Best Glitter - Ho Long Glitter (http://www.holongglitters.com/)
Best UV Cure Resin - Loon Outdoors
Best Acrylic Air Brush for Lure Painting - Paasche Talon TG#2L, or Iwata HP-C Plus

www.pixachrome.com 8
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Introduction
T heres a good chance that as a youngster you
were introduced to fishing using a popper,
either with a spin fishing rig, a fly and a bubble or
with a fly rod. And, theres a good chance that
most of you, like me, grew up fishing poppers on
a warm water pond or lake for panfish, largemouth
bass, smallmouth bass and pike. Or if you lived
near saltwater, you grew up fishing sliders or
divers for backwater redfish and snook, along the
surf for stripers or shark, or even in open water
for amberjack and dorado. If you have fished
poppers, sliders or divers, or want to then this
book is written for you.
The popper, slider and diver (referenced
collectively as lure or lures) is only one of a few own. Whether you fish warm water, saltwater,
bait styles that cross the boundary from being a
lure in the spin fishing world to being a fly in the
fly fishing world. For example, a popper created
for fly fishing can also be used for spin fishing, and
spin poppers can be used with heavier fly rods,
except for some of the heavier poppers used when
spin casting.
The excitement of fishing a surface lure is
undeniable. From the splashy landing and wild
commotion a surface lure creates as it is stripped,
to the unsuspecting and aggressive strikes it elicits,
fishing a surface lure appeals to all ages and never
gets old. It is easy to teach someone how to fish
surface lures and they are great for introducing
youngsters to fishing. Surface lures are colorful,
fun to create and are effective for most all species
of fish worldwide. They are ubiquitous around
the world, irrespective of fishing method in fresh
9
or saltwater. Poppers, sliders and divers may be
the worlds most popular and effective lures.
By definition, surface lures float on top of or
near the surface of the water. They can make quite
a disturbance popped on the surface, darting
slightly under water or dipped deep as a diver.
Their common trait is they are designed to work
on or near the waters surface.
This book focuses on the craft of creating
poppers, sliders and divers using modern
techniques, body materials and tools, specifically
for fly fishing. While the lures can be made from
spun deer hair, this book does not focus on
spinning hair; that is another book topic unto its
rivers, streams or lakes using spinning gear or a
fly rod, the techniques used in creating attractive
and highly effective surface lures outlined in this
book apply to all fishing methods.
Why should you create your own surface lures?
First and foremost, they are highly effective and
should be in every fishers arsenal. They have been
known to catch most any fish man has tried fishing
for, sans a few of those deep-sea creatures and
bottom-dwelling fish like sturgeon and heck,
maybe even a sturgeon could be fooled by a
popper, but I have never heard of such a feat.
Secondly, they are fun to create the bounds of
surface lure patterns are only limited by fresh
thinking, creative minds and lots of material
choices. With the advancement of synthetic
material and methods for painting popper bodies,
our collective creativity is ever expanding and
limitless. Third, fishing surface lures can be a great
 INTRODUCTION
way to teach youngsters how to fish. Fishing
surface lures is very visual they are easy to see.
They are easy to understand and react to various
retrieval tactics. Being a visuallyfished lure then,
makes them ideal for the little ones. And last,
there is nothing like the moment when a fish takes
the lure on or near the surface. In an eruptive
fashion, the lure is attacked from below and the
line tightens. Sometimes the angler can even see
the fish stalk the lure and then, without warning,
create a wake in a torpedo-like attack straight to
the lure. The tug is the drug as they say, and
theres nothing more exciting than seeing a fish
attack a popper, slider or diver and instantly tug
the line.
Making lure bodies is a hobby within a hobby,
a craft within a craft and an art within an art.
While traditional fly tying can be a hobby, craft
and art on its own right, its often a simple matter
of assembling fur and feather on a hook with
thread. Making lures like poppers, sliders and
divers, however, often requires an additional step
making the body itself. In rod making, it
would be like making the rod blank yourself, The authors grandfather, Denton Ty Cobb Ricketts, with a
then building the rod, or to the traditional fly Northern Pike caught on surface plug-style poppers in Long
tyer making the hook first. Hence, lure making Lake, north of Alpena, MI. (Circa 1957)
can be considered a deeper level within the
hobby of lure making and fly tying. To some, its
not that interesting, while to others, it is an appeal small popper fly to some sort of billfish. I thought
unto its own it is the hobby, the craft and the to myself I could do that with the handful of cork
art. poppers I had purchased with hardearned money
I remember fishing our farm pond for panfish doing work around the small farm.
and bass as a youngster with an old Shakespeare So off I went, affixing to the end of my bait
six foot fiberglass bait casting rod meant for casting outfit, a little enamel-painted bumble bee
walleye and the like. It was armed with a silvery yellow and black striped popper with brittle white
Zebco 303 closed-faced reel spooled with probably rubber legs and sparse black hackle for the tail.
8-10 pound test; and had permanent line curl All in an attempt to cast a popper like Lee Wulff.
memory since there was no such thing as replacing How I remember such vividness in the fly I used
line every year to a 8-year old back in the late 1960s. is beyond me, but it was most likely a foretelling
I watched an episode of The American of the hobby which has fascinated me since my
Sportsman a few years later in the early 1970s singledigit years. It is because of those fond
where Lee Wulff was fly casting, as I remember, a summertime memories fishing our little farm

www.pixachrome.com 10
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
pond that I write this book part nostalgia, part
history and part fascination with the art and craft
of popper making.
Between the house and a small woods with a
seasonal stream running through it, was a farm
pond that Dad had dug to irrigate his gardens,
grape arbors and forty tree orchard. It wasnt a
big pond, maybe a half-acre or so. I remember
when it was dug and it took forever, it seemed, to
fill up naturally with rain water. Since we grew up
in northwest Ohio, rain was not a scarce resource
and the pond filled in a summers time. Dad had
thrown in 25 largemouth bass fingerlings and 100
bluegill fry to stock the pond. By the next summer
or two, the pond was full of bluegill of all sizes and
the largemouth were now 12-14 in length and
could be raised to a popper erratically stripped
along the shore.
Back to that little yellow and black popper. I
tried to cast the popper like I saw Lee Wulff do on
TV. It just wasnt happening. It wasnt until years
later that I learned about the differences in
spinning rods and fly rods, and the lines needed
for each. But somehow, I did manage to get that
This nice largemouth bass, caught in the Schweitzer farm pond in Ohio, took a copper colored pencil popper swiftly stripped
across the surface.
11
popper out a ways from shore in a feeble attempt
of fly casting with a bait casting rod, Zebco 303
reel and curly 8-pound test monofilament. And,
I fooled so many bass and bluegill on that fly that
I remember the bumblebee paint job was barely
visible and I could see the glue that held the cork
body to the hook. I finally retired that twenty
five cent popper. To this day, that vivid childhood
memory is worth at least $25 million to me.
Today, that farm pond still thrives despite not
being stocked since the late 1960s. In it have lived
generations of bass and bluegill offspring that
started with only 125 fish. Some of those farm
pond fish have reached near epic size and
proportion. The shoreline rip-rap and shallows
have thousands of fish fry darting about, providing
forage for the five-pound-plus largemouth that
lurk the depths and occasionally make a bolting
charge to the shoreline chasing the little ones. And
just like the generations before them, the bass and
bluegill still readily take a bumblebee popper. But
now, I cast more like Mr. Wulff when I fish for
them.

Using This Book
What The Book Is and Isnt
T his book is not meant to be a pattern book.
It is meant to be an idea book a book
chock-full of materials, methods and procedures
used in creating poppers, sliders and divers for fly
fishing. A material or technique is often used
across several styles of lures; a pattern book would
be least helpful unless the techniques and tricks
behind the scenes are thoroughly explored and
shared to make the pattern.
An important body material that is not covered
in this book is deer hair. Spun deer hair for top
water lures is an art unto itself and demands a
separate account of the craft. This book focuses
on the remaining foundation materials for bodies
- cork, wood, foam and the like. Photographs of
spun deer hair flies are included throughout the
book to show the art and functional examples
from some of the best artisans today.
The Books Organization
The book is divided into four sections, the first
being this introductory section and the next three
building on the one before it. It is constructed
much like a course text book, walking the reader
through the subject in a thorough manner from
genesis to exodus.
This introductory section lays out the ground
rules and delves into the fascinating history of
using basic floating lures for catching fish. The
historical knowledge comes from the generosity
of Dr. Todd E.A. Larson (publisher, Whitefish
Press) and James Dorr. They are both truly
experts in the history of poppers, sliders and divers.
www.pixachrome.com
INTRODUCTION
The first section Tools & Materials
discusses the basic and necessary tools and
materials required to make the patterns discussed
later in the book. While the section is meant to be
fairly comprehensive with current materials and
tools, it is not meant to be all-encompassing to
capture every material or tool nuance used around
the world. With the materials and tools discussed
in this book, one can more than adequately make
any popper, slider or diver in production today.
The second section Elements of Design
categorizes the seemingly endless styles of poppers
sliders and divers into discrete groupings based
on body style, such as pencil poppers, divers or
plugs. The section also discusses the most
common design elements to consider when
making your own lures. Design elements such as
legs, diving lips, eyes and painting techniques are
discussed.
The third section Making Poppers, Sliders
and Divers walks through the creation process for
effective patterns in a step-by-step manner,
building on the knowledge of materials and
techniques presented in the previous sections.
Throughout the book, Tips & How-Tos ( Z )
and DIY Projects ( n ) are called out in shaded
boxes, noted with the commensurate icon above.
Tips call out special attention to using materials
or a special technique, while a DIY Project
illustrates in detail how to make a tool or special
project on your own.
12
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Poppers, Sliders & Divers Throughout Time
By Dr. Todd Larson and Jim Dorr
T he origins of the use of surface lures for
fishing has been an eternal subject of good
natured campfire debate among the many anglers
who share an interest in the history of angling
along with their passion for the experience itself.
Many of the stories are apocryphal, perhaps best
exemplified by the story of how James Heddon
"discovered" the wooden plug in 1898. According
to the legend, James Heddon was whittling on a
piece of wood to pass the time while awaiting a
fishing companion on the banks of the Old Mill
Pond in Dowagiac, Michigan. The piece of wood
grew smaller until finally he tired of whittling and
tossed it into the pond. There was an enormous
splash as the piece of wood was hit by a bass. And
thus the idea of a surface lure was born and James
Heddon founded his namesake company that
grew into one of the largest tackle manufacturers
of the first half of the 20th Century.
The lure James Heddon is said to have whittled
was the forerunner of the wooden "plug" for use
with bait casting rods, not fly rods, but the story
itself exemplifies a basic truism that is applicable
to the history of all surface fishing: it is a relatively
recent method of fishing. People have, of course,
fished for thousands of years. Fly fishing has
existed for a lesser period of time, but, depending
how early sources and stories are interpreted, can
be said to have existed for hundreds of years,
certainly dating back to at least the time of The
Treatyse on Fysshynge with an Angle (1496)
13
attributed to Dame Juliana Berners. But whether
bait casting, fly fishing or using any other method,
anyone fishing until the end of the 19th century
or beginning of the 20th Century was almost
certainly fishing below the surface. Bait casters if
not using live bait were likely using metal spinners.
Fly fishermen, whether for trout or bass, were
likely using wet flies. There is evidence, however,
that Native Americans were using balls crafted of
floating materials, deer hair and feathers, called
bobs, as surface lures.
All of that began to change rapidly as the 19th
century drew to a close. James Heddon may not
have been the "inventor" of the surface plug, but
he was among those pioneers who transformed
fishing for bait casters with the introduction of the
wooden surface plug. Fly fishermen were no
longer wed to the wet fly - Frederic Halford in
England and Theodore Gordon, the father of dry
fly angling in America, had changed their
approach to fishing forever. In this context, fly
rod lures utilizing cork, wood or other floating
material for bass, trout, panfish or other game fish
were a natural and logical progression. In the
1920s and 1930s, they became one of the most
popular "lures" for the fly fisherman, especially for
those fishing for warm water fish.
Early History
As with the development of plugs and the dry
fly, the earliest efforts at solid body floating fly rod
lures are somewhat shrouded by the mists of time
and conflicting accounts, perhaps in part because
 POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS THROUGHOUT TIME
of simultaneous development by more than one Jamison in its literature as "The Original Cork
angler. (see generally Jerry R. Martin, et. al. "The Body Floating fly," it was "always alive," "life-like"
Floating Bass bug" in the National Fishing Lure and gave "the appearance of actually swimming,
Collectors Club Magazine, Vol. 6 No. 2 December, even in running streams" - the first fly rod slider
1996). perhaps? Dixie Carroll, well-known editor of
In 1887 U.S. Patent No. 361,099 was granted to National Sportsman magazine and outdoor writer,
Edmond A. Warren for a "Fly Hook" discussed the origins of the bass fly in an article
incorporating a floating body made of a buoyant, entitled "Floating Bass Bugs, or, What Brings Home
nonabsorbent material such as cork. Dr. James A. the Bacon" in the November, 1917 edition of
Henshall in his Book of the Black Bass (1923) stated National Sportsman and said of the Jamison Fly
that the first floating bugs he remembered were Rod Coaxer that it "is the real original of the
sent to him by M.D. Butler of
Indianapolis when he was in
charge of the Angling Pavilion at
the World's Fair in Chicago in
1893. Famed outdoor writer
Ozark Ripley wrote in Bass and
Bass Fishing (1924) that Theodore
Gordon may have experimented
with surface bugs utilizing cork as
early as 1903, although he later
wrote that Gordon used padded
cotton bodies which were difficult
to float.
Despite this somewhat
uncertain beginning, there is no
doubt that the first commercially
made cork body floating fly rod
lure was marketed by William J.
Jamison, founder of the William
J. Jamison Company. He
developed, patented and began
selling from his Chicago home his
Weedless Coaxer bass plug in
1904. In 1906 he introduced the
Coaxer Floating Trout Fly on size
7 or 10 hook, followed in 1907 by
the Coaxer Floating Bass Fly on a
size 2-0 hook. Both were on a
simple shaped cork body with a
An early advertisement for Jamisons Coaxer Floating Trout Fly. Photo courtesy
feather tail. Later described by
Mr. James Dorr.

www.pixachrome.com 14
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
floating bass flies" and "still a mighty popular
floating bass fly, and they sure bring home the
bacon." Fly Rod Coaxers in multiple color patterns
remained in the Jamison line until WWII.
The Bass Bug
The next major development in floating fly rod
lures culminated in one of the most storied and
popular fly rod lures: the Mississippi River Bass
Bug. This bug in its final form is characterized by
a lightweight body, usually cork, with wings and
most often dressed with both bucktail and
feathers, in contrast to the Jamison fly rod Coaxer
that lacked wings and had only a feather tail. Here
again there is campfire controversy surrounding
its development. Ozark Ripley proclaimed in Bass
and Bass Fishing (1924) and in Modern Bait and
Fly Casting (1928) that cork "splatters" dressed
with bucktail appeared on the lower White river
in Arkansas by about 1905. Many references have
repeated the claim of Ernest Peckinpaugh of
Tennessee that he began experimenting with the
floating bass bug in about 1907 when he
accidentally dropped a cork bottle stopper in a
stream and realized, as it floated away, that cork
would support a surface fly. (cf McClane, J.A.
"Bass Bug" in McClane's Standard Fishing
Encyclopedia and International Angling Guide,
1965). He acknowledged losing interest in his
discovery until a few years later and, although he
contended that his design ultimately resulted in
the Mississippi style there seems to be no
substantiation of that claim by others involved in
the development of that style. There is no doubt
that Peckinpaugh played a large role in
manufacturing and developing a variety of floating
bugs. He may have been the first to nationally
market one which resembled the Mississippi
model. But by the time his Floating Night Bug
first appeared in the 1917 catalog of the John J.
Hildebrandt Company and was first advertised
15
under his own name in 1918, the development of
the Mississippi bass bug was already well
underway. It got its start not on the Upper
Mississippi but on the Belgrade Lakes in Maine.
As related in his May, 1923 article in Outdoor
Life, Louis B. Adams was fishing on Long Pond in
the Belgrade Lakes on July 4, 1908 when he
became disgusted with the lack of action with his
traditional wet flies. The day was hot and muggy
and the water was glassy. Adams observed fish
actively chasing "darning needles" (damsel flies)
on the surface. He took one of his bucktail flies,
"inked" the white bucktail, fastened a strip of cork
to the hook and "certainly had a mess." But it
worked! The fish had what they wanted - insects
floating on the surface, usually injured or ruffled
up. That night he pulled feathers from some of the
mounted birds in the hotel tackle shop and
fashioned more bugs with cork bodies and
feathers, using them with success the rest of his
stay.
Adams tied a number of his new bugs over the
winter and used them with great success.
Eventually he began tying them for his friends;
around 1910 one of his friends had some tied on
special order by Abbey and Imbrie of New York.
Eventually, eastern based tackle companies such
as William Mills & Son and Abercrombie & Fitch
began tying and advertising them; they became
known as Belgrade Bugs. These bugs had no
particular pattern and were relatively crudely tied
by a number of different tiers. They featured large
bulky wings and would frequently land upside
down; twisting of the hook in the cork body was
also a problem.
Benjamin F. Wilder, an amateur but creative
fly tier and expert fisherman from New York, led
the transition of the Eastern bugs to the
Mississippi (Western) bass bug pattern. His role
and that of Adams is explained by his letter to the
editor in the May, 1918 issue of Field & Stream in
 POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS THROUGHOUT TIME
Examples of various Belgrade Bugs. Photo courtesy Mr. James Dorr.
response to an article by Will H. Dilg, another
major player in this saga:
Dear Sir:
As Mr. Dilg's articles on fishing with the floating
bass fly seem to attribute to me the invention of this
lure, and as a certain tackle-maker modestly claims
to be its originator and first maker, I beg that you
will give this letter publicity.
In June, 1911, on one of my trips to Belgrade
Lakes, Mr. Louis B. Adams, of New York City, gave
me the first "Floaters" I ever saw, and showed me
how to use them. Mr. Adams told me that he had
tied the flies, and that he had great sport with them
during previous seasons.
Though these flies were well and strongly tied,
and though they took bass, big bass and lots of bass,
during the summer of 1911 I sought to improve the
model. Whether or not I succeeded is a matter of
opinion. Certainly my flies were not more
attractive than were those made by Mr. Adams; but
www.pixachrome.com
slight changes in the shape of the body (resulting in
a fly that lighted right side up almost always) and
my soldering a sheet-metal "fin" to the hook-shank
(this firmly anchoring the hook in the body of the
fly) caused my flies, I think, to hook a greater
proportion of the fish that struck.
But, and this I desire to drive home, nothing I
did or could do in any way detracts from the honor
due Mr. Adams. So far as I know, he is the inventor
of this splendid addition to the pleasure of the bass
fisherman.
Respectfully,
B. F. Wilder
This letter is of particular interest given the
claim of Ernest Peckinpaugh in a letter written
shortly before his death in 1947 that Wilder used
his (Peckinpaugh's) bugs. Judging by his 1918
letter, Wilder would not have agreed.
Will Dilg, the author of the article to which
Wilder was responding, became the foremost
16
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
advocate of floating bass bugs. Dilg was not a fly
designer himself, but he was a prominent angler,
promoter, outdoor writer, and contributor to Field
& Stream. He later was one of the founders and
first president of the Isaac Walton League. Based
in Chicago, Dilg hosted anglers from around the
country to fly fish for smallmouth bass from his
base in a houseboat on the Upper Mississippi
River. These anglers, many of whom were from
Chicago and were, like Dilg, members of Chicago
casting clubs, began further refining the design of
the bass bug. Utilizing feathers, bucktail or a
combination of the two, the Mississippi style they
developed with down wings that hugged the
compact body was less bulky and cast better than
earlier versions. There was still much variation,
however. Dilg and others sensed a need for some
standardization of patterns so Dilg invited "some
of Chicago's expert fishermen and professional fly
tiers" to a luncheon at the Chicago Athletic Club
in 1916 or 1917, where the group standardized 12
color patterns, naming them for angling notables
and participants at the meeting.
Individual professional tiers continued to sell
their bass bug creations by word of mouth or
advertisements in sporting magazines, but larger
tackle manufacturers as well as more
commercially oriented entrepreneurs recognized
the commercial possibilities of the increasingly
popular lure. By the early 1920s they supplanted
the cottage industry. In addition to the Ernest
Peckinpaugh Company bugs, among the more
well known and successful were the Callmac Bug,
made by South Bend Bait Company from 1921
into the 1950s. South Bend acquired the rights to
the Callmac bug from its originator, Call J.
McCarthy, a Chicago based National casting
champion whom Dilg called "the greatest artist
with the rod and reel of his time" and who
patented a hook to resist lateral and rotational
movement. His bass bugs were likely the highest
17
Callmac Bugs took the early floating cork lures to a new
level of artistry by 1920. Photo courtesy Mr. James Dorr.
form of the art among the professional tiers of the
era.
Perhaps the best made and most popular of the
commercial Mississippi bass bugs were those
made by James Heddon's Sons from 1924 until
after WWII. The bass size Heddon "Bug with the
hackle" came in the 12 patterns standardized in
the Chicago conference. The Baby Bass Bug came
in 6 patterns. Simply put, they were works of art.
The Feather Minnow
B.F. Wilder may have simply advanced the
design of the bass bug, rather than originating it,
but he seems clearly to have been the inventor of
the feather minnow, a surface fly rod lure that was
at least as popular as the bass bug, if not more so.
As related by Wilder in the October, 1923 issue of
Outers' Recreation, he had observed in a variety of
angling experiences that "fish instantly took
advantage of injuries which made their natural
food easy to catch." Although certainly not the first
angler to observe this phenomenon, he called on
his experience with cork bodied bass bugs to
experiment with a surface fly rod lure that would
mimic an injured minnow and after many trials
"hit upon a head made of cork and a body
composed of long, springy cock's hackles. These
feathers were tied in on either side of the hook-
 POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS THROUGHOUT TIME

Heddon Bass Bugs, The bug with hackle, became the most popular of the Mississippi-style bass bugs. Photo courtesy Mr.
Jim Dorr.

shank with the natural curve of the feathers of one Dear Bill:
side opposed to the curve of those forming the
You know that feather minnow, and how deadly
other side, which resulted in a very flexible body
it would be in the hands of a fish hog? Well, I'm a
with the appearance of substance and almost no
little uneasy at having turned that lure loose, and
weight. Between head and body was a hackle, such
I feel it would sort of take the curse off to name it
as one may see upon almost any wet fly, which
after a friend of mine who, both by precept and
sloped and modeled the lines of the head into
example, has preached sportsmanship and
those of the bodyIt floated barely awash; it
moderation all his life. In short, I'd like to name it
appeared to struggle helplessly at the slightest
movement of the leader." The lure had a bullet
shaped cork head that was " in length and " in
diameter. The overall length was 3 ". Wilder was
concerned that the lure would be too effective so
he turned to his friend Will Dilg to suggest a name
for the lure:

An example of the original Wilder Feather Minnow. Photo

courtesy of Mr. James Dorr.

www.pixachrome.com 18
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

South Bend and Heddonfeather minnows. Photo courtesy Mr. Jim Dorr.

after you - call it The Dilg Fly Rod Minnow. How

about it? You ought to stand for it, for if it hadn't much hype and fanfare. It was introduced in 12
been for you, I think I'd have kept it quiet. patterns in the bass size, which uniquely
incorporated two fins as well as the collar hackle
Dilg did not keep it quiet, and, being a
and feather tail, and 6 patterns in the smaller trout
magazine editor, prolific writer and advocate of
size, each named after famous anglers of day,
fly fishing for bass with a surface lure, he
including Zane Grey. Early "portrait" boxes
promoted the new lure among both fishermen and
featured a picture of the lure as well as the angler
manufacturers in the early 1920s. The result: both
after which it was named, except for one - the
Heddon and South Bend introduced feather
Gifford Pinchot pattern. Known as the Father of
minnows in 1922 and other manufacturers
American Forestry in his role as first Chief of the
subsequently followed suit. South Bend attributed
U.S. Forest Service, it is speculated that Pinchot
the design of its feather minnow to Ben Winchell,
did not want his picture on the box because he was
another Chicago based fishing authority and fly
running (successfully) for governor of
tier. For Heddon, the feather minnow was the
Pennsylvania at the time. While not cataloged
company's first fly rod lure, and it introduced "The
among major manufacturers after approximately
New Wilder-Dilg Lure Feathered Minnow" to
the mid 1950s, Feather Minnows remain to this
19
 POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS THROUGHOUT TIME
day one of the most popular fly rod surface lures
of all time.

Wigglers and Wobblers (a.k.a.

Wilder-Dilg Lures with associated famous anglers. Photo
courtesy Mr. Jim Dorr.
Divers)
Cork was not the only material used for floating
lures in the early days of surface fly rod lures, nor
were all floating lures designed to be worked
entirely on the surface. Once again, a familiar
name arises as the pioneer. Bill Jamison, whose fly
rod coaxer was the first commercially produced
cork body fly rod lure, introduced his Jamison Fly
Rod Wiggler in 1917. It utilized a similar design
as his larger Jamison Mascot bass plug except on
a much smaller scale. Made of red cedar and
finished with a waterproof celluloid enamel, it was
designed to "wiggle and wobble like a live crippled
minnow." Ultimately in 3 sizes (2 ," 1 " and 1
") to mimic the size of small school minnows, it
could be retrieved slowly on the surface, but was
designed to run about 12 to 15 inches deep. Its
double hook could be reversed to make the lure
relatively weedless. Featuring hand painted gill

Jamison Wigglers ushered in a new era of top water fly rod lures meant to imitate injured baitfish. Photo courtesy Mr. Jim
Dorr.

www.pixachrome.com 20
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Trout-Orenos were some of the first fly rod lures that incorporated a deeply cupped face which caused it to swim in an
erratic motion. Photo courtesy Mr. Jim Dorr.

marks and eight different color patterns, it was a What about Poppers?
real eye catcher. So far we have discussed what might be called
The first fly rod lure introduced by South Bend sliders or divers, but what about poppers? For
Bait Company, even before the Callmac bug, was most of us, there is no greater thrill in fly fishing
a diminutive version of its popular Bass-Oreno for bass than working a popper, anticipating either
bass plug. The 1 " Trout-Oreno introduced in that violent strike or the subtle, sucking take of
1920 and 1 1/8" Fly-Oreno introduced in 1921 had what is most likely a bigger fish. And the popping
a deeply cupped face that produced a wobbling,
erratic motion. Floats when not in motion -dives
and swims when moving." It was produced into
the 1950s.
Jamison and South Bend may have been the
first to market commercially successful "divers,"
but multiple other wobbling and wiggling fly rod
lures, some for surface retrieve and some designed
to dive, were marketed by many of the leading
tackle companies as well as many smaller "mom
and pop" companies during the heyday of the
1920s and 1930s. Many of them were of
exceedingly high quality and fine workmanship.
Some of them are depicted in the accompanying
picture. One of the first true poppers of modern day fly fishing, the
Pop-It fly rod lure from The Creek Chub Bait Company.
Photo courtesy Mr. Jim Dorr.

21
 POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS THROUGHOUT TIME
Various wigglers and wobblers. Photo courtesy Mr. Jim Dorr.
sound is a part of that anticipation for the
fisherman, just as it is an attractor for the fish.
Poppers were the last of the solid body surface
fly rod lures to be developed. At first, the thinking
was that surface bugs should be fished with a
minimum of disturbance. The lures themselves
were designed with conical faces, in part to limit
surface disturbance during the retrieve and lift off.
As anglers gained experience with surface bugs,
they began to realize that surface fuss and noise,
employed properly, could add to their success, not
hinder it. Manufacturers began to design and then
introduce bugs specifically designed to "pop." The
first commercial fly rod lure specifically designed
to make surface noise was the cup faced Fly Rod
www.pixachrome.com
Pop-it, introduced by the Creek Chub Bait
Company in 1926. Creek Chub advertised that the
Pop-it was guaranteed: " to get bass when pulled
so as to make the bait go pop-pop on the surface.
The reason it is such a killer is, that though it is a
very small and light lure, when jerked it makes a
big fuss on the surface, which bass can't resist."
Over a 30 year period, the Pop-it became the most
successful of all Creek Chub fly rod baits.
Other manufacturers soon joined in to make
popping bugs. E. H. Peckinpaugh, often
mistakenly given credit for the first popping bug,
introduced his V-face "especially designed"
popping bug in 1930 and more popping bugs came
later. Heddon bass bugs transitioned to flat face
22
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Examples of some of the variety of poppers available in the 1930s. Photo courtesy Mr. Jim Dorr.
Early (bottom) and late (top) examples of the Palmer
Grasshopper show subtle design improvements over
time. Photo courtesy Dr. Todd Larson.
23
and then cup face, first in cork and then in plastic.
South Bend also introduced several popping style
bugs in the 1930s, as did one of the other large fly
and fly rod lure companies, the Weber Lifelike Fly
Company. Other smaller companies also
developed their own versions.
At the turn of the 20th century, commercially
tied realistic grasshopper patterns became
popular, and have become basis for the fly rod
lures of today. A representative example and
poster child for these functional realistics was
the Palmer Grasshopper, invented by Marion M.
Palmer of Pasadena, California. Patent #1,248,390
was issued on November 27, 1917, for his design.
The Palmer Grasshoppers body was crafted of
cork, making it a true fly rod lure, with legs crafted
 POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS THROUGHOUT TIME
Additional examples of the Pop-It fly rod lure by The Creek Chub Bait Company of Garret, Indiana. Photo courtesy Mr.
Jim Dorr.
from feather shafts and sparrow feathers tied with
silk to resemble wings. The result was a highly
effective and realistic looking bug.
Later History
The popularity that floating fly rod lures had
enjoyed prior to World War II did not return in
the first quarter century following the war. Many
reasons may have existed for this, but the foremost
was the new and burgeoning popularity of spin
casting, enabling lighter tackle to be used. Many
of the old line products -and many of the old line
companies - died out. But examples could still be
had from companies like Arbogast and Weber in
plastic or resins like Dylite. Individuals made
surface bugs for their own personal use, for their
www.pixachrome.com
friends or as a small cottage business using cork,
wood or newer materials such as foam. And,
although beyond the scope of this history, a
renewed interest and creativity in designing hair
bugs developed, especially beginning in the 1970s.
Now as fly fishing in general and warm and
saltwater fly fishing in particular have surged in
popularity, poppers, sliders and divers have once
again resumed their rightful place. And, while
there may still be campfire debates surrounding
the origin of the surface lure, we can all thank the
pioneers who enabled us to the experience. To
summarize, B.F. Wilder's words regarding top
water lures simplistically states; "[they are a]
splendid addition to the pleasure" of all fly
fishermen.
24
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Artisans Gallery
Tim Jacobs

Tim Jacobs, of New Castle, Colorado, is a prominent Western United States fly tyer using the technique of spun deer hair.
Top Row: examples of Tims diver-style spun deer hair flies. Middle and Bottom Rows: examples of classic deer-hair popper
style flies. Tims signature style includes using Whiting Farms black-laced white feathers dyed in various colors as the primary
tailing feather. In the tails, Tim also uses color-coordinated wispy spey hackle from Whiting Farms.
25
 SECTION ONE

Tools & Materials

Tools of the Trade
Lure Body Materials
Hooks & Thread
Paints
Markers
Adhesives
Body Fillers & Finishes
Body & Tailing Materials

- Kirk Deeter, (fly fishing angler, author and publisher)

www.pixachrome.com 26
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Tools of the Trade

D iving into the world of popper, slider and

diver making can be as simple or involved
as your time and money allow. The craft does
require some tools that arent required for
standard fly tying however, so some investment
outside of standard fly tying is required to get into
the craft.
The saving grace is that most of the materials
used in lure making are the same as in fly tying, so
little change is needed there, unless of course you
prefer to add more to your collection. I often
comment during my fly tying demonstrations that
fly tyers arent hoarders, just eccentric collectors
- and I have collected a rather large collectable
collection of collectibles. Just in case I need it, of
course. I am not alone, I know this as fact.
The materials can be divided into two simple
categories: body materials and the rest. Body
materials are essentially some sort of cork, light
wood , foam or polystyrene. These materials will
be discussed in greater detail later in this book.
The rest of the materials tied behind a popper,
slider or diver body such as feathers, rubber legs
and synthetic fibers are typically all part of a
modestly-stocked fly tying kit. Heres the part
where you determine how much of what you dont
have to make the lure types you want to make.

The authors fly tying area has plenty of bright working spaces, ample lighting, close-by material storage and good
ventilation. The room also serves as a photography lab, day-job office and sometimes a guitar studio.

27

Invest a little or a lot, or invest in materials with a
friend and split the booty, your choice.
As for the specialty tools that are needed to
make lure bodies, most can be made DIY (do-it
-yourself). This is partly the attraction to some
and a necessity to others. Not all tools mentioned
in this section are readily available as
manufactured products, so making them is a
necessity.
Work Area Prep
Great Lighting
With the multitude of colors, pigments and
shades involved in the materials used to make
poppers, slider and divers, great not just good
lighting is essential. Daylite fluorescent
lighting offers the lighting spectrum of sunlight,
which will illuminate subtle shades and tints more
accurately. The yellow light of standard
incandescent bulbs or the bluish light of some
compact fluorescent bulbs just wont do the colors
(or your eyes) justice. LED lighting is becoming
more mainstream and like fluorescent and
incandescent lighting, can provide varying light
color.
White Work Surface Area
A light-colored or white work surface helps in
the overall comfort of eyes as they process color,
tints, contrast and depth of field. A white work
surface helps by providing reflected light and a
good white backdrop. Your eyes will work less
and thus reduce eye and head strain over an
afternoon at the bench.
Working Board
When working with paints and adhesives, the
inevitable will happen at some point - spilled
liquids. Having a working board, maybe a small
sheet of thin plywood, MDF or even a simple sheet
of box cardboard to place on a white work surface
www.pixachrome.com
TOOLS
will prevent paints and adhesives from damaging
a nice white working surface. And over time, the
working board becomes nouveau art in itself.
Spilled glues, nail polishes and even a coffee cup
ring or two add character to your work board.
Good Ventilation
All the paint and adhesives used in the craft
emit some fairly potent fumes. An afternoon at
the bench inhaling adhesives and enamels will
have your head spinning. Some like the smell of
BTEX components in markers and paints
(benzene, toluene, ethylene and xylene), others
find the fumes noxious. Having good ventilation
will help reduce the headaches and speed the
drying time of adhesives, paint jobs and overcoats.
Opening a window and the door to your tying
room can provide enough cross-ventilation to do
the job. If your tying room doesnt have a window,
placing a small air-circulating fan in the corner on
the floor can move ample air to create good
ventilation.
The Necessary Basics
The essential tools required for fly tying also
apply to making poppers, sliders and divers: a vise,
a bodkin, a thread bobbin and a sharp pair of
scissors. The jaws of the fly tying vise should be
able to accommodate the larger hooks sizes used
in poppers, sliders and divers - up 4/0 in some
cases. If you plan on crafting lures for freshwater
panfish, bass and pike, a vise jaw that holds hooks
up to 1/0 or so will do. A larger vise jaw is required
for saltwater hooks, which are not only larger in
size but also made of much thicker and sturdier
wire.
Basic Tools for Painting
Base Coat Painting Jig
For most natural material lure bodies, like cork
or balsa, painting a solid base color is required
28
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Base Coat Painting Jig: A few cork stoppers have been
spray painted with a semi-gloss white enamel paint in
preparation for further painting with the Copic Air Brush
system. Spray painting a base coat on lure bodies with or
without hooks is a personal choice. The corks are stuck on
small straight pins which are pushed through the cardboard
box from the underside. This permits all sides of the cork
body to be accessed and spray painted.
before decorating with additional lure detail. Most
often, lure bodies are painted white, which makes
pigment-based colors from airbrush systems and
permanent marker colors stand out more
prominently.
Spray painting a solid opaque color is the fastest
and most effective way to prepare a group of lure
bodies for further marking and coloring. A simple
DIY jig allows for the spray paint to reach all
surfaces of the lure body and provides ample room
to dry as well. A small cardboard box, a few
straight pins and some sturdy tape is all that is
needed to make a base coat painting jig. More on
29
Painting stencils can take the form of existing materials, like
fine mesh or custom-made stencils out of cardboard paper
stock or acetate. Pictured here, tulle fabric (wedding rice
bag material, organza) and two custom stencils aided in air
brushing a perch-patterned key chain.
making a DIY base coat painting jig can be found
in Section 1 - Finishes.
Stencils and Patterns
Stencils and patterns are excellent aides to
make perfect repeating shapes or unique shapes
every time. Spray painting through comb teeth
for example, will yield stripes, and punching holes
in a piece of acetate will make perfect spray
painted circles or hand-marked circles every time.
Custom stencils can be made to replicate intricate
patterns such as wavy tiger stripes or lightning bolt
stripes. Making custom stencils is only limited to
ones creativity. More on making DIY stencils is
discussed in the Section 2 - Painting Techniques.
Eye Dot Stamps
Painting eyes or spots on a lure can be art in
itself. Multiple layered circles of varying colors
can produce a realistic looking eye or spots on a
frog lure. Obtaining the perfect circle is
accomplished by using varied diameters of metal

DIY Eye dot stamps make perfect circles every time for eyes
and spots on lure bodies.
rods. Eye dot stamps can be made of dowels,
needles and metal rods, any solid material that is
a perfect circle inherently. Metal works the best,
however.
Since eye dot stamps arent commercially
available, they are a perfect DIY project. Various
diameters of pins, darning needles and metal rods
can make a set of stamps to suit the smallest of
poppers to large saltwater-style bodies. More on
making a DIY set of eye dot stamps is in Section 2
- Eyes.
Air Compressor
If you plan on air brushing acrylics or using the
Copic Air Brush System, the investment in a
small hobby air compressor will pay for itself after
just a handful of compressed air bottle purchases.
There are other advantages of having an air
compressor such as achieving a consistent air flow,
If you are planning to do any serious amount of air brush
painting, a small hobby air compressor is a good investment.
www.pixachrome.com
TOOLS
which is imperative for professional looking
painted surfaces, and having no risk of the
pressurized air freezing up as it does when using
compressed air from a canister for long bursts at
a time. Youll find other uses for compressed air
at the tying bench too, such as drying adhesives
and paints faster or simply blowing off dust and
A DIY paint box with the top and front open is useful for
painting with the Copic Air Brush System. A larger box
is better suited for air brushing with acrylics.
debris from the work bench surface.
Paint Box
A paint box is nothing more than a small box
to spray paint within - or more accurately stated,
to air brush within. Its as simple as a box cut to
shape to surround a spray painting area on the
work bench. It can be modified to wrap around a
vise base allowing the vise stem and jaw to position
in the middle of the box. Paint boxes of this nature
are good for air brush paints which have a more
controlled spray area and circumference, but not
for canned spray paints, which are more difficult
to control spray volume and area. If working with
canned spray paints, its best to work outside and
not worry about over-spray damaging furniture
floors and walls.
Alternatively, hobby air brushing spray hoods
are available for under US $100. A spray hood
30
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
jig and the adhesive spray box can also act as an
adequate garage or tool shed spray paint hood for
canned spray paints, although its best to be ultra
cautious about using canned spray paints indoors
using these DIY tools. More on making your own
DIY adhesive spray box can be found in the
section Adhesives.

Drying Wheel
A drying wheel is an essential tool to making
poppers, sliders and divers. Drying wheels can be
purchased or DIY made. If a DIY drying wheel is
A portable airbrush paint spray hood utilizes a small fan to your preferred method, the internet is loaded with
draw airflow through a two-filter system. A professional
spray hood like this one is useful for airbrushing with
Copic markers and acrylics, keeping the fine mist
contained.

contains a replaceable multi-layered air filter in

which air is drawn through using a small venting
fan in the back. This effectively draws the fine air
brush paint mist through the filters. The unit folds
into a compact self-contained box for storage.
They are ideal for air brushing top water lures and
spinning baits indoors. They are not ideal for
spray can paints, however - use spray can paints
outdoors. More on fabricating your own DIY
paint box can be found in Section 1 - Paints.

Tools for Gluing and Drying

Adhesive Spray Box
Like the paint hood, spraying adhesives, such
as using 3M Super 77, can be a sticky mess if not
done properly. An old copy paper box is all that
is needed to make a very functional adhesive spray
box. Placing the items to spray in the bottom and
directing the spray towards the bottom allows the
rest of the box to do its job - prevent over-spray
from blowing around you in a three to five foot
radius. Spray adhesives are notorious for making
tenacious sticky messes if not used in a controlled
environment. Combining the base coat painting
A motorized drying wheel is essential for evenly curing
epoxy finishes and drying paint finishes.
videos and how tos - simply search for fly drying
wheel. A drying wheel can be converted from a
rod turning motor or an old battery operated
motor. Essentially, any motor that turns 5 to 10
revolutions a minute (RPM) will work for epoxies
and certainly for drying paint jobs. Any slower
and thin epoxies and thick paints may actually
drip off the lure body. Pre-manufactured drying

31

A bead chain drying rack is easy to make using a sturdy base,
two dowels and a length of chain. The home-made rack
above also has a few wine corks glued in the base as extra
places to dry larger lure bodies.
wheels, such as Flex Coats 7 RPM cordless fly &
jig turning wheel are also available online and
from local fly shops, usually as a special order item.
Bead Chain Drying Rack
Another very effective way to dry flies is to
make a bead chain clothes line of sorts.
Extending a strand of bead chain, the larger beads
the better, across two stanchions will make an
effective drying line. A bead chain line is very
Adjustable clamp stands are helpful for managing detailed
painting and applying finishes.
www.pixachrome.com
TOOLS
Bulldog clips, alligator clips and spring-loaded weighted
clips help hold mesh materials tight to the lure body when
spray painting.
useful for drying flies that are glued, flies with UV
cure resins, or freshly spray painted lure bodies.
A bead chain line is not very effective for drying
epoxies as the epoxy will run and drip before
curing.
Adjustable Clamp Stand
An adjustable clamp stand with small clips is
handy for spray painting, hand-painting detail,
and applying finishes at various angles. It gives an
advantage of managing the detailed manipulation
required of spray guns and paint brushes when
doing intricate work. Several different styles exist;
clamp stands with multiple flexible clips and
clamp stands with adjustable arms are most
common.
Clips
A variety of alligator and bulldog clips are
necessary for holding mesh and fabric stencils over
top water lure bodies while airbrushing or hand-
painting is performed. Berkley Bottom Finder
spring loaded stainless steel clips (pictured clips
with red ball weights attached) are useful for
32
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
A 3-ring notebook with baseball card storage sleeves is a
great way to store stick-on and 3D eyes. Store each
size/color combination in separate pages for easy reference.
pulling the mesh fabric over the lure body to
ensure it stays tight.
Other Items
There are other readily available tools that are
handy to have: coffee stir sticks for mixing
adhesives and applying wood filler, nail files
(emery boards) for sanding lure bodies, and paper
towels for cleaning up paint and adhesives.
Thoughts On Organization
With all the materials, paints, adhesives and
tools a lure maker needs, having a way to keep
materials systematically organized is a good habit
to practice However, organization isnt everyones
cup of tea. Organization for one lure maker may
look like chaos to another. I am not here to say
what is good organization, but rather to share why
some sort of organization of all the things a lure
maker needs is a good idea. The organization you
employ has to work for you. For the most part,
the fly tyers and lure makers I know are wired to
be organized, so a discussion on organization
doesnt need to be exhaustive - because as we all
know, we are collectors of necessary materials,
not hoarders. Hoarders are disorganized,
collectors arent.
33
Having some semblance of organization will
help you avoid catastrophe at the bench. Having
many packets of expensive synthetics and a few
pricey rooster capes laying on the bench surface
is not a good idea when air brushing or painting
with lacquers, enamels and the like. Even opening
a small bottle of clear nail lacquer to finish off a
fly can tip over easily and ruin whats underneath
it. So, make a practice of ridding the work surface
of anything you dont want liquids to ruin - you
wont regret the extra minute or two it took to do
so.
Another key to organization is to keep
adhesives and small bottles of enamels and paints
in plastic baggies and stored in plastic storage
boxes when not in use. Adhesives in one box,
paints in another. Over time, the bottle gremlins
will loosen a lid or cap and tip the bottle ever-so-
slightly. Out comes an oozing of paint or glue
without your approval. It will happen to you.
With all the long synthetic materials available
today, theres plenty of options to store the
material besides using a long plastic baggie. For
example, once EP fibres or PikeSkinz fiber hanks
are removed from the original long plastic baggie,
its all but impossible to get the entire hank back
in the baggie without some sort of hassle. There
are two storage methods I find invaluable for these
sorts of materials.
The first method is to get a grip on long-strand
material - bind them with small, thin zip ties. Bind
the hank of material at the very end, leaving the
minimum amount of material beyond the bound
end. The second method is to use large clear
ice-cream shake straws to store each synthetic
material hank within. The straws are usually 8
(20cm) long and 1/2 (13mm) in diameter. Most
long materials will slide nicely into the large straws.
 TOOLS

The authors top water fly box is displayed against a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains on the horizon (Longs
Peak in view, top center).

www.pixachrome.com 34
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Lure Body Materials
T he most common popper body material, and
probably the first used, is cork. But with
ever-declining supplies of good quality cork, other
materials work equally as well, if not better.
Besides cork, evolution in popper making includes
using wood as a body material. Balsa, which is
native to South America and basswood, which is
native to North America, are light and buoyant.
They carve, shape and sand well. In a nutshell,
balsa floats the best, basswood carves the best.
Pre-shaped molded Styrofoam bodies are
readily available in two primary body styles:
cupped plugs and pencil popper bodies. Shaping
raw soft Styrofoam is difficult however, and thus
does not work well as a hobby material. Hard
Styrofoam works like balsa or dense foam it
can be shaped and sanded. High-density
polyethylene foam bodies are available in a variety
of shapes, colors and form factors. Polyethylene
foam (craft foam) comes in sheets in a variety of
thickness and in solid blocks. Both molded
Styrofoam and craft foam come pre-shaped in a
wide-variety of popper body styles and colors
ready for finishing.
Deer Hair
Before there were plastics and foams, there was
deer hair. Stacked in dense layers on a hook shank,
the compressed deer hair can be cut and shaped
like a cork or wood bodied popper. The hollow
nature of quality deer hair makes the poppers float
well, especially when dressed with a floatant.
While this book does not cover the art of deer hair
35
spinning, a few beautiful examples of the deer hair
poppers are included the Artisans Galleries pages.
Cork
Cork popper bodies are readily available,
however, quality cork can be hard to find. Look
for cork that is full, dense and that is free of pocked
holes as much as possible. Some cork body
preparation is required for most cork available to
hobbyists today. Cork popper bodies can be made
from wine corks, test tube stoppers or cork rings
for rod grips.
Cork can be spun on a micro-lathe and sanded
down or hand-carved and sanded to shape. Be
warned however, that an extremely sharp hobby
knife or razor blade is required to cut cork to
rough shape before sanding to final form. A dull
blade or not taking time to cut cork will cause the
cork to break off in chunks of smaller cork pieces
versus being cut smoothly. When the cork breaks
off, it leaves pocked marks and holes, and even
may split so far as to ruin the integrity and solid
structure of the cork body for popper use. When
cutting cork, practice on a scrap piece first, then
work towards using your good material after
practice. Take your time cutting cork, don't force
it. Let the blade do the cutting and move the blade
along slowly to avoid chipping the cork off on
chunks.
Shaping cork with a lathe creates perfect
cylindrical or round bodies. They can be turned
as cones, as cylinders or with creative curves.
Miniature lathes, or a rotary tool, can turn the cork
 LURE BODY MATERIALS
FIGURE 1

Advantages and Disadvantages of Top Water Lure Body Material Types

Material Advantages Disadvantages
Easy to find average quality cork Difficult to hand-carve
Floats like acork! Requires some prep time to fill in the holes
Cork Sands quite well Good cork is difficult to find
Takes paint well Use contributes to the ever-growing world-wide
Easy to glue eyes and materials to it shortage
Comes in a variety of pre-cut shapes for the Difficult to turn on a lathe without taking too
hobbyist much off quickly
Easy to shape with knife and sandpaper Fragile wood
Can be soaked in water to flex and bend to shape Dents easily (eg - fish teeth will easily damage if
High strength-to-weight ratio not protected)
Balsa Very porous; glues well Since it is very porous, it requires a primer coat
Sands quite well before painting. Unfinished balsa will soak up
Takes paint well water like a sponge.
Easy to glue eyes and materials to it
Ultra-light wood
When treated, floats well
Comes in a variety of pre-cut shapes for the Less strength-to-weight ratio than balsa
hobbyist More time-consuming to shape and sand
Easy to shape with knife and sandpaper compared to balsa
Sands quite well
Takes paint well
Basswood Easy to glue eyes and materials to it
Light wood, floats well
Less porous than balsa wood
Harder than balsa, more durable
Easier to turn on a lathe
Easy to find as packing material for household Fragile - it breaks apart in small chunks
Unshaped polystyrene appliances, electronics and furniture Hard to carve and shape
foam Paints easily with most mediums Cannot sand it to finish
(Styrofoam ) Easy to glue eyes and materials Nearly impossible to thread a hook through it;
must glue hook to the material
Quickest way to a finished popper Can break in half if not careful gluing hooks in
Pre-formed polystyrene Easy to glue eyes and materials to it place
Sold in a limited variety of sizes and shapes Pre-formed shapes and sizes are limiting
foam Kits available, complete with hooks Mildly soluble in organic solvents, cyanoacrylate
(Styrofoam) Smooth finish and ready to paint or color (Superglue), and propellants of some spray
Easy to glue on a hook shank paints
Easy to find Unless the material is folded and tied on the hook,
Sheet High Density A wide variety of colors to choose from making a bulky foam body is best done by gluing
With an undercoat, it paints well the sheet colors together
Polyurethane Foam Easy to glue eyes and materials to it Not all glues hold the sheet foam firmly and create
(craft store sheet foam) Easy to cut with shape cutters, rotary cutter or a durable body
scissors
Easy to find Flammable
Consistent firm texture, unlike the variability of Some eco-friendly foams are also bio-degradable;
wood not good for water-ready popper bodies
Available in a wide variety of colors, thickness and
pre-formed body styles
Floats well and shapes easily with knife
Block High Density Can be milled and lathed
Does not retain static like Styrofoam
Polyurethane Foam Does not warp, twist or bow
(craft store block foam) Retains shape in extreme cold or hot
temperatures
Highly resistant to most chemicals and solvents
Does not absorb water or rot
Takes paint well
Easy to glue
Is made of renewable material resources

www.pixachrome.com 36
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
at high speed and sandpaper is used to shape the
body. Coarse-grit sandpaper is used to rough-in
the body shape and fine-grit is used to smooth the
body in preparation for painting.
Cork should be prepped before painting.
Ideally, the small holes and surface variations
should be filled with a glue or sealer, then sanded
down to the desired body shape after drying.
After filling and sanding the cork body, its best
to apply a coat of water-based wood treatment or
a solid color of acrylic paint before painting the
body. The wood treatment will allow the natural
color of the cork to come through while the acrylic
will lay down a base color for the popper and seal
the cork all in one step. When using opaque colors
like acrylics or some air-brushed paints, one coat
of base sealant is all that is required. When using
pigment-based colors like the Copic Air Brush
System, a light or white acrylic base is best. This
allows the air-brushed pigments to stand out
against the light background base color of the
popper.
Balsa
Balsa wood is a very porous and light wood.
Fresh cut green balsa has to be dried in a kiln for
at least two weeks to evaporate the water that is
held in the large wood grain cells. The trees are
fast growing and exhibit a high strength-to-weight
ratio. Balsa is a favorite of model airplane
hobbyists, building and testing model bridges, and
even used in the core of wind turbine blades.
Interestingly, the seeds of the balsa were once used
to fill life jackets, due to their buoyant, Styrofoam-
like nature.
Ecuador supplies over 90% of the world's
supply of balsa, where over half is grown via balsa
plantations in densely planted balsa 'forests'. It is
an inexpensive wood and readily available, making
it ideal for popper creation.
37
Square balsa rods, cut into cubes, make whimsically fun
dice-shaped top water lure bodies.
Basswood
Basswood, also called lindenor limewood, is
native to much of temperate North America. It
has a soft, nearly grainless texture. It is easily
worked in wood sculptures and carvings and is
ideal for popper body making and for waterfowl
decoy art. It is also used to create furniture and
window blinds since it is lightweight, strong and
stains/paints well. Native Americans harvested
the inner bark, which produces a strong lengthy
fiber. This 'bast' was used for cordage, in textiles,
in basket weaving and in decorative dress.
Basswood was even harvested for food. The
cambium, the layer between the wood and inner
bark, is slushy white and full in the spring, tasting
something like sweet cucumber. Later in the
growing season, the cambium is a very thin layer
and can hardly be found. Basswood trees also
attract honey bees. The honey from a basswood
tree beehive is sought-after as a premium product.
High Density Polyethylene Foam
High Density Polyethylene Foam is one of the
most popular and easy to use materials available
for custom popper making. It is readily available
in most any form factor desired; from thin sheets
to blocks several inches thick. There are two types
of high density polyethylene foam to consider for
the fly tyer and lure maker: Cross-Link foam and
Evazote/Plastazote foam.

Cross-Linked Polyethylene Foam (XLPE) is a
fine-celled foam with a smooth, medium-firm
pleasant feel. With its closed cell density, XLPE
has low moisture permeability and high buoyancy.
This is the most common foam found in craft and
hobby stores as sheets ranging from 0.5mm to
several millimeters thick.
Fly tying material suppliers package popular
colors and several thicknesses of XLPE.
Polyethylene foam is easily glued together in
layers, creating an infinite combination of color
options. It shapes and paints without too much
effort. It's easy to tie to a hook, is inexpensive,
readily available in a rainbow of colors, durable
and floats reasonably well, especially if coated with
a water-based urethane before being fished.
There's not much to disapprove about XLPE for
popper making.
Evazote and Plastazote are also cross-linked
polyethylenes, but add a copolymer to make the
resulting foam tougher and more resilient than
other dense foams. Plastazote is easily fabricated
since it is more rigid than Evazote. Plastazote is
the ideal foam lure making material. Fly tying
material manufacturers sell it as pre-formed
popper bodies in a variety of popular shapes,
colors and sizes. While the pre-formed bodies can
be tied directly to the hook without painting, most
tyers paint the foam bodies with custom colors or
LURE BODY MATERIALS
clear seal and affix eyes before calling them
complete.
Evazote is similar to Plastazote but has a more
rubbery look and feel. Evazote is more durable
and resilient to environmental factors such as
petroleum products and household cleaners.
Evazote is often used as soles in footwear.
Polyurethane Foam
Polyurethane foam is most often used as
insulation, core material for production housing
walls and HVAC systems enclosures. It is rigid,
lightweight, highly insulating and has low water
absorption. It can be carved and shaped similar
to balsa wood, although with more care. While it
can be used to create conical or round lure bodies
in a pinch, it is not the ideal body material since it
is the most rigid and brittle of all the foams
discussed here.
Molded Closed-cell Polystyrene
Foam (Styrofoam)
By itself, Styrofoam (a trademarked name by
The Dow Chemical Co.) is not very appealing as
a material to shape into custom designs. It can be
difficult to work with and annoyingly messy as
discarded shavings, cuttings and sanded debris
cling to anything that can hold a static charge. The

There are subtle differences between Plastazote (red) and Cross-Linked Polyethelene XLPE (gray, green) foams. Plastazote
has a more dense, firm feel with tighter cell construction, while XLPE foam is slightly softer to the touch, and more open
cell construction. XLPE is the most common material sold in craft stores as foam sheets. Here, you can see that the gray
XLPE is slightly more porous than the green XLPE - not all craft sheet foams are created equal.

www.pixachrome.com 38
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Hobby store foam sheeting can be glued and compressed

during drying to create a firm block of foam. Nearly
Cork cutters, like pictured above, are effective for cutting
limitless color combinations can be created. The block can
cork, soft woods (primarily balsa) and dense foam. Instead
be drilled and shaped to form most any top water lure body.
of using a powered drill to cut through materials, they are
hand operated. While slower to cut a wood or foam plug,
they dont require a drill or an outlet, which can be useful
for making plug bodies on a fishing trip. Various tube
diameters from just under 1/8 (X mm) to 1 (~250mm) in
diameter cover most freshwater and saltwater needs. The
wooden-handled tool is a sharpener. Brand new, the
combination of the cutters and the sharpener cost in excess
of US $100.

Evazote: Dollar-store flip-flops make economical foam lure

bodies, however, the foam is somewhat porous and will
absorb water over a short time, making the body sink
slightly, but not all the way under the surface of the water.
Other Materials
Fly tyers and lure makers are some of the most
resourceful and creative sorts when it comes to
Styrofoam that is in standard white coffee cups their art and craft. The resourcefulness and
is entirely too soft for any practical application
here, and is not the Styrofoam that is being
discussed. Styrofoam that is hard and rigid is the
material to choose for popper, slider and diver
body applications.
Pre-molded Styrofoam bodies (Wapsi
Perfect Popper Pack) are one of the quickest ways
to making a durable popper body that is attractive
and down-right fishy. It is composed of 98% air
by volume, making it ultra-lightweight, sturdy and
buoyant.
Another option is to use pre-molded
Styrofoam floats and cut to shape. They come in
a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be found in
most any online fishing tackle retailer or local big Wapsis Perfect Popper packs cover the most common
box general store. shapes and sizes from small cupped panfish popper heads
to large saltwater popping and diving heads. The pre-
formed bodies make popper, slider and diver making a snap.

39
 LURE BODY MATERIALS
creativeness may be driven by the increasing cost Double-barrel popper bodies may require some
of pre-packaged materials in craft stores and fly trimming before using, as the molds to make the
shops. It may be driven by the need to be unique bodies tend to create some areas of thin material
with the use of an odd material, or a new method, around the edges.
or even a new lure or fly. Whatever the driver,
there always seems to be a creative idea or two that
pops up every year that is so novel and unique that
it makes a reason to buy new material or tie a new
fly to trick bigger fish to the net. Dont overlook
anything that could float, be carved, sanded,
shaped, painted and glued to a hook.

Pre-Manufactured Bodies
Fortunately for many of us who are short on
tying time, there are high-density foam lure bodies
and plugs in a wide variety of pre-shaped forms
and colors. Pre-molded Styrofoam bodies are
manufactured by Wapsi as the Perfect Popper
Pack. They come in a variety of popular sizes and
shapes for both freshwater and saltwater use. For Zudbubbler Popper Bodies are made of a light and dense
those with little time to make poppers from cross-linked polyethylene and pre-cut for convenience.
scratch, molded Styrofoam bodies are the way to
go - you cant go wrong with the Wapsi Perfect
Popper kit. Flymen Fishing Company
manufactures double barrel popper bodies which
make quick work of making a few poppers for a
last minute trip. They are made of soft EVA foam,
similar to the foams used on the midsole of
running shoes. Unique to the double barrel bodies
is an inset eye socket in which stick-on 3D eyes
can be affixed and protected, and an inset tail Comal Tackles hard Styrofoam snap-on floats can be cut
socket which fits over tailing materials nicely. in half and shaped like cork or wood by shaping with a
Dremel rotary tool and sanding. The longer shape gives
more to work with when creating large saltwater surface
lures.

Flymen Fishing Companys Surface Seducer double-barrel

popper bodies come in black, green chartreuse, blue, orange,
white and yellow chartreuse. They readily take markers and
paints.

www.pixachrome.com 40
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

1 2 3

Rainys manufactures high density foam popping heads in a variety of sizes and solid colors. 1) Rainys Pee-Wee Pops are
designed for small panfish using hook sizes 10 and 12. 2) Rainys small Mini Mes Pops are larger than Pee-Wee Pops
and accommodate hook sizes 4-8. Rainys medium Mini Mes Pops are designed for hook sizes 1/0 - 4. 3) Rainys
Pre-shaped Bass Pops come in sizes small, medium and large to accommodate hooks from 10 to 1/0. They have a flattened
underside, good for adding in weed guards.

Holschlags Blockhead Popper Heads by Rainys come in Rainys Diver Heads come in a variety of solid colors in
a variety of solid colors in sizes small, medium and large to sizes small, medium and large to accommodate hook sizes
accommodate hook sizes 12 to 1/0. 12 to 1/0.

1 2

1) Rainys Cylinder Poppers come in a variety of colors and diameters, from 3/8 (0.95cm) to 1.25 (3.2cm). 2) Rainys
Art Deco Cylinder Poppers with Hole are pre-drilled for tubes or rigging as bangers. They are pre-painted in four common
color combinations and come in two diameters, 3/4 (1.9cm) and 1 (2.54cm).

41
 LURE BODY MATERIALS
1 2

1) Rainys Pencil Poppers have angled cupped popping heads, come in a variety of solid colors and sizes for hook sizes 4
to 1/0. 2) Rainys Sliders have cupped or flat faces, and are not cut an an angle.

1 4
3
2

1) Rainys Full Cones come in a variety of solid colors and

sizes for hook sizes 4 to 1/0. 2) Rainys Half Cones are the
same as Full Cones except for having a flat-cut bottom. 3)
Rainys Dinks are small versions of the full cones, meant
for for panfish-sized poppers.

4) Wapsis Perfect Poppers are available in high-density foam as well as in pre-molded hard Styrofoam, as shown on the
previous page spread. 5) Wapsis Foam Cylinders are available in a variety of solid colors and sized 1/16 through 1 in
diameter (1.6mm - 25.4mm).

www.pixachrome.com 42
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Hooks & Thread
Hooks
C hoosing the correct hook type serves several
purposes. A proper hook choice a) provides
enough hook shank to affix the lure body without
impeding the hook gape, b) allows for enough
shank to tie materials upon behind the lure body,
c) is appropriate for the water being fished,
saltwater or freshwater, d) is appropriate for the
fish specie being targeted, and e) yields proper
gape width to set the hook. Other considerations
such as the hook shape, hook point style and barb
style also play into choosing the correct hook for
the job. Fresh water hooks are not as corrosion or
rust resistant as saltwater hooks.
Fresh Water Hooks
Fresh water popper, slider and diver hooks are
generally manufactured with standard or fine wire
diameters, as the smaller fish species do not
demand the rigors in which salt water hooks must
tolerate. Fresh water hook points are usually
styled as hollow-points or chiseled harpoon points.
Hook points can also be fashioned as tapered wire
to a razor sharp hook-point with a chiseled barb,
or chemically sharpened to yield the sharpest hook
point. These styles of hook points are meant to
penetrate the fishs mouth with the least amount
of effort. For small panfish poppers, simple dry
fly hooks can suffice. For pike and musky sliders,
a long-shanked streamer hook works well,
although when targeting larger freshwater game
fish, saltwater hooks are more ideal due to the
more robust nature of the hook wire. Hooks with
43
snells or kinked shanks help hold in the popper
body better and big eye hooks tend to work well
for larger bodied lures.
Salt Water Hooks
Saltwater lure hooks are made of stainless steel
or of sturdy high-carbon steel with a nickel silver
or black nickel silver finish for corrosion
resistance. The hook points are often forged blade
points that are stronger than fresh water hooks
and are able to pierce the toughest of fish jaws.
Care must be exercised if using large freshwater
lures in saltwater. Note: freshwater hooks are not
made of stainless steel or coated with rust-resistant
material and therefore will rust or corrode quickly
if used in saltwater applications without a
thorough freshwater rinse after use.
Determining the Right Hook to Use
There are many factors that determine the best
hook choice for a lure body. Body style, body
width, body length, tailing length and action are
some of the primary determinates in choosing the
proper hook for affixing the lure body. A small
short cork popper body used in making panfish
poppers could suffice on a standard dry fly hook.
A long tapered saltwater pencil popper requires a
larger gaped hook maybe 3x or 4x long.
A good rule of thumb in choosing the ideal
hook is to retain the width of the hook gape when
the lure is completed. In other words, when the
body of the lure is set on the hook shank and all
materials are tied in, the original hook gape
measurement is not impeded. This ensures a solid
 HOOKS & THREAD
hook set. Illustration 1 depicts proper and Illustration 1.1 - Proper Hook Selection
improper hook choices for various body styles,
while Illustration 2 demonstrates an improper
choice of hook for the desired lure body style.
Another trick to provide enough hook gape is to X
trim the bottom of the lure body, which is often Y
seen in top water popping bugs. Illustration 3
In this example, an extended body slider may require a 3x
details an example of trimming the bottom of a or 4x hook. The ideal hook choice would ensure the hook
lure body to expose the hook gape. gape width with the slider body affixed (Y) would equal or
In todays hook manufacturing world, hook be greater than the original gape width (X).
points and barbs have never been sharper. For
example, the ubiquitous Mustad CK52S kinked-
shanked popper hook comes with a chemically Illustration 1.2 - Improper Hook Selection
sharpened needle point. Likewise is true for the
Daiichi 2720 wide-gape stinger hook. More

X
options exist for salt water hooks where circle and
harpoon points are available. The most common
hook points used for freshwater fishing are needle
and hollow points. The anatomy of a hook is
detailed in Illustration 4.

Affixing Lure Bodies to Hook Shanks

For this chiseled body style, a hook with a longer shank and
Securely affixing the lure body to a hook is
large gape would be a better choice. There is little room to
essential for creating a durable and properly tie in tailing material and the hook gape is too narrow,
functioning lure body. Fortunately, hook which would lead to missed hook sets.
manufacturers have developed hooks with kinked
shanks to help hold lure bodies in place. However,
in some cases, you may want to choose a hook Illustration 1.3 - Making Larger Lure Bodies Fit Smaller
which doesnt have a kinked shank. Applying a Hooks
rough thread base across the hook shank,
commensurate with the length of the lure body,
will aid in securing a lure body to the hook shank
upon applying glue. Using a larger diameter
thread, such as rod wrapping thread, is ideal for
this purpose.
Not all adhesives work well for gluing the lure
body to the hook shank. Lure bodies of different
materials such as cork, molded foam, wood, and
balsa require different adhesives. These materials In many cases, it is advantageous to design a large body to
create louder popping sounds and move more water as it is
react to various adhesives differently. In Figure 2
stripped. The large portion of the lure body should remain
- Adhesive Effectiveness: Gluing Hooks to Common above the hook shank and the bottom can be trimmed flat
Lure Body Materials, a matrix of substrates and to expose as much of the hook gape as possible.

www.pixachrome.com 44
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Illustration 1.4 - Anatomy of a Hook
Understanding a hooks anatomy can help you select the
proper hook for the job.
Illustration 1.5 - Common Hook Point & Barb Styles
Needle Point
various adhesives illustrates the best adhesion
combinations. For example, the common
adhesive E6000 is a good multi-purpose
household glue, but does not make for a good
adhesive in lure making or fly tying. On the other
hand, CA glue (a.k.a. Super Glue) is the single
best option for gluing any body type to a hook
shank.
Putting It All Together
With specific hooks made for popper, slider
and diver bodies, its hard to choose the wrong
hook these days. For a vast majority of lure
making needs, commercially available kinked-
shank and wide-gape hooks will fit the bill. In
some rare circumstances, it may be necessary to
modify a hook to fit a unique lure body shape, but
that circumstance is rare and care must be taken
in bending hooks, which compromises the
strength of the hook metal.

Hollow Point

Circle (a.k.a. curved) Point

Applying several layers of loosely crossed rod wrapping

thread to a bare hook shank will help secure a lure body to
a hook shank. Apply a few drops of cyanoacrylate adhesive
to the front of the hook near the eye then quickly slide the
lure body on the hook, twisting into position as it is pushed
back over the hook shank. Using a slower curing CA
Knife (a.k.a. harpoon) Point adhesive can help.
45
 HOOKS & THREAD
FIGURE 2

Adhesive Effectiveness: Gluing Hooks to Common Lure Body Materials

Molded Hi Density
Usage Polystyrene Foam
Cork Balsa Basswood
Comments (hard (sheet and
Styrofoam) block)
Thirty minute 2-part
epoxy is the best all
Excellent holding Excellent holding Excellent holding Excellent holding Excellent bond, but
around adhesive for
2-part most usage
power. Can be power. Can be power. Can be power. Can be rigid.
reinforced to a reinforced to a reinforced to a reinforced to a stronger
epoxy scenarios.
stronger hold with a stronger hold with a stronger hold with a hold with a coat of
coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy. epoxy.

Gel CA adhesive is
best for most usage
Excellent holding Excellent holding Excellent holding Excellent holding Excellent holding
scenarios allows
power. Can be power. Can be power. Can be power. Can be power. Can be
CA Glue 10-12 seconds of
reinforced to a reinforced to a reinforced to a reinforced to a stronger reinforced to a
working time before
(Super setting. Doesnt soak
stronger hold with a stronger hold with a stronger hold with a hold with a coat of stronger hold with a
coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy. epoxy. coat of epoxy.
Glue) into porous materials
like standard liquid
CA adhesive.

Good solid bond, but Good solid bond, but Good solid bond, but Good solid bond, but Unpredictable bond
Polyurethane
expansion of expansion of adhesive expansion of expansion of adhesive depending on foam
adhesive that
Gorilla requires water to
adhesive requires requires clean-up adhesive requires requires clean-up after type. Deforms some
clean-up after curing. after curing. clean-up after curing. curing. foam. Not flexible.
Glue activate; expands 3-4
times before curing.

Flexible strong,
waterproof bond on
Solid bond but can be Solid bond but can be Good solid bond. Good solid bond. Insert Light bond. Will pry
most surfaces. Takes
pried apart. Insert the pried apart. Insert the Insert the hook shank the hook shank into the loose easily.
24 hours to
hook shank into the hook shank into the into the tightest slot tightest slot possible.
Aquaseal completely cure.
tightest slot possible. tightest slot possible. possible. Can be Can be reinforced to a
Can be reinforced to Can be reinforced to a reinforced to a stronger hold with a
a stronger hold with a stronger hold with a stronger hold with a coat of epoxy.
coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy.

Flexible waterproof
bond. Solid bond
Good solid bond. Solid bond but can be Good solid bond. Weak bond. Not a Weak bond. Not a
after 4 hours, 24
Insert the hook shank pried apart. Insert the Insert the hook shank good choice. good choice.
hours to completely
Liquid cure. Works best on
into the tightest slot hook shank into the into the tightest slot
possible. Can be tightest slot possible. possible. Can be
Fusion natural materials.
reinforced to a Can be reinforced to a reinforced to a
stronger hold with a stronger hold with a stronger hold with a
coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy. coat of epoxy.

Flexible waterproof
contact adhesive, for
Weak bond. Can Weak bond. Can Moderate bond. Will Excellent holding Weak bond. Can
extreme
easily be pried loose. easily be pried loose. pry loose with some power. Can be easily be pried loose.
Liquid temperatures and
force. Can be reinforced to a stronger
conditions. Solid
Nails bond after 1 hour,
reinforced to a hold with a coat of
stronger hold with a epoxy.
6-8 hours to cure.
coat of epoxy.

Multi-purpose
E6000 styrene rubber Good bond, but too Good bond, but too Good bond, but too Good bond, but too Good bond, but too
(tube) adhesive; flexible; flexible; can easily be flexible; can easily be flexible; can easily be flexible; can easily be flexible; can easily be
Water-proof. pried loose. pried loose. pried loose. pried loose. pried loose.

= best option = worst option

The chart above illustrates the best bonds for gluing hooks to various lure body materials. For example, Gorilla Glue is
best for cork and woods but is not good for gluing high-density foam. The chart was completed using practical study and
experience with each adhesive on various lure body materials. Informal tests were conducted for each of the variations
above. The cells highlighted represent the best option(s) for each combination.

www.pixachrome.com 46
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Common Kink-Shank Hooks
Hooks with kinked-shanks are ideal for
securing various lure bodies and preventing the
body from twisting on the hook shank. These
hook styles are most common for popper, slider
and diver lure making.
Common Wide Gape Hooks
Wide-gaped hooks are ideal for thicker lure
body flies such as bass bugs and divers. The wide
gape gives extra clearance between the lure body
and the hook point.

Mustad CK52S - 2X long, standard wire, straight eye,

single-kinked shank, sproat bend, bronzed hook. The
Mustad 37187 - 1X long shank, standard wire, straight eye,
standard in popper, slider and diver lure crafting. Umqua
stinger hook bend.
also makes a similar hook, the U504.

Daiichi 2720/2722 - 1X long shank, light wire, straight eye,

Mustad CK74S SS - 4X long, 2X heavy stainless steel wire,
wide gape. 2720: bronze, 2722: stainless steel.
straight eye, single-kinked shank, sproat bend, saltwater
hook. Umqua also has a similar hook, the U505.

Mustad 33903 - 1X long shank, standard wire, straight eye,

Gamakatsu B10S - 1X long shank, 1X standard wire,
double-kinked shank, sproat bend, fresh water hook.
straight eye, wide gape.

Lightning Strike Popper Hook - long shank, heavy wire,

straight eye, single-kinked shank, sproat bend, double-
plated Titan finish. (This hook is included in Wapsi Perfect TMC 8089 - 1X long shank, standard wire, straight eye, wide
Popper Packs) gape. A popular hook for spinning deer hair poppers.

47

Tying Thread
Theres no magic in choosing the correct thread
for tying poppers, sliders and divers. The thread
must simply be strong, durable and available in
the color needed for the job at hand. Standard dry
fly thread need not apply.
Way back when, the only tying thread available
was made of silk. Fortunately today there are
many other options to choose: nylon, polyester,
gel-spun polyethylene (GSP), Kevlar and hybrids
thereof are available in a rainbow of colors.
Common tying thread brands include Benecchi,
Danville Flymaster, Gordon Griffith, Gudebrod,
Veevus, Uni-Stretch and UTC Ultra.
Nylon thread has more vivid colors than
polyester threads, and can stretch to a small extent,
which aids in wrapping secure, tight wraps.
Polyester, in comparison, does not stretch like
nylon, which is advantageous in thread control.
Kevlar, known for bullet-stopping strength, is
more expensive and is best suited for large fish flies
where toothy takes may destroy the wraps using
less durable threads. One may notice the stiff
nature of Kevlar, which can be difficult to work.
GSP also has impressive thread strength (a tad
stronger than Kevlar and two to three times as
strong as the same denier of nylon of polyester)
and is available in a wider palette of colors than
Kevlar. GSP has an advantage because it is a more
supple nature, making it easier to tie with in
comparison to Kevlar. GSP also has a tendency
to flatten easily, which is an advantage to securing
materials or splitting thread. Its hard not to
choose GSP for most any tying application today.
Some threads come waxed or un-waxed.
Waxed threads have the advantage of providing a
more secure hold on material and that layered
wraps to adhere to themselves, making a solid tie.
However, waxed thread does not absorb tying
cement as easily, which can be important for lure
www.pixachrome.com
HOOKS & THREAD
tying. Therefore, waxed thread is not as desirable
as un-waxed thread for lure making.
The most confusing part of thread choice can
be the thread thickness nomenclature. Left over
from the days of silk threads, the measurement of
the thread diameter was given a series of zeros to
indicate thickness. More zeros equal finer
diameters. For example, 00 thread (aka 2/0 or
two-aught) has a larger diameter than 000000
(6/0) thread. The additions of more sequential
zeros to indicate a finer thread diameter is
antiquated and arbitrary at best. It does not tell
the exact measurement of threads diameter. This
means that the 6/0 thread from one manufacturer
may be equal to or finer than the 8/0 of another
manufacturer.
According to a transcript written by the late and
great deer hair wizard Christopher Helm, The
Chenille Company tabbed the aught
nomenclature in the late 1930s. In 1988, Mr. Tom
Schmucker of WAPSI Fly, Inc., Introduced the UTC
thread in deniers simply called 70 UTC, 140 UTC,
etc.
Denier is defined as a unit of weight by which
the fineness of a thread is measured, equal to the
weight in grams of 9,000 meters of the material.
Confusing, huh? Essentially it is a unit of mass
density for a length of fibers. For example, A
denier of 50 is thinner than a denier of 150. The
larger the number, the larger diameter of thread.
Since the aught system uses thread diameter
and the denier system uses mass, they cannot be
compared equally For example, Veevus 8/0 has a
denier of 110, while UNI 8/0 has a denier of 72.
This would indicate that Veevus 8/0 would be
stronger than the equivalent UNI 8/0 polyester
thread, but it may not be. A complete fly tying
thread table is found on the following pages.
48
49
Dia Test Denier
Brand Product Material Aught Denier Strength Flat Split Smooth
(Mm) (Grams) (per mm)
FIGURE 3

Benecchi Super/Ultra Strong GSP 10/0 50 0.033 1077 1515 Strong high good smooth
Benecchi Ultrafine 12/0 Polyester 12/0 70 0.048 450 1458 Average

Benecchi Superfine 10/0 Polyester 10/0 120 0.051 680 2353 Average

Benecchi Fine 8/0 Polyester 8/0 150 0.056 822 2679 Strong

Benecchi Ghost Thread Mono 60 0.076 312 789 Weak none none very smooth
Danville Flymaster Plus 140 Nylon 140 0.046 907 3043 Strong

Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Nylon 210 0.051 1304 4118 Very strong

Danville Flymaster Plus 210 Nylon 210 0.071 1360 2958 Very strong

Danville Flymaster 6/0 Nylon 6/0 70 0.038 312 1842 Weak

Danville Spiderweb Mono 16/0 30 0.051 142 588 Very weak none none very smooth
Danville Monocord Nylon 3/0 116 0.066 737 1758 Strong medium possible neutral
Danville Monofilament Ultra Fine Mono 0.102 none none very smooth
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Danville Monofilament Fine Mono 0.152 none none very smooth

Common Tying Threads and Their Characteristics

Gordon Griffiths Cobweb Polyester 6/0 134 0.104 1900 1288 Very strong

Gordon Griffiths Sheer Polyester 14/0 72 0.046 450 1565 Average

Gordon Griffiths Wisp Polyester 8/0 108 0.056 425 1929 Average

Gudebrod 6/0 Mono Mono 6/0 131 0.152 862 none none very smooth
Gudebrod 3/0 Mono Polyester 3/0 176 0.102 1077 1725 Strong

Gudebrod G Mono 210 0.178 1559 1180 Very strong none none very smooth
Gudebrod G Polyester 330 0.089 1673 3708 Very strong

Gudebrod Kevlar Kevlar 3/0 115 0.089 1292 medium difficult coarse
Gudebrod 10/0 Polyester 10/0 45 0.025 255 1800 Weak medium possible neutral
Gudebrod GX1 GSP 70 0.025 2523 2800 Extremely strong high good smooth
Gudebrod GX2 GSP 130 0.042 3095 high good smooth
Gudebrod 8/0 Polyester 8/0 67 0.046 450 1457 Average medium possible neutral
Gudebrod 6/0 Polyester 6/0 143 0.058 920 2466 Strong
 Dia Test Denier
Brand Product Material Aught Denier Strength Flat Split Smooth
(Mm) (Grams) (per mm)
Gudebrod 10/0 Mono Mono 10/0 50 0.152 1219 329 Very strong none none very smooth
Lagartun Polyester 150 0.048 907 3125 Strong
Lagartun XX Strong GSP 50 high good smooth
Lagartun XX Strong GSP 75

www.pixachrome.com
high good smooth
Lagartun XX Strong GSP 100 high good smooth
Lagartun XX Strong GSP 130 high good smooth
Lagartun Polyester 74 0.03 454 2467 Average
Lagartun Polyester 95 0.036 482 2639 Average
Montana Fly Co 8/0 Nylon 8/0 72 0.036 397 2000 Weak
Montana Fly Co 6/0 Nylon 6/0 110 0.051 652 2157 Average
Montana Fly Co 3/0 Nylon 3/0 135 0.056 709 2411 Strong
Montana Fly Co Nylon 350 0.081 1927 4321 Very strong
Orvis 12/0 Polyester 12/0 0.05 medium difficult neutral
Orvis 8/0 Polyester 8/0 0.055 medium difficult neutral
Orvis 6/0 Polyester 6/0 0.06 medium difficult neutral
Pearsall Silk Silk 140
Petitjean Split Second Thread 8/0 good
Roman Moser Carbon Fiber Tying Thread Carbon (?) 3/0

RM - Pre waxed Tying Thread

Roman Moser Polyester 10/0
Common Tying Threads and Their Characteristics, continued

Midge

RM - Pre Waxed Tying Thread

Roman Moser Polyester 6/0
Standard

Power Silk 1/0 (strong) Dyneema

Roman Moser GSP 1/0 1814 Very strong high good smooth
Thread

Power Silk 10/0 (fine) Dyneema

Roman Moser GSP 10/0 55 0.033 1077 1667 Strong high good smooth
Thread

Power Silk 5/0 (medium)

Roman Moser GSP 5/0 115 0.033 2041 3485 Very strong high good smooth
Dyneema Thread

RST Dynacord (Dynema) GSP 150 0.135 3430 1111 Extremely strong high good smooth
Semperfli 6/0 Fly Tying Thread Polyester 6/0
Semperfli Nano Silk Ultra Fine 30D 18/0 GSP 18/0 30 1140 Strong high good smooth
HOOKS & THREAD

50
51
Dia Test Denier
Brand Product Material Aught Denier Strength Flat Split Smooth
(Mm) (Grams) (per mm)
FIGURE 3

Semperfli Nano Silk 50D 12/0 GSP 12/0 50 1900 Very strong high good smooth

Semperfli Nano Silk Predator 100D 6/0 GSP 6/0 100 3800 Extremely strong high good smooth

Semperfli 8/0 Tying Thread Polyester 8/0

Semperfli Nano Silk Big Game 200D 3/0 GSP 3/0 200 7600 Extremely strong high good smooth

Semperfli Fluoro Brite Polyester 120 medium difficult rough

Semperfli Spyder Thread Polyester 18/0 30 medium difficult medium

Semperfli Tying Thread 6/0 Polyester 6/0 high difficult medium

Sparton Macro Polyester 225 1360 Very strong

Sparton Micro Polyester 8/0 72 566 Average

Sparton Professional Polyester 4/0 135 992 Strong

Sparton Fluorescent Polyester 162 907 Strong

UNI UNI-Cord GSP 7/0 100 0.036 3622 2778 Extremely strong high good smooth

UNI UNI-Thread 3/0 Polyester 3/0 220 907 Strong medium difficult neutral
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

UNI UNI-Nylon 210 Nylon 210 0.051 1500 4118 Very strong high good smooth

UNI Kevlar Kevlar 3/0 200 3798 Extremely strong high difficult coarse

UNI UNI-Cord GSP 8/0 75 0.036 1928 2083 Very strong high good smooth

UNI UNI-Thread 1/0 Neon Fluorescent Polyester 1/0 234 992 Strong
Common Tying Threads and Their Characteristics, continued

UNI UNI-Thread A+ Polyester 315 1360 Very strong

UNI UNI-Mono Fine Mono 3/0 0.102 623 Average none none very smooth

UNI UNI-Mono Medium Mono 0.178 1670 Very strong none none very smooth

UNI UNI-Cord GSP 12/0 50 0.023 1811 2174 Very strong high good smooth

UNI Caenis Nylon 20 0.043 85 465 Very weak

UNI Trico Nylon 17/0 40 0.051 142 784 Very weak

UNI UNI-Thread 8/0 Polyester 8/0 72 0.051 450 1412 Average medium difficult neutral

UNI UNI-Nylon 70 Nylon 70 0.074 822 946 Strong high good smooth

UNI UNI-Thread 6/0 Polyester 6/0 135 0.041 930 3293 Strong medium difficult neutral
 Dia Test Denier
Brand Product Material Aught Denier Strength Flat Split Smooth
(Mm) (Grams) (per mm)
UNI BigFly Polyester 400 0.089 2830 4494 Extremely strong low difficult neutral
Veevus G20 30D GSP 18/0 30 0.025 652 1200 Average high good smooth
Veevus G20 100D GSP 100 0.033 3030 high good smooth
Veevus 16/0 Polyester 16/0 50 0.038 430 1316 Average high good neutral
Veevus G20 150D GSP 150 0.042 3742 3571 Extremely strong high good smooth

www.pixachrome.com
Veevus 12/0 Polyester 12/0 70 0.047 530 1489 Average high good neutral
Veevus 14/0 Polyester 14/0 70 0.049 520 1429 Average high good neutral
Veevus G20 200D GSP 200 0.05 4000 high good smooth
Veevus 10/0 Polyester 10/0 110 0.055 800 2000 Strong high good neutral
Veevus 8/0 Polyester 8/0 110 0.059 1000 1864 Strong high good neutral
Veevus 6/0 Polyester 6/0 110 0.065 1000 1692 Strong high good neutral
Veevus Monofil Thread Mono 0.1 none none very smooth
Veevus Monofil Thread Mono 0.2 none none very smooth
Wapsi GSP 100 GSP 100 0.03 3630 3333 Extremely strong high good smooth
Wapsi UTC 210 Nylon 210 0.081 1350 2593 Very strong high good smooth
Wapsi GSP 130 GSP 130 0.051 2950 2549 Extremely strong high good smooth
Wapsi UTC Ultra Thread Kevlar Kevlar 200 medium difficult coarse
Wapsi GSP 75 GSP 75 2720 Extremely strong high good smooth
Wapsi GSP 200 GSP 200 7250 Extremely strong high good smooth
Wapsi UTC Mono Fine Mono 0.01 none none very smooth
Wapsi UTC Mono Medium Mono 0.015 none none very smooth
Wapsi UTC Mono Thick Mono 0.02 none none very smooth
Wapsi GSP 50 GSP 50 0.02 1815 2500 Very strong high good smooth
Wapsi UTC 70 Nylon 70 0.028 450 2500 Average high good smooth
high good smooth
Common Tying Threads and Their Characteristics, continued

Wapsi UTC 140 Nylon 140 0.041 900 3415 Strong

Wapsi UTC 280 Nylon 280 0.069 1800 4058 Very strong high good smooth

Field Descriptions
Material: Mono is monofilament nylon. Silk is natural silk. The rest are synthetic multifilament threads produced using different methods. Aught: The most common way to
indicate thickness. Not a physical standard. Larger number means thinner thread, so 8/0 is thinner than 6/0. Denier: The weight in grams of 9000 meters of thread. A physical
standard used in the textile industry, but not an indication of thickness or strength. Dia: Diameter in millimeters (mm) or thousands of inches (.000"). As specified by the manufacturer
or measured by other sources. Test: The breaking strength or test of the thread in grams (g) or ounces (oz). Denier/mm: A simple calculation of what the Denier would be if the
thread was 1 millimeter thick, and a way to compare the Deniers for the different threads. Ideally this number should be the same for threads made from the same material, but the
numbers clearly indicate that the Denier number does not help us much in comparing even almost identical threads. Denier and thickness are NOT correlated. Strength*: The
absolute breaking strength of the thread compared to all other threads and not taking diameter or material into consideration. Diameter. Flat*: The thread's ability to flatten when
tying in materials. Split*: The thread's ability to split when used for the split thread dubbing technique. Smoothness*: How slippery or smooth the thread is against the hook shank
or materials. Its ability to "grip" materials. * = Subjective evaluations based upon use.
HOOKS & THREAD

52
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Marking Pens

P ermanent ink markers can be a very effective

and inexpensive way to color lure bodies. But
most, if not all, permanent ink markers cannot be
coated with water-based or solvent-based
protective clear coats. The inks will dissolve,
causing running, blurring and blending. While
that can be advantageous in certain circumstances,
it is mostly an undesirable effect after spending
time carefully decorating details on a lure body.
The primary permanent ink markers used in lure
coloring are discussed below.

Permanent Ink Markers

Permanent ink markers, such as the ubiquitous
Sharpie is a good (not great) inexpensive option
for coloring poppers and sliders. Sharpies have
a modest color selection (31 as of this writing) and
come in a variety of tip shapes. The fine point tip
shape is the preferred tip for lure marking.
Coloring a lure body is as easy as using a coloring
book and requires no other special tools.
Permanent markers are typically used to add detail
to a popper body but can be used to color the
entire body. Sharpie also has an eXtreme
Sharpies are ubiquitous to fly tyers and lure makers. They
can be used to color lure bodies, feathers and synthetics
equally well.
Bics 36 Mark-it permanent markers offer colors not found
in the Sharpies series.
version which offers more fade resistance in
extreme weather.
If 31 colors arent enough, Bic makes a series
of permanent markers, Mark-it, that contain
more pastels and subtle color shades not offered
by Sharpie. While some of the 36 colors of Bics
fine point permanent markers overlap the colors
of Sharpies, there are approximately half that are
unique. Also, note that all permanent marker
colors arent the same. For example, Bics red is
slightly more vibrant and has more color
saturation on white surfaces when compared to
Sharpies red. Sharpies lime green has more color
saturation than Bics. Between Sharpies and Bic
permanent marker colors, there are approximately

53

Letraset ProMarkers are available in 148 alcohol-based dye
inks, offering a wider range of colors for marking lure
bodies. The fine point at one end and chisel tip on the other
is also convenient.
50 different colors and shades to use, which is
plenty for most hobby lure makers.
Why stop there? The Letraset ProMarker
series (owned by Winsor & Newton) offers a
wider color selection of 148 permanent ink
colors. ProMarker colors are alcohol-based
permanent ink. An advantage of the ProMarker
is each marker comes with two tips - a chisel tip
for large coloring applications and a fine-point tip
for precision work.
Fabric Paint Markers
Fabric paint markers have colorful inks and are
waterproof when dry or heat-treated, depending
on the type of marker used. Some require ironing
to set the ink after it is dry. Those types of fabric
markers are not ideal for lure coloring. The ink
in fabric markers is a permanent dye. Like other
permanent style markers, the ink will run and
bleed if covered by an alcohol-based sealant, like
clear nail polish. It is best to cover lure bodies
painted with fabric markers with two-part epoxy.
They are acceptable for coloring tailing material
for poppers, sliders and divers. The color tends
to last longer than permanent marker.
www.pixachrome.com
MARKING PENS
White Paint Markers
White paint markers can either be oil-based or
water-based. Oil-based markers are not ideal for
coloring lure bodies since most all other coloring
mediums are water-based. As it is often said, oil
and water dont mix. Sharpie brand white paint
markers work fine for highlighting details on a lure
body, but not for coating the entire lure body with
a whitewash. Its best to spray paint the lure body
with white enamel spray paint first to obtain a
more even and pure white color coverage.
Oil-Based Markers
Oil-based markers, also called opaque markers,
contain an oil-based opaque paint versus a
translucent ink found in standard permanent
markers. Oil-based colors are more durable and
will not face in UV light, unlike standard
permanent markers. Since the colors are opaque,
they work great on dark surfaces. A solvent is
required to clean or blend oil-based marker colors.
They work best on hard, non-porous surfaces.
They are especially effective for adding intricate
detail to lure bodies, where a brush and paint
would be more cumbersome to do so. Before use,
Fabric markers work acceptably well coloring feathers,
some synthetics, but other marking solutions are better.
54
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Oil-based markers like these manufactured by Sharpie
offer an easy way to quickly paint and detail small to
medium sized lure bodies.
be sure to shake the pen canister thoroughly to
mix the oils and pigments.
Sometimes, the tips become clogged. To
prevent clogging, store the markers upright and
wipe the tip clean with a solvent before or after
each use, and ensure the cap is tightly reapplied
when not in use.
The best coating over oil-based markings is
epoxy, and even then the epoxy has a tendency to
be phobic to the oil unless the paint is completely
dry. Allow at least 24-48 hours for the oil-based
markings to dry before applying a final finish.
Acrylic Markers
Acrylic markers are similar to oil-based
markers in their application and use, but have
subtle differences due to the nature of the paint
itself. Acrylic marker colors are opaque, non-toxic
and water-based. The markers and colors are
easily cleaned with water and work best on non-
greasy or non-waxy surfaces. Like oil-based
markers, acrylic markers work well on dark
surfaces, especially to add detail a brush could not
55
consistently achieve. Acrylic markers, unlike
oil-based markers, can be used to mark on leather.
Before use, be sure to shake the pen canister
thoroughly to mix the water and acrylic paint. For
lure painting application, a fine-tip or medium-tip
pen is best (2mm - 5mm) . If coloring larger areas,
a wide-tip up to 15mm is recommended.
Similar to oil-based markings, epoxy is the best
final coat option. Allow the acrylic markings to
dry at least 24 hours before applying the final
epoxy over coat.
Acrylic markers can be purchased with medium or fine
point tips. The fine-point tips are small enough to mark
small details on painted lure bodies.
Metallic Markers
Metallic markers can add subtle depth and
sparkle to lure bodies. Due to the nature of how
metallic paints are made for markers, not many
manufacturers produce metallic markers.
Sharpie only makes a silver metallic marker at
this time. However, there are several interesting
metallic colors made by Elementz. These colors
work well over white base coats. But like most
other permanent markers, they will wash away if
coated with an alcohol or solvent-based clear coat.
Its best to use epoxy to coat a body painted with
metallic markers.

Metallic markers work well over the top of a white base and
require a top coat finish of epoxy to prevent running and
bleeding.
Neon (Fluorescent) Markers
Human eyes require a black light to see the
ultraviolet reflectivity of neon colors while most
fish can see reflected UV light naturally. This
opens up the debate if fluorescent colors actually
add fish-attracting value to a lure. While the
debate will remain, theres no denying that neon
Sharpie neon colors add fluorescence and vibrancy to lure bodies. These mini popper heads were colored exclusively with
Sharpie neon markers, then coated with thirty-minute epoxy for durability. Notice that some of the marabou in the tails
also contain fluorescent dye.
www.pixachrome.com
MARKING PENS
colors can be an attractive addition to coloring
lure bodies. In simple terms, fluorescence is the
emission of light by a substance that has absorbed
light. Most common to our eyes is when a black
light, or UV light, is applied to a fluorescent
material and a resulting hot color appears.
Fluorescent materials cease to glow immediately
when the light source stops, unlike
phosphorescence, where it continues to emit light
for some time after. Sharpie makes five markers
in neon fluorescent colors: blue, orange, yellow,
green and pink. Like other Sharpie markers, the
colors will bleed, blend and run if covered with
alcohol or solvent-based coatings. The only
effective coating over Sharpies neon markers is
two-part epoxy.
Marker Inks: Dyes vs. Pigments
Not all permanent inks are the same some
use dye and others use pigment-based ink. The
ink found in all black Sharpies contains
permanent ink dye, which is primarily alcohol-
based and also contains ethylene glycol monobutyl
ether (a solvent that evaporates quickly and is
completely soluble in water). The colors in all
other Sharpie markers contains Permchromeink.
Permchrome ink is a pigment-based ink used
primarily in ink-jet printer cartridges using xylene
56
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
and toluene as binding agents to give the ink
longevity. Pigment-based ink resists fading; as
dye-based inks could fade over time if not treated
with a clear overcoat. According to Sharpie,
Sharpies permanent markers applied to non-
porous surfaces will last 3-4 months when exposed
to outdoor weather.
The ink in Bic Mark-It markers is an alcohol-
based, acid free pigment ink. Bic Mark-It inks
tend to fade more in sunlight over time, compared
to Sharpies, even though the basic ink technology
is the same. Sharpie and Bic Mark-It inks
noticeably fade in little as two weeks when exposed
to full sunlight. See Figure 4 - Effect of Sun
Exposure to Common Marking Pen Ink.
The ink in ProMarkers is an alcohol-based dye
ink. Markers with alcohol dye-based inks tend to
work better with natural material surfaces and
yield more vibrant colors. Markers with pigment-
based inks tend to work better on synthetics.
Copic permanent markers also function as
spray painting markers and are discussed in more
detail in the following section on paints.
Working With Marking Pens
Permanent marker colors work best when
applied to a white lure body to allow the color
vividness comes through. Permanent markers
applied to natural wood and cork will absorb into
the material and spread unless the material has
been pre-coated with a clear wood treatment. In
rare circumstances, applying permanent marker
color to untreated natural materials is desired, but
for most popper body applications, the color
should not bleed or spread. Oil-based markers are
best for painting untreated wood and cork. The
oil-based ink is opaque, water-, fade- and
abrasion-resistant, as well as quick drying.

n DIY Color Chart

Create your own color
reference chart. With all the color
options permanent, metallic, neon
and fabric markers offer, its good
to know what they look like on
white and black surfaces. Make
your own color reference chart by
coloring small color swatches on a
section of matte or semi-gloss
photographic printer paper.
Assigning numbers to the swatches
and writing the corresponding
number of the color on the cap of
the marker helps identify the
correct marker for use. Use a sheet
of black foam or coated black
paper to identify how colors look
on dark surfaces.

57
 MARKING PENS
FIGURE 4

Effect of Commonly Used Marking Pens on Selected Materials

Material > Craft Fur EP Fibers Mylar Bucktail Feather Rubber silicone
Colorfastness Colorfastness
Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness
Pro- Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy
Marker
Colorfastness Colorfastness
Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness
Bic Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy
Mark-It
Colorfastness Colorfastness
Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness
Elements Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy
Metallic
Colorfastness Colorfastness
Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness
Fabric Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy
Marker
Colorfastness Colorfastness
Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness
Sharpie Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy

Colorfastness Colorfastness
Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness Colorfastness
Sharpie Vibrancy Vibrancy
Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy Vibrancy
Neon

= high = low
Fly tyers and lure makers are most concerned with
colorfastness and the vibrancy of the colors. Some markers
perform better than others on various materials. This chart
demonstrates the colorfastness and color vibrancy of
common marking pens upon common lure and fly tying
materials. The cells highlighted represent the best option(s)
for each marker-material combination.
Colorfastness means the stability and longevity of a marker
color on the material over time, with exposure to sunlight
and use in water.
Vibrancy is the saturation and hue of the color on the
selected material. A marker color may look vibrant on the
marker tip, but may not be accepted by the material with the
same vibrancy. Fabric markers are a prime example of this.

Z Testing Marker Colors

Test markers on various materials. If you
are unsure how various materials will accept
certain markers, prepare a section of cardboard
with swatches of test materials secured to the
cardboard with tape. Be sure to choose natural
and synthetic materials to provide a good basis
for testing. Mark the materials thoroughly, allow
to dry 24 hours and then test the materials in
water for colorfastness and in sunlight for a 2-4
weeks to observe potential color fading.

www.pixachrome.com 58
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
FIGURE 5
What is the Best Marking Pen?
Effect of Sun Exposure on Common Extended exposure to sunlight certainly affects the
Marking Pen Ink longevity of the ink colors, as does extended
exposure to water. The material in which the color
Estimated % Fading
after 30 days in direct sunlight is applied will affect how the ink takes to the
material itself. And, as we have learned, not all
Bic Mark-It 75%
markers are the same, even within the same marker
Elements Metallic 0%
line as in the ubiquitous Sharpie - some contain
Fabric Marker 0%
ink dyes and others ink pigments. And of course,
Sharpie 50%
a clear overcoat will help with the colorfastness of
Sharpie Paint Pen 5%
Sharpie Neon 50%
the marker ink itself. So, which marker is the best
Posca Acrylic Pen 0% to use? While metallic, acrylic and fabric markers
Pro-Marker 5% resist fading, they are not suitable for all materials,
and can leave a dull appearance. They are slightly
Marking colors were applied to a sheet of premium
more expensive than Sharpies or Bic Mark-Its
photographic paper and exposed to direct sun for 30 days.
One half of the sheet was taped over with opaque tape to
and are not found in every art store. Sharpies and
block sunlight exposure. After 30 days, the two sides of the Bic Mark-It are vibrant and work well with most
paper were visually compared to estimate the percent of substrates, but fade rather quickly in sunlight if not
fading to the original color markings. Bolded text coated. They are inexpensive and readily available.
represents the most sun-resistant marker options.
That leaves the Pro-Marker. The Pro-Marker is
more expensive than other marking options and
are not found in every art store. They have the
advantage of having two marking nibs in each
marker - a fine pointed tip and a chisel tip. The
colors take to most natural and synthetic lure
making materials well, with exception of bucktail,
where Sharpies have an arbitrarily slight edge in
color vibrancy. It is the authors opinion the
Letraset Pro-Marker is the overall best option for
lure and fly making. But given the higher expense
and limited general art store availability of the
Pro-Marker, Sharpies or Bic Mark-It markers
make a quite fine alternate, or even primary
marking solution for the hobbyist.

59
 MARKING PENS
FIGURE 6
Colors of the ProMarker Color System

www.pixachrome.com 60
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
FIGURE 7

Colors of the Copic Color System

61
 MARKING PENS

www.pixachrome.com 62
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Paints
P aints come in two different styles relevant for
painting surface lures. Opaque paint provides
a solid color, covering up whatever is underneath
it. Opaque paints, most spray can paints and
acrylics, are ideal for painting a solid color popper
Common enamel spray paint makes a good base layer for
further airbrushing or hand-painting. The best base layers
have a flat or satin sheen, which allows subsequent paints
to adhere better. Semi-gloss or gloss are better for final
coats.
63
underbody. Tinting paints act more like a stain on
wood. They color what is beneath it, but leave the
texture and subtle color variations of the substrate
to visually come through. Tinting is ideal for
artistically creating popper bodies with shading,
blending and patterning using templates and
masks. The Copic marker Air Brush System is
a good example of a tint-based approach to popper
painting. Each has its advantages and
disadvantages, listed in Figure 8 later in this
chapter.
Spray Paint
Spray paints contain three ingredients:
pigments for color, solvents for the carry agent,
and a propellant, usually HFC (hydro
fluorocarbons) to atomize the paint as it is released
from the can. The pigments can act like an opaque
paint or a tinting paint. While water is a good
carry agent, it dries slowly and can even rust metal
surfaces. Therefore, non-aqueous quick drying
solvents are used. These solvents will sometimes
react negatively with the surfaces, underbody
coatings and adhesives used to construct the lure
body. Testing and experimentation is necessary
before production tying a batch only to find out
the paint and surface materials dont behave well
together.
Enamel Paint
Oil-based enamel paint produces a hard, high-
gloss finish when dry (think Testors model
paint). It is best used on non-porous surfaces.
Enamel is most often applied with a brush and as

Enamels are available in a wide variety of solid colors, neon
and metallic options. Enamels cure hard enough and may
not require an additional protective coating, although a
protective clear coat will add durability and shine appeal.
PAINTS
some brush stroke streaking may occur. It is
important to allow enamels to dry completely
before applying other coats of paint, such as colors
from the Copic Air Brush System.
Once dry, metallic paints take permanent
markers well. A metallic undercoat with some
creative marker work can make a very attractive
and functional lure body. Of course, the lure body
requires a coat of epoxy to protect the metallic base
coat and marker coloring.

it dries, the brush marks settle, forming a durable

and attractive coating. It was the finish of choice
Copic Air Brush System
The Copic marker Air Brush System (ABS)
in the early days of lure making, primarily due to
is a prime example of a medium that can be used
it being the only paint option available. The
to cover the entire body of a popper. The ABS is
advent of easier to use latex and acrylic (around
a marker and a spray air brush system. A Copic
1960) and other water-based paints compete with
marker contains a permanent non-toxic, acid-free,
the use of enamel paints for the hobbyist lure and
alcohol-based ink. They are available in 358 colors
fly maker. Traditionalists will still use enamels.
as of the printing of this book. (See Figure 4 -
Enamels today are available as paints, sprays or Colors of the Copic Marker Color System)
even markers. Testors and Sharpies
The Copic marker ABS has advantages over
manufacture enamel markers, although the tip is
traditional acrylic air brush systems. The initial
not small enough to do detail work. The medium-
investment cost is slightly less and theres hardly
sized rounded tip is ideal for coloring larger areas
anything to clean up after use. Plus, the markers
or even whole lure bodies. Enamel markers are
can be used as a marking pen as well. The pens
available in a limited array of solid colors and
are refillable too - once purchased, you never need
some metallics.
to buy the pen housing again. For these reasons
Enamel paint takes more time to dry combined with ease of use, the Copic marker Air
thoroughly - about 1 hour to touch-dry, and 48-72 Brush System has quickly become popular choice
hours for full dry and curing. for top water lure coloring.

Metallic Paints How to spray paint with the Copic Air Brush
System is covered in more detail in Section Two
Metallic paints can be sprayed on with aerosol - Elements of Design, Painting Techniques.
cans, air brushed or hand painted. Spray cans of
metallic paint can be found at any hardware or big
box general retailer and come in a variety of shades
around three basic colors: gold, brass and silver.
Small jars of metallic paint can be purchased as
a brush on, commonly found in craft stores as
Liquid Leaf. If not brushed on with a soft-bristle
brush and allowed to thoroughly dry overnight,

www.pixachrome.com 64
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
The Copic Air Brush System can be purchased in a variety
of kit options. All kits include the air adapter and marker
air grip. Some kits also include a can of compressed air in
a variety of sizes. The larger the size, the longer it lasts.
If you plan to spray with an air brush system, the investment
in a small hobby air compressor will pay for itself after just
a handful of compressed air can purchases.
Acrylic Paint and Air Brush
Systems
In 1963, the first commercial acrylic paint
became available to the hobbyist under the name
of Cryla. It quickly took off as an artists favorite
since it could imitate water colors when diluted or
oils when used without modification.
65
Z Basic Copic Color Choices
Purchasing sketch markers in core basic
colors suited to popper making is a good
economical way to start airbrushing with
the Copic Air Brush System. Consider
these eight colors to start:
YR04 Chrome Orange
R27 Cadmium Red
Y08 Acid Yellow
YG06 Yellowish Green (lime)
G07 Nile Green
YG97 Spanish Olive
N10 Neutral Gray (the longer it is sprayed
the darker it gets, covering shades from
light gray to near black)
B24 Sky Blue
For the hobby lure maker, acrylic paint is an
ideal choice. Acrylic paint is water-based and
contains emulsified polymers to make it adhere.
Acrylic paint is applied with a brush or an airbrush
system and makes painting small areas like lure
bodies a breeze. Acrylic paint is ideal for hand
painting and airbrushing on porous materials like
cork or wood due to the emulsified polymers,
which also give the paint flexibility. Acrylic paints
can be mixed to attain colors and shades not
commercially available. Acrylic paint requires an
undercoat on non-porous materials for best results
(see the chapter in this section entitled Body Fillers
& Finishes for more on undercoats.). To get a
completely smooth coat of paint, investment into
an air brush system certainly helps.

Acrylics can be purchased as an artists paint (ABOVE:
thicker consistency) or as an air brush medium (BELOW:
thinner consistency). A basic assortment of opaque,
transparent and neon acrylic paints will provide a good
arsenal to create nearly limitless color combinations for air
brushing and hand-painting lures.
Airbrushing fly rod and spinning lures has
become an art in itself. Just Google airbrushing
lures to result hundreds of articles and YouTube
videos on the craft. How to air brush with acrylics
is covered in more detail in Section Two - Elements
of Design, Painting Techniques.
Nail Polish
Nail polish has long been used as a paint for
lure making. It is simply a lacquer mixture that
contains a coloring agent (dyes or pigments),
www.pixachrome.com
PAINTS
plasticizers, thickening agents and stabilizers that
prevent color fading and a film-forming adhesive
polymer, such as nitrocellulose. To dissolve the
adhesive polymer in the mixture, an acetate is used
(note: acetate, not acetone - which is used to
remove nail polish). Because acetate is in nail
polish, it will dissolve, blur and blend marker and
airbrush colors applied underneath it.
Nail polish is typically applied using the built-
in cap-brush or a small hobby paint brush. It is
not an effective medium for painting large lure
bodies since it is too time-consuming. Painting
larger lure bodies with an air brush system is much
more time and cost effective. For small popper,
slider and diver bodies, nail polish can be an
effective one-stop paint method. Nail polish
dries relatively quickly and produces a modestly
hard and durable finish. As few as two coats are
all that is needed to solidly color the lure body.
After a few base coats of nail polish, eyes can be
painted on or 3D-eyes can be affixed with CA glue
(Superglue), then covered with a coat or two of
clear nail polish such as Sally Hansens Hard-As-
Nails. This technique will yield quickly made top
water lure bodies, if getting out on the water with
some fishable lures is the goal.
There are three basic types of nail polish to
consider. The first type is standard nail polish that
has been around for decades. It is somewhat thin
and will run easily, yet dry quickly. A few coats is
necessary to obtain a solid color and coating. It is
often on sale and can be purchased for well under
a $1 US. A second type, gel-like nail polish, is
thicker, dries more slowly and yields a thicker
coating. It is meant to imitate the popular UV gel
style of nail polish without requiring a UV curing
light. One coat can be sufficient, but two coats
provide a reasonably durable finish. It can be
slightly more expensive than standard nail polish,
but also can be found on sale frequently for just a
few US dollars. The third type is UV gel nail
66
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Nail polish is an effective lure painting solution thats quick

and easy. An additional advantage is that it comes in
hundreds of color options covering earth tones to bright
neon colors.

polish, which requires a UV light to cure. UV gel

nail polish is considerably more expensive. The
cost can exceed $10 US per small jar.
At this point, one must compare the pros and
cons of using UV cure nail polish versus UV cure
resins made popular in the fly tying world, like
Loon UV Clear Fly Finish, Bug Bond, Diamond
Hard and others.
On one hand, UV gel nail polish is already In this photo, a standard cork stopper popper was sealed
pre-mixed and comes in a variety of colors. UV with wood hardener and painted with copper colored nail
polish. While not entirely the most durable popper ever
cure resin require pigmentation or coloration. made, it was good enough to make a typically bottom-
Using either the UV gel nail polish or the UV cure dwelling yellow perch come to the surface for a meal.
resin requires a UV light, which can range from
$5 US to over $30 US. Loon markets coloration
agents to add to its own brand of UV cure resin,
which work well in epoxy and clear nail polish as
well. More can be found on UV cure glues in the
Finishes chapter of this book. The choice is
personal; UV gel nail polish is ready to apply and
set whereas the UV cure glue requires
pigmentation or coloration and offers more
application flexibility.

67
 PAINTS
FIGURE 8

Advantages and Disadvantages of Paint Options for Lure Painting

Material Advantages Disadvantages
Low cost Not very precise
Easy to find in any general store Produces wasteful and messy over-
Nearly infinite selection of colors spray
Some spray paints deliver a texture Aerosol spray and empty cans harmful
Aerosol Spray Paint Good for solid underbody coats (white to the environment
(acrylic or enamel) for example)
Can provide an opaque color or tinted
color

Best for non-porous surfaces Difficult to air brush

Super high gloss finish Slow to dry due to the oil base
Enamel (brush on) More durable than unprotected acrylic Requires solvents to clean up after use
Does not need a protective overcoat Will develop cracks over time as it ages

Inexpensive and readily available A primer or undercoat is required

Can be mixed to attain colors not when applying to porous surfaces
available Not as durable as enamel or epoxy
Best for porous surfaces
Expands and contracts with
Acrylic (brush on)
temperature
Cleans up with water
Most acrylic paints are non-toxic
Clear spray acrylic acts as a viable top
coat
Very precise with direction of spray Expensive to get geared up with the
and coverage from pencil-thin line to proper equipment
wide spray area Requires air compressor
Nearly infinite selection of colors Learning curve is longer compared to
Air Brushing with Acrylic
Facilitates more artistic and creative marker-based spray systems
paint schemes Requires thorough cleaning after each
Can spray opaque, neon, metallic or color use
transparent colors
Moderately precise with direction of Expensive to get geared up with the
spray and coverage proper equipment
Wide selection of colors, current Requires air compressor or expensive
palette of 358 colors available air canisters
Markers can be used for the spray Markers are more expensive than
system or as a stand-alone marker standard permanent markers
Markers can be refilled No opaque colors
Copic Markers and Air Allows the tyer to become more artistic
Brush System (ABS) and creative
Does not require clean-up after each
color use
Markers will not dry out if properly
stored
Non-toxic ink with little to no odor

www.pixachrome.com 68
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
n Base Coat Painting Jig Place sturdy tape over
the pin heads to secure
A simple jig to spray paint lure bodies a solid base them in place and
color can be made with a cardboard box, some Mark evenly spaced dots prevent them from
straight pins and some sturdy packing tape. where the straight pins punching back
should be placed. through.
DIY STEPS
1. CARDBOARD BOX SELECTION: Select a
cardboard box that can hold about a dozen lure
bodies spaced 3-4 apart. Ideally, the amount
of lure bodies created at a time in batch-mode
would equal the amount of space available on a
drying wheel or bead-chain drying line. The
entire lure production line, from body prep to
final coat, should support the flow of a consis-
tent amount of lure bodies. For most, a dozen
seems to be an ample quantity. A 8W x 10L
box top surface is adequate to paint a dozen
lure bodies.
The bottom inside of the base coat painting jig has the
2. STRAIGHT PIN PLACEMENT: Mark the in- straight pins inserted 3 to 4 apart and the pin heads are
side of the box where each straight pin should secured in place with sturdy packaging tape.
be pushed through. Spacing each pin about 3
or 4 apart provides enough space between
each lure body for painting. Push a straight pin
from the inside bottom of the box through to
outside, using each x or dot as a guide for
placement. A few coats of spray paint around the base of each
3. SECURING THE PIN HEADS: Once all the straight pin will act as glue to help keep the pin in
place.
straight pins are pushed through the box bot-
tom, cover the pin heads with tape to prevent
them from pushing back in when sticking lure
bodies on the pin points. Applying a bead of
hot-melt glue will also secure the pin heads in
place. Spray a few thin layers of spray paint at
the base of each pin point. The dried spray
paint will act as a glue to help hold the pin in
place.
4. PLACING LURE BODIES ON THE PIN
POINTS: It doesnt take much effort to stick a
cork, balsa wood or foam body on a straight
pin point. Firm but gentle pressure is all that is
required. When spraying the paint, be sure to Gently sticking the lure bodies on the pin points allows
for easy spray painting of base colors with little trouble.
cover the area around the pin point, which can
It also makes a good drying rack until the base paint is
be the most difficult to reach.
thoroughly dried.

69
 Artisans Gallery
Matthew Zudweg

Matt Zudweg has taken the artistic license to a new level when decorating his visually appealing Zudbubbler flat-faced
poppers. The examples above are made of hand-shaped balsa and decorated with a variety of modern techniques including
stenciling, custom-printed labeling and hand painting with acrylics.
Poppers made and painted by Matt Zudweg.

www.pixachrome.com 70
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Adhesives
W hile there are hundreds of adhesives on
the market, only two stand out as
effective options for gluing hooks to lure bodies;
cyanoacrylate glue (a.k.a. Super Glue) and two-
part epoxy. A complete chart comparing
adhesives and their hook holding ability is found
in Figure 3 - Adhesive Effectiveness: Gluing Hooks
to Common Lure Body Materials.
Gluing Hooks to Lure Bodies
Adhesives form their holding power in one of
two ways: drying or curing. White craft glue is a
prime example of a glue that dries to form
adhesion. When the water from the glue
evaporates, the glue hardens and forms a bond
between the two materials. Two-part epoxy is a
prime example of an adhesive that cures. The
mixed epoxy cures due to a chemical reaction,
where the resin reacts
with the hardener over
a period of time to
form a hard adhesive
bond. Another way to
cure uses water, or
moisture in the air.
Gorilla Glue, a Two-Part Epoxy
polyurethane adhesive,
is an example of a glue
that uses moisture as
the curing agent.
Standard CA glue (Superglue) is one of two essential
adhesives to have on hand when making lures. The other is
two-part epoxy, With these two adhesives, most any
bonding job in making lures can be achieved.
71
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive
The easiest and quickest way to glue hooks to
lure bodies of all materials is to use cyanoacrylate
(CA) adhesive, commonly called Super Glue, a
trademarked name of the Super Glue Corporation.
Cyanoacrylate comes in two forms - liquid and
gel.
The liquid CA adhesive spreads thin and soaks
into loose and porous materials. It sets with quick
tenacity and is often the blame for the forefinger
and thumb being glued together, despite all good
intentions.
CA gel is slightly more forgiving and sets in
about 10-12 seconds and fully cures in a few
minutes. Its easier to apply since it wont run and
soak into materials, staying put where it is applied.
For this reason, CA gel is the preferred CA glue to
use for fast, mess-free work.
While CA adhesive has sufficient holding
power for small- and medium-sized lures, it is not
preferred for working with large saltwater-sized
lures. Epoxy is a better choice for gluing hooks to
larger surface lure bodies.
Two-part epoxy is a fail-safe way to apply
hooks to all lure bodies but it requires a bit of
patience as it takes longer to cure and set a firm
bond. Depending on the type of two-part epoxy
used, the cure time could be as little as five minutes
and as long as 60 minutes or more. If you have
the time to wait, and a drying wheel, gluing hooks
to bodies using epoxy is the surest way to go.

Common two-part epoxy cure times are 5-minute, 15-
minute, 30-minute and 60-minute. Thirty or 60-minute
cure times are the preferred choices for lure crafting.
Commercially available two-part epoxies used in
hobby applications do not require any other
curing agent, such as heat, to speed the process,
although some industrial epoxies do.
The epoxy curing process is exothermic, which
means the chemical curing process creates heat.
For commercially available two-part epoxies, this
exothermic reaction is barely noticeable. Various
concentrations of co-reactants in the hardener
speed up or slow down the cure time, ranging from
5 minutes to over an hour. For the most part,
epoxies are known for their excellent adhesion,
chemical and heat resistance, good mechanical
www.pixachrome.com
ADHESIVES
electrical insulating properties. Mixing color
powders and sparkle agents in epoxy as the
hardener and resin are mixed can add extra effects
and realism to lure bodies.
Over time, liquid epoxy resins can crystallize
when stored at room temperature. (Note that
epoxy hardener does not exhibit this tendency.)
Crystallization may take the form of turbidity or
the presence of crystals in the material or on the
container. Occasionally, crystallization may
continue to the point where solidification occurs.
The occurrence of crystallization is not an
indication that an epoxy resin is beyond
reasonable use. Partially crystallized epoxy resin
can be revived to a liquid state by heating it to a
temperature of approximately 50C (122F). This
temperature should be maintained until no
crystals remain. Common and safe heating
methods include the use of a vented convection
oven or steam. If steam is used, it should be
circulated around tightly closed containers. (Note:
Always exercise good safety habits when working
with elevated temperatures applied to chemicals.)
Gluing Materials Together
Gluing Wood and Plastic
Occasionally, it is necessary to glue cork, balsa,
basswood, plastic and other materials to itself and
to one another. Two-part epoxy is ideal for gluing
the hard materials together but it is not ideal for
gluing foams together. It cures rigid and is not as
flexible for materials like foam, although it will
bond foams together.
Urethane-based cements like AquaSeal can
work well and provide a more flexible joint if the
circumstances require it. Urethane adhesives are
also waterproof. Silicone-based adhesives like
Liquid Nails perform similarly to urethane-based
cements.
72
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
To help the epoxy, urethane or silicone
adhesives perform best, its ideal to roughen the
two surfaces to be joined together with a piece of
medium-grit sandpaper. This is particularly true
for gluing hard materials together like hard
Styrofoam.

Gluing Foams
The best consumer option for gluing foam
together is 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. A
similar product, made by Loctite, is called High-
Performance Spray Adhesive (be sure to select the
heavyweight bonding version). These spray
adhesives are very sticky and tenacious. It can be
found in most hardware stores, big box general
retailers or online. More on how to use Super 77
can be found in Section Three, Common
Procedures, DIY tip 5 - Making Sandwiched Sheet
Foam Blocks.
Another option is to use Formica contact
adhesive. This type of adhesive is usually found
in pint, quart and gallon sized containers and
requires brushing versus spraying. It is less
convenient and more of a potential mess
compared to spray adhesive.
Foams can also be glued together using weather
strip adhesive. Weather strip adhesive is 3M Super 77 spray adhesive is a tenaciously strong contact
spray adhesive for gluing layers of sheet foam together. Be
sure to apply it outdoors as the fine over-spray can make a
Z Using Spray Adhesive mess of nearby work surfaces and fine furniture if used
indoors.
Follow these tips when spraying 3M Super 77
spray adhesive:
Wear disposable latex gloves
waterproof and flexible. This type of adhesive can
Wear a dust mask to prevent inhaling the be purchased in a variety of colors. For most lure
adhesive over-spray requirements, clear is the best choice.
Spray outside if at all possible
Use short bursts to cover materials until a
Shaping Feathers and Synthetics with
hazy white coating can be seen Adhesive
use a small box, such as a copy paper box, as Shaping feathers and synthetics with adhesive
a spray hood to prevent over-spray from is a great way to create flexible lure parts to be tied
drifting; place the items to be sprayed at the in at a later stage in the lure building process. A
bottom and spray into the box common examples are a tail fin on a bait fish or
73
 ADHESIVES

Liquid Nails is a good adhesive for gluing most lure body Aquaseal works best on materials that are least porous.
materials together.

frog legs. The techniques discussed below work

equally well on feathers and synthetics.
To keep the materials as flexible as possible, use
a rubber, silicone or latex-based adhesive - Softex
works best. Softex is discussed in more detail in
the next chapter, Body Finishes. Plasti Dip and
Liquid Nails LN-201 are also useful.
Liquid Nails LN-201 (Home Projects version)
is a clear silicone polymer that is water resistant
and flexible. It bonds most any material with the
exception of polyethylene or polypropylene
products. It can be shaped prior to curing.
Working time is a short five minutes with a full
cure in 24 hours.
ABOVE: Liquid Fusion
Other Adhesives works best on cork but can
Aquaseal is a urethane adhesive that is well- be used to reliably bond other
lure body materials together.
known to those who have had the need to repair
LEFT: Bishs Original Tear
waders. The clear adhesive is extremely water- Mender is best for porous
proof and flexible. It has a longer cure-set time, materials.
thus it cannot be shaped as easily. It levels out Liquid Fusion is a
quite well. Full cure occurs in 24 hours. clear water-based polyurethane adhesive that is
non-toxic and doesnt expand when curing. It
Bishs Original Tear Mender Fabric & Leather
forms a waterproof bond to non-porous materials
Adhesive has long been a favorite of fly tyers for
and cleans up with water before curing. Cure time
gluing rabbit strips together for double-bunny
is 2-4 hours to tack, 24 hours for full cure.
flies. Tear Mender is a flexible, non-toxic, acid-
free, natural latex adhesive that dries waterproof Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane adhesive that
and UV resistant. It cures in 3 minutes and to a uses water to speed curing. Dampening the
full machine-washable state in 15 minutes. While surfaces to be glued with a wet rag or fine mist of
it works well on very porous materials like balsa water helps speed curing and activation of the
and leather, it is not an adhesive to consider for adhesive. The adhesive expands three to four
lure making in general. times its original volume as it cures, so use
www.pixachrome.com 74
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
FIGURE 9

Adhesive Effectiveness When Gluing Lure Body Materials to Each Other

Molded Hi-Density
Polystyrene Foam
Cork Balsa Basswood
(hard (sheet and
Styrofoam) block)

E6000 Excellent bond,
(tube) Excellent bond. Excellent bond Excellent bond Excellent bond. requires firm pressure
overnight to set

Good solid bond.
CA Glue
May pull apart due to
Excellent bond.
Excellent bond, but
(Super Glue) Excellent bond Excellent bond Caution - will melt softer
the frail nature of may eat some foams
Styrofoam
balsa

Liquid Nails Excellent bond Excellent bond Excellent bond Excellent bond Pulls apart easily

Gorilla Glue Excellent bond Excellent bond Excellent bond Good solid bond Pulls apart easily

Good solid bond.
2-part epoxy Good solid bond May pull apart due to
Excellent bond. Excellent bond. works ok, but can
pull apart
the frail nature of balsa.

The best choice for
3M Super 77 works ok, but can
Excellent bond Excellent bond Good solid bond. gluing sheet foams
pull apart
together.

Aquaseal Pulls apart easily Excellent bond. Excellent bond. Excellent bond. Pulls apart easily

Liquid Fusion Excellent bond. Good solid bond Good solid bond Good solid bond Pulls apart easily

Bishs Original
Good solid bond.
Tear Mender
May pull apart due to

Fabric & Leather Pulls apart easily Pulls apart easily Pulls apart easily Pulls apart easily
the frail nature of
Adhesive balsa

= best option = worst option

The chart above illustrates the best bonds for gluing like materials together. For example, 2-part epoxy is best for basswood
and hard Styrofoam but is not good for gluing foams together. The chart was completed using practical study and
experience with each adhesive on various lure body materials. Informal tests were conducted for each of the parameter
variations above. The cells highlighted in light green represent the best option(s) for each adhesive-material combination.

75
 ADHESIVES

E6000 is an excellent choice for gluing synthetics and

natural materials alike.

materials used in top water lure making. It doesnt

Gorilla Glue is a good choice to bond most materials
except foam, despite what the label indicates.
hurt to have some cyanoacrylate adhesive (CA
adhesive, Super Glue) and/or Liquid Nails as
well.
What the chart on the opposite page does not
tell you is how selected adhesives perform on
tailing and collar materials such as leather, rabbit
strips, fur, feathers and more. Adhesives like
Bishs Tear Mender and CA adhesive are better
for adhering leather. Flexible adhesives with less
bonding properties, such as Softex are excellent
for fur and feather.

sparingly. Excess can be sanded or carved free

with a knife.
E6000 is a synthetic rubber compound
essentially made with dry cleaning fluid
(tetrachloroethylene) and a synthetic rubber
(styrene butadiene copolymer). It bonds to most
any substrate and provides a non-flammable,
water-proof, flexible clear cure. The cure time is
the longest of any adhesive discussed here, 24
hours to cure, with up to 72 hour wait for full
strength cure. It is an excellent overall choice for
a one-stop adhesive for lure making.

What is the Best Adhesive for Lure

Making?
If you had only one adhesive to choose, E6000
by Eclectic Products is a good all-around choice.
It is a flexible epoxy which bonds most all

www.pixachrome.com 76
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Body Fillers & Finishes

S ome lure body materials are so porous that

a filler may be required to smooth things
out prior to applying a primer coat. Cork is a
by rubbing a damp rag
over the lure body. The
moisture will raise the
prime example, and some balsa can be so porous grain texture of the
that some filler is prudent. Standard wood glue- wood. Allow it to dry
based fillers work perfectly for this application. If then lightly hand sand
you do any work with cork or marginal balsa, again with 320-400 -
wood filler is a must for creating smooth, grit sandpaper to
professional looking lure bodies. achieve a baby-bottom
Commercially available wood filler comes in smooth surface. Use a
two primary colors - natural wood color and slightly dampened rag
Elmers Wood Filler glue in
white. The natural wood color is ideal for cork, to wipe away any
white and natural are must-
balsa and basswood. The white is good for any micro-dust, as it will haves for any cork, balsa or
lure body that will be painted white or for filling cause surface basswood lure maker. It helps
hard Styrofoam. Wood filler can be sanded, consistency issues with fill in small surface
painting and finishing. inconsistencies and hook
stained and painted. Wood filler can also be good insertion slots or holes.
for repairing small mistakes in carving and Garnet sandpaper is
sanding wood or Styrofoam. a good choice for hand sanding. Its inexpensive
and works well on raw wood. The abrasive
Preparing Lure Bodies particles break during use, providing new edges
Before lure bodies can be painted and finished, for removing material. The downside of garnet
they must be smoothed (especially if wood filler sandpaper is that it wears quickly. When the
has been applied) and sealed. Any minor surface sandpaper appears it isnt doing its job as effective
blemish unattended before painting and finishing, as a new sheet of sandpaper, discard the old one
will be magnified when the final clear coat is and get a new section immediately. Dont skimp!
applied. Be sure to sand wood and Styrofoam Worn out sandpaper makes you work harder and
lure bodies to satisfaction before the next step of can even cause you to over-sand an area, causing
sealing. Rough sand to shape with a emery board dips and channels in the substrate. While there
or disposable nail file before sanding to final form. are other sandpaper materials available, garnet
Refer to the DIY Cork and Wood Body Preparation and emery cloth work as well as any other, and the
section in this chapter. price is affordable.

Particularly with wood lure bodies, hand-sand

with 220-240 grit sandpaper. Then wet the lure

77
 BODY FILLERS & FINISHES
ranked in preferential order of ease of use and
Primer durability.
Coatings and Wood Hardener
Sealants For exceptionally soft woods, Minwax Wood
When coloring Hardener is a good base coat applied before any
lure bodies, other preparation and artistry is done. A few coats
regardless of applied in rapid succession until shiny is all that
material, it is best to is needed. Allow to dry for 2-4 hours (it will turn
apply a few layers of tacky dry in 20 minutes). Then lightly sand
a primer coat before smooth. Applying wood hardener is also a great
painting. A base way to waterproof natural body materials.
primer coat serves
multiple purposes: Two-Part Epoxy
Some lure makers apply a few thin coats of
A filler for small epoxy by wiping the lure with a lint-free rag.
porous surfaces Using 30- minute, 60-minute or rod building
A method to apply epoxy will yield the thinnest coats and wont
a solid under-color yellow like 5- or 10 -minute epoxy. Lightly sand
prior to final between coats with 320-grit sandpaper or finer
marking or painting and wipe dust-free with a dampened lint-free rag
Minwax Wood Hardener is an A consistent to ensure the smoothest finish on uneven surfaces.
excellent choice for prepping medium which
and sealing wood and cork applies a good base Enamel Spray Paint
before painting. for applying markers Many times, a solid color undercoat is desired
and other paints prior to adding details a lure body. It acts as a
A water-tight sealant sealant too. Colors like white, light gray, metallic
A white primer coat will make subsequent silver, metallic gold and metallic brass are
color layers pop more vibrantly common as base colors before applying final
A black primer coat will provide good contrast artistic coloring and marking.
against subsequent bright color layers
Standard enamel spray paint works well for
A metallic primer coat will make transparent
cork and Styrofoam, but may react and deform
color layers shine with fishy appeal
some foams. Test the material first before
spraying in production. A fail-safe way to apply
It is essential to completely seal wood and cork
an enamel color to foam is to coat the foam with
lure bodies. Water will be the ultimate demise of
a water-based urethane sealer first, lightly hand
a partially sealed wood lure. Moisture trapped
sand, then apply a coat of enamel spray paint in
under a mostly-sealed lure body will never
the color of choice.
completely escape and thus, the body will rot away
over time. Plus, a popper, slider or diver just wont Water-Based Latex
work as designed when it is waterlogged. Below Water-based latex (common house paint) has
are several options for sealing wood lure bodies, many advantages over oil-based house paint.

www.pixachrome.com 78
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
not dry evenly on the
lure body, leaving
uncoated areas when
dry.

Water-Based
Urethanes
Water-based
Loon Outdoors Hard Head Pearlescent and
urethane can be used
Phosphorescent water-based urethanes make the perfect
under coat primer before applying final markings and
as a primer or final
colorings to a lure body. coat on all body
material types, but it
Latex doesnt yellow over time, dries faster and is should be used with
easy to clean up with soap and water. However, caution as a final coat.
Latex paint will swell wood grains and require It will become brittle
some sanding between coats if the wood isnt and crack quickly over
treated beforehand. time.
A latex paint undercoat will take Copic and Water-based
acrylic paint air brushing well, but requires a coat urethanes can either be
of clear nail polish before applying any other brushed (using a
water-based urethane, such as Loon Outdoor product like
Hard Head Pearlescent urethane. Water-based Ceramcoat) or Loon Outdoors Hard Head
urethanes tend to be phobic to latex paint and will sprayed via aerosol clear water-based urethane is
can. Spraying a water- the perfect base medium for
adding powdered coloring
based urethane will agents and glitter.
least disturb marker
colors and air brush colors, avoiding the bleeding
and discoloration.
Brushing water-based urethanes on surfaces
that have been marked with most permanent
markers or painted with Copic markers, for
example, will cause the colors to slightly bleed,
blend and discolor. Be gentle when applying
water-based urethanes over these color substrates.
Coloring epoxy and water-based urethanes with powdered
coloring agents is an easy way to add professional looking
Loon Outdoors produces water-based clear,
finishes. Loon Outdoors has 12 colors and one phosphorescent and pearlescent urethanes specific
phosphorescent powder to choose from. They are packaged for lure making and fly tying. The pearlescent
in sets of three colors per collection - Primary Series: sheen in the pre-mixed urethanes is made of a
Firebrick Red, Solar Yellow, Electric Blue. Bright Series: microscopic powder, much like what is found in
Imperial Purple, Bright Pink, Kingfisher Blue. Earthtone
facial make-up powders. The sheen it produces
Series: Pumpkin Orange, Chocolate Brown, Midnight. Flash
Series: Pearl Red, Pearl Green, Pearl Blue. when dry resembles most closely the sheen fish

79
 BODY FILLERS & FINISHES
scales produce. While suitable primer coat on
there are nail polishes balsa, wood, and cork
that have pearlescent lure bodies as it accepts
sheen, the powder in acrylics well. For foam
the nail polish is not as bodies, two coats is all
fine as the powder that is required. It seals
found in Loons the foam and adds
products. Its hard not durability, although it
to use Loon Outdoors is not impervious to the
Hard Head teeth of a few caught
Pearlescent or fish.
Spray urethanes (L) and
Phosphorescent
urethanes as a base Cyanoacrylate acrylics (R) are available in
matte, semi-gloss and gloss.
layer before applying Adhesive They are an effective way to
colors and patterning Some lure makers apply a micro-thin coat over
Ceramcoat Varnish is good hand decorated lure bodies,
on top. It certainly use cyanoacrylate
for sealing finishes on home- especially over marker inks.
made foam popper bodies,
adds a professional (CA) adhesive (a.k.a.
Brushing on urethane and
where no painting is required. touch and appeal to Super Glue) to fill acrylic clear coats will blend
the lure body. gaps and holes in lure and blur marker ink, where
Loon Outdoors also markets non-toxic Fly bodies. While it the spray will not. Apply a
works well, its a light first coat and let it
Tying Powders, shown on previous pages, which thoroughly dry to ensure the
is the best way to add pigment and glimmer to messy and expensive
inks will not blur. A few more
clear tying cements, urethanes, UV resins and way to prepare heavier coats can then be
epoxy. Pouring some water-based urethane in a porous lure body applied before a final epoxy
separate container and mixing in some Fly Tying materials. If you have coat is applied.

Powder is a great way to make a custom urethane a small area to patch

coating with the level of sheen desired. Blending
multiple pearlescent colors and adding a touch of
phosphorescent powder adds to the creativity that
is all your own.
More on applying and working with finishes
can be found in Section Two - Applying Finishes.
Ceramcoat Varnish
Ceramcoat varnish is a polyurethane water-
based varnish meant to provide a protective
coating over acrylic paints. Glitter and iridescent
powers can be added for extra flair. Its easy to
work with and washes up with water. However,
over time (years) it will begin to yellow. For this
reason, it isnt an ideal final coat but makes a
or repair, CA adhesive can be a quick solution,
however, there are better fillers to consider.
Gesso
Gesso is a chalk-based white-wash urethane
that is primarily used to prepare canvas and wood
for painting. It leaves a thin, transparent white
coat when dry. Adding multiple layers of gesso
will make the white washing more opaque and
help fill in small (emphasis on small) irregularities
in the surface of cork, balsa and basswood. While
it can be applied to foam and Styrofoam, it isnt
the best primer for these materials. For most
hobby lure needs, gesso isnt the best primer coat,
but it does help water-proof home-made foam

www.pixachrome.com 80
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
popper bodies. Light sanding between coats is a temperatures, the epoxy will cure tack free in 4-7
necessity for a smooth finish. hours and cure completely in 72 hours.

Finishing Coats Two-Part Epoxy

While epoxy can be used as a primer coat, it is
Finishing coats should be hard and durable.
the best as a final protective overcoat. Applying a
For this reason, water-based urethanes and
primer layer and a final coat of epoxy to a lure
acrylics are not the best, as they tend to produce a
body weights it down unnecessarily, unless of
softer finish than epoxies or UV cure resins. With
course it is preferred to sink the lure somewhat.
this said, however, some applications are better
with a spray or brush on water-based urethane or As a rule of thumb, the longer an epoxy takes
acrylic, such as when coating foam bodies. In to cure and harden, as depicted by its minute
certain cases, its best to keep the supple soft rating, the thinner the epoxy will be and the clearer
nature of the foam body versus coating it with a it will remain in years to come. The thinner epoxy
hard epoxy, for example. Water-based urethanes is, the better it is to work with. In most all lure
and acrylics, such as Ceramcoat Varnish and
water-based clear urethanes, can be used to coat
foam, however it is not a highly durable solution.

Envirotex Lite
Pour-On High Gloss
Finish
Envirotex Lite is a
thick high gloss finish
commonly seen used in
restaurant bar and table
tops. It is Using 5- or 10-minute epoxy as a final coat yields more
negatives than positives. The short work time provides little
approximately equal to
time to coat too many bodies in a production mode.
30-50 coats of standard ABOVE: As the epoxy begins to harden, bubbles cannot
Envirotex Lite Pour-On varnish and is hard as escape, leaving an imperfect finish, as shown above. Five
High Gloss Finish yields a nails. For small and ten minute cure epoxies also tend to yellow quickly, as
rock-hard and extremely seen in both examples here.
freshwater lure bodies,
durable finish. If you are BELOW: A test fly was built using the following materials:
making lures for toothy fish, it may not make sense unsealed basswood, Copic marker red banding, nail polish
this would be a good finish to to mix up a small batch eye paint and 5-minute epoxy coating. After a summer on
consider. and apply to a few lures. the dashboard of a vehicle, the epoxy became brittle,
However, for larger yellowed and the marker coloring bled.
freshwater and salt water lures, Envirotex Lite
provides an extremely durable clear finish. The
measurement of resin and hardener must be exact
for the results to be perfect. Any slight deviance
from equal parts will result in a tacky or
permanently un-cured state. At normal room

81
 BODY FILLERS & FINISHES
Mixing color powders and sparkle agents in
epoxy as the hardener and resin are mixed can add
extra effects and realism to lure bodies. These
microfine powders can be added to epoxy, fly tying
cement or UV cure resins giving extra sparkle and
realism to lure bodies. The powders are pigments
and will not dissolve in liquid adhesive. The
powders are specifically designed to not interfere
with the adhesive cure time or strength.

Flex Coat Lure

Gel Coat Epoxy
and Iridescent
Two-part epoxy has a tendency to exhibit a phobic nature
to under-coatings such as standard nail polish, some
Finish System
Flex Coat
permanent marker colors and certainly debris, wax and
silicone. In the photo above, notice how the epoxy separated manufactures
and did not to adhere to the top front lip of the popper body. industry standard
rod building epoxies
and now make an
making, a thick coat of epoxy is not desired.
epoxy specifically for
Instead, a thin, protective, shiny and glossy coat is
lure applications.
the ticket.
Flex Coat lure Flex Coat Lure Gel Coat epoxy
For this reason, five- and ten-minute epoxy can
wrapping epoxy is an is specifically formulated for lure
get you by in a pinch, but should be avoided for
excellent finish for finishes.
putting the finishing touches on a lure body that
lures. Its flexible,
took some time to create. Quick curing epoxy will
hard, shiny and sets up evenly when using a
yellow within a years time and begin to crack;
turning wheel. Theres not much to dislike about
eventually chipping off.
Flex Coat lure wrapping epoxy on poppers,
The minimum curing time for epoxies to sliders and divers.
consider is the 30-minute variety. Rod building
The Flex Coat Iridescent Finish System
epoxy is optimum, require several hours or more
contains 2-part Flex Coat gel coat epoxy,
curing time. If yellowing occurs in 30-minute or
iridescent powder, syringes, finishing brushes,
longer curing epoxy, it is hardly noticeable.
mixing cups and sticks. According to Flex Coat,
There are plenty of epoxy adhesive the formulation of the Iridescent Finish System is
manufacturers, but not all epoxies are alike. different than the rod building epoxy and
Typically, hardware store epoxy will be the quick specifically formulated for lure makers. It is the
five- to ten-minute curing variety. Some of the authors go-to epoxy choice.
trusted 30-minute epoxy brands used by lure
makers and fly tyers are Devcon, Loctite and Ultraviolet (UV) Cure Resins
Zap. There are quite a few UV light curing resins on
the market today. The most prominent for fly

www.pixachrome.com 82
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

UVcure resin is available from many manufacturers in various viscosities including a fluorescing, red, orange and yellow
colors. (L to R): Solarez Thin, Thick & Flex, Loon Outdoors 1oz bottles with applicator tips, Loon Outdoors 4oz Thick
(also available in Thin) and Deer Creek Fine and Diamond Fine Flex Tack Free. Loon Outdoors also markets a handy UV
Fly Tying Kit which includes Thick, Thin, Flow, a variety of tips and a penlight-sized UV cure light.

tyers and lure makers are Loon Outdoors and
Deer Creek. Other UV brands include Crystal UV
Resin, Bondic and Solarez.
Light curable resins have three basic
components: 1) photoinitiator, 2) monomer, and
3) oligomer. The photoinitiator triggers the curing
process when it is exposed to UV light. The
monomer provides adhesion to the substrate. The
oligomer yields most of the post-cure mechanical
properties such as hardness, elongation, elasticity,
shrinkage, etc. Small percentages of additives may
also be incorporated into the formulations to
provide unique features such as fluorescence and
color.
UV resins are primarily acrylic based. They
bond with equal structural strength to epoxies and
can be water white and moisture resistant. The
same amounts of epoxy or a UV curing adhesive
would be used, as both are gap filling and provide
structural support.
Another advantage of using UV cure resins is
that parts can be manipulated after applying the
adhesive. Curing doesnt begin until the adhesive
is exposed to the curing UV light. Uncured

FIGURE 10
Light Wavelength (nanometers, nm)
X-Rays Ultraviolet Light Visible Light Infrared
Vacuum-UV UV-C UV-A
UV-B

100 200 280 315 360 400 780

Most common hobby

UV light range

83
 BODY FILLERS & FINISHES

2 3 4
5

UV lights come in all shapes and sizes. Single LED lamps (1, 2) are ideal for a traveling tying kit or curing small areas.
Multi-LED lamps (3,4) are good for larger jobs and to have at the tying bench. UV-Gel nail polish cure lamps (4) have
multiple LEDs and are better for curing larger lure bodies since the entire lure can be placed in the reflective UV LED
lighting area.

adhesive can be easily wiped away with isopropyl
alcohol.
UV Cure Tackiness
Why do some UV cure resins set up with a
tacky feel when cured? It all has to do with the
nanometers of the UV light waves used to cure the
adhesive. Most UV cure resins have
photoinitiators that react to the UV-A spectrum
of UV light. The higher the UV wavelength (in
the 300-400 nanometer range), the better the
overall internal cure of the adhesive, but the
surface will feel tacky. In contrast, lower UV light
waves (in the 200-300 nanometer range) cure the
surface better, but will not cure as thoroughly as
higher UV wavelength light. The ideal UV cure
lamp will be able to cover a wide spectrum of UV
light; UV-C, UV-B and UV-A spectrums.
UV resin manufacturers typically offer UV
lamp/Light options to cure the adhesive. UV
lights range from a small penlight size lamp using
one UV LED to a large, multi-LED UV light
requiring several batteries to power. A 365nm
LED light is most common. Some lights contain
multiple LEDs that emit different UV light
spectrum, giving a wider range of curabililty. A
common UV-LED range for LED-UV lights is
390nm-410nm, with some lights going as low as
www.pixachrome.com
360nm. Professional cure lamps can emit UV light
from 300nm to 550nm in a single lamp unit.
These units often use mercury vapor lamps, which
operate at high temperatures and can be expensive.
Specialized UV fluorescent lamps also emit UV
light, but are larger and not necessarily hand-held.
Ultimately, hand-held LED UV lights are most
suitable for the lure maker and fly-tyer. LED UV
lights emit a narrow light spectrum which is
closely matched to the photoinitiator component
in the UV cure resin. For this reason alone, it is
best to use the manufacturers UV light to cure its
own UV adhesive. However, exceptional results
can be achieved using a third-party UV LED light.
Its best to test the LED lamp with the brand of UV
cure resin you plan to use, before purchasing the
light.
To solve the issue of tackiness after a UV
adhesive has been exposed to UV light, dab the
area with a drop or two of isopropyl alcohol or
coat the area with clear nail polish. Or, consider
trying Deer Creeks 100% Tack Free line of UV
adhesives.
Clear Nail Polish
As discussed in the Paints chapter of this book,
nail polish is a reasonable, but not best, option for
not only painting lure bodies but also for applying
84
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
clear finish coats. A standard clear nail polish, like
Sally Hansens Hard-As-Nails, is ubiquitous to
fly tyers who use it as a tying glue or as a clear coat
finish. Thinned down with a few drops of acetone,
it makes a fine tying glue. A few coats of un-
thinned liquid makes a hard coating on a small
popper. Durability is short-lived however.
Clear nail polish also comes in gel-like and UV
cure gel types as well. The gel-like consistency is
thick, similar to UV cure glue, taking more time
to dry. The UV cure glue is also thick but can set
in a matter of a few seconds with a UV cure
penlight. Both only require a single coat to finish
a popper, slider or diver body.
Its worth repeating here again from the
previous chapter, nail polish will tend to blister
under heat (direct sun) as the air and slight
moisture content inherently trapped in the
A fly painted with orange nail polish and coated with clear
nail overcoat has blistered under the heat of the summer sun.
This is common when using nail polishes as finishes on
porous bodies, such as cork.
material coated by the nail polish expands. Nail
polish is more flexible than most epoxies.
Softex
Softex is a solvent-based polymer body
forming material specifically developed for fly
85
Airhead Topwater Fly This
hollow-bodied popper/diver
is made of large pearl EZ
body and a looped section of
monofilament for a diving
lip. An initial coat of Softex
seals the body and adheres
the feathers on top. A final
coat is given by dipping the
entire body in Softex. Fly
tied by John Ryzanych.
tying. It can be used anywhere and doesnt require
any special tools or lights to cure.
The core use is as a film former, a coating of
sorts. The material is self-leveling and expels air
bubbles on its own. It dries quickly and clear, with
a working time of about five minutes. Softex
bonds to itself, can be repaired years later. It has
outstanding penetrating and adhesion qualities.
It acts as a adhesive, pre-coat, coating, paint, and
more.
Taking care of the jar of Softex is vitally
important to keeping a jar around for some time.
Allowing any air to get into the jar will dry out and
cure the liquid quickly. Ensure the jar is sealed
tight after each use. A good practice is to cover
the jar immediately after removing the needed
amount, and before applying it on a lure body.
This reduces evaporation.
Because Softex is a unique blend of solvents
and polymers, there is no one best solvent/thinner
for Softex. Doing kitchen chemistry can
undesirably change the character and performance
of Softex. The best solvent for an old jar of
Softex is a new one. For clean-up purposes,
xylene works well. Be sure to wear protective

Plasti Dip by Performix
adds a matte soft-touch
protective coating to lure
bodies. Spraying Plasti
Dips Glossifier Top Coat
will add some shine, but not
entirely glossy like epoxy.
A few thin coats of Plasti
Dip Glossifier will add a
nice finish to top water
lures coated with Softex as
well.
eye-wear and avoid contact with skin. Use
disposable gloves when working with xylene. Also
note that xylene will quickly eat away desktop
finishes and painted surfaces, so cover your work
surface and be careful not to spill.
Plasti Dip
Plasti Dip is an air-dry plastic resin coating that
is flexible and will not crack in extreme cold
conditions. Plasti Dip can be brushed on or dipped.
Multiple colors are available, clear being the most
important to lure creators. The finish will dry matte,
not shiny. A glossifier is available as an overcoat,
however, dont expect a high-gloss coat like epoxy.
Cure time is 30-40 minutes and multiple layers can
be applied.
Vinyl Lure Finish
Vinyl lure finish provides a very tough and
flexible finish. It can be brushed, sprayed or dipped.
The paint itself is rather thick and can be thinned
with a special thinner that is specifically
manufactured for the vinyl lure paint. It is not
advised to use acetone or some other thinner in place
of the specific formulation by the manufacturer. The
most common vinyl lure paint on the market is made
by CS Coatings.
The paint is available in clear and a multitude of
colors including pearls, glow and fluorescence.
www.pixachrome.com
BODY FILLERS & FINISHES
CS Coatings vinyl lure finish yields a very durable and tough
finish for top water lure bodies. While more detailed paint jobs
with color transitioning and fading are difficult to achieve,
vinyl lure paint is a viable choice for a solid color finish.
Before applying the final color top coat, apply a coat
of white underneath to make the colors more
vibrant. The vinyl dries with a matte finish similar
to Softex or Plasti Dip, but is significantly more
durable.
Durability of Lure Finishes
Not all lure finishes are durable for the long haul.
For this book, an informal study was conducted to
examine the effects of various finishes on cork, balsa,
basswood, high density foam and Styrofoam.
Extensive combinations of materials and finishes
discussed in this book were exposed to 90 days of
outdoor weather, including freezing temperatures,
90-degree Fahrenheit days (32 degrees Celsius), rain
and snow. The results reveal some observations that
may not be common knowledge. Refer to Figure
11-A and 11-B on the following pages.
Observations on Weathering of Various
Finishes
Cork, balsa and basswood pre-treated with wood
hardener before finishes are applied tend to be
more colorfast and durable, and colors resist
fading
All markers will fade under most finishes
Flex Coat lure epoxy, Plasti Dip with UV-
block glossifier and Liquid Fusion are best
choices for finishes over markers
86
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
FIGURE 11-A
Weathering Effects on Cork, Balsa & Basswood with Various Coatings
Treated
Untreated
Body Untreated Treated
Treated Treated Body with Treated
Coated Coated with Body with Body with
Un-Treated with Wood Body with Liquid Body with
with 30-Minute FlexCoat Liquid
Body Hardener FlexCoat Fusion Vinyl Lure
Loon Epoxy Lure Epoxy Fusion
Only Lure Epoxy Coating Finish
Hard Head Coating
Urethane


Sharpie Noticeable
Treatment Urethane
Some fading
FlexCoat No fading but
Colorfast with Some fading Bleeds colors
Marker helps reduce helps reduce helps block more
fading and yellowing yellowing with yellowing underneath
fading fading weathering yellowing


Winsor & Pro-Marker
Pro-Markers
fades more Pro-Markers
Newton Treatment
than
may fade very
may fade very
No fading but
Bleeds colors
Pro- Some fading helps reduce slightly, but not slight Colorfast Colorfast
Sharpies slightly, but underneath
fading significant, yellowing
Marker under
some yellowing
not significant
urethane


Copic fades
Copic slightly
Copic Treatment more than
fades with
FlexCoat No fading but
Very slight

Bleeds colors
Marker Some fading helps reduce Sharpies helps block slight Colorfast
some epoxy fading underneath
fading under weathering yellowing
yellowing
urethane


Acrylic
Colorfast with
Colorfast with
Paint Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast slight Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast
yellowing
yellowing


Colorfast with Colorfast but
Nail Polish Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast
Colorfast with
Colorfast slight Colorfast Colorfast may blend
yellowing
yellowing colors
FIGURE 11-B

Weathering Effects on High-Density Foam with Various Coatings

Treated Body
Treated Body Treated Body
Treated Body Coated with Treated Body
Coated with Coated with Treated Body
Un-Treated Coated with Clear Plasti with
Loon Hard Liquid with Vinyl
Body Clear Plasti Dip and UV- FlexCoat
Head Fusion Lure Finish
Dip Block Lure Epoxy
Urethane Coating
Glossifier


Sharpie
Urethane helps
Colors bleed into Colors bleed into Faint yellowing of Colors bleed into
Bleeds colors
Marker Significant fading the foam, but dont the foam, but FlexCoat, but no the foam, but
reduce fading underneath
fade dont fade color fading dont fade
Winsor &

Faint yellowing of
Newton Pro- Some fading
Urethane helps
Colorfast Colorfast FlexCoat, but no Colorfast
Bleeds colors
Marker reduce fading underneath
color fading


Copic
Urethane helps
Faint yellowing of
Bleeds colors
Marker Some fading Slight fading Colorfast FlexCoat, but no Colorfast
reduce fading underneath
color fading

Faint yellowing of
Acrylic Paint Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast FlexCoat, but no Colorfast Colorfast
color fading


Faint yellowing of
Nail Polish Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast Colorfast FlexCoat, but no Colorfast
Colorfast but may
blend colors
color fading

87
 BODY FILLERS & FINISHES

Above are two examples of the Water Wobble pattern detailed in Section Three - Using Pre-Shaped Styrofoam.
The top example uses the Copic Air Brush System to create the head coloration. The bottom example uses
a custom-made flame-style vinyl sticker made with a personal die cutting machine. The sticker was applied
over a large cupped Wapsi Perfect Popper painted black. In both examples, the popper head was mounted
on the hook shank backwards to create a diver head.

OPPOSITE PAGE

= best option = worst option

The charts on the opposite page illustrate weathering effects on lure coatings. The study was conducted by exposing the
various combinations to cold and warm weather conditions for 120 continuous days. The cells highlighted in light green
represent the best option(s) for each combination.

www.pixachrome.com 88
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Body & Tailing Materials
M ost every popper, slider or diver has some
sort of tail tied behind it. It can be short
materials like what is used on small panfish
poppers, or long flowing fibers used in large
saltwater plugs. Choosing body and tailing
materials is only limited to the creativity of the
tyer. This section is not meant to list every
material available, but to give an idea of popular
and common material used for fly tying and lure
making.
Natural Materials
Natural Furs
From the earliest known surface lures to todays
mass-produced lures, natural furs are still being
used, despite a plethora of colorful new synthetics.
A resurgence in the use of natural materials can
partly be attributed to new methods and colors
used to dye the naturals. Todays fluorescent
colors and pastels are much different than the
same-named colors 20 years ago. These new
colors are bolder and more colorfast, which add
new-found appeal to age-old materials.
Rabbit fur is one of the most versatile furs for
fly tying. Besides making a good dubbing fur, it
can make a great tailing material too. A rabbit skin
cut in strips can be tied in as legs on a frog popper
or furled together to make a snake-like tail. (How
to furl rabbit strips can be found in Section Two,
Tails & Collars.) Very few materials move in the
water like rabbit fur. It has silky smooth
movements and is very sensitive to any movement
89
imparted by the angler or water current. Rabbit
strips come in a myriad of colors and color
combinations (multi-color dyed) in cross-cut or
standard cut strips. Rabbit strips as tails on a top
water lure make it more difficult to cast and
requires larger lure bodies to keep it afloat.
Squirrel tail fur has long been a staple in lures
with trailing hooks such as Mepps spinners. It is
also used as wings on buzzer style popper bodies.
Its easy to source and has great natural barring.
It can be, however, difficult to tie with for some,
as the fibers are smooth and have a tendency to
squirt out from under thread wraps unless firmly
held in placed, wrapped then glued. Squirrel tail
fur is generally a short fiber, ranging from less than
an inch to two inches maximum.
Calf tail is also a material that has long been
used in lure making. It is easy to stack the tips
even and the natural wavy nature of the hair adds
body bulk without having to add extra material.
It is highly durable, takes color dye well, is easy to
source and inexpensive. Calf tail is generally a
shorter fur fiber, ranging in length from less than
one inch to just over two inches.
Bucktail is a staple in streamer fly tying and is
very useful for creating long bodies on slider and
diver-style flies. The long, straight fur fibers are
easy to work with, stacking evenly and tying in
well. The length of some bucktail fibers can reach
eight inches or more. Bucktail takes color dyes
well and like calf tail, is easy to source.
 BODY AND TAILING MATERIALS

2
1

6
7 8

Natural Materials. 1) Chartreuse barred rabbit strip from Hareline Dubbin. 2) Kingfisher blue polar bear. 3) Natural red
fox tail. 4) Olive dyed bucktail. 5) Yellow-dyed calf tail. 6) Blue and red dyed squirrel tail. 7) Orange dyed goat fur. 8) Natural
black bear fur.

Like bucktail, kid goat fur fibers are long and
straight. However, they tend to be less firm and
are wispier. Kid goat fur fibers are typically
shorter than bucktail, averaging two-to-four
inches in length. Kid goat fur takes color dyes well
but is not commonly found in retail stores. It can
be found online with some searching - when you
do find it, grab some.
Fox fur, such as arctic fox, is a much more fine
fur fiber, which adds to the movement of the lure
when fished. Red fox fur ranges in color from
reddish-brown, tan, sand, ginger, yellow, straw
and lighter. Grey fox fur ranges from almost
black, all shades of grey, to white. Arctic fox fur
is most often found as a near pure white fur,
yielding from a winter harvest, but also sometimes
is bleached near color-free.
Fox pelts will have plenty of under fur, which
can add good bulk to a fly without the weight, but
also adds material that will absorb water faster,
which can add to difficulty in casting. The long
guard hairs are perfect for longer wispy tailing.
Fox fur ranges in length from a few inches to five
inches or so. Fox fur takes color dyes well and is

www.pixachrome.com 90
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
common to find online, but not always available
in stores.
Bear fur can best be described as a hybrid of all
the furs mentioned previously. Some fur of a bear
hide have the subtle waviness of calf tail, the firmly
long straight fibers of bucktail and the soft and
fine fur of fox. Black bear ranges in color from
cinnamon brown to jet black, naturally. Natural
polar bear is a very pale straw yellow. Polar bear
has an additional unique characteristic that it is
somewhat translucent. When color dyed, the
fibers appear to glow in the sunlight, adding extra
appeal to tails for lures. Black bear fur ranges in
length from a few inches to six inches or so. Polar
bear fur ranges in size from a few inches to eight
inches or more. Bear fur is a good substitute for
bucktail, and vice versa.
Hackle
Generally, larger hackle with longer barb length
and a more rigid rachis (feather stems) are
preferred over the dry fly variety, which has
smaller barb length and thinner, less durable
rachis.
Saltwater pelts, such as Whiting Farms
American Hackle line, offer large feather barb
length, firm hackle stems and a wide variety of
colors in natural earth tones, from vivid color dyed
white pelts, to natural and vivid color-dyed grizzly
pelts. The feathers are perfect for tails on large
freshwater poppers to bulky tails on saltwater
banger-style flies. Capes and saddles offer
different advantages to the lure maker. Capes
provide an all-around size selection, in feather
length and hackle fiber length, and have spade-
shaped feathers which are useful for tailing.
Saddles offer much longer feathers, up to 14 or
so, which is ideal for many saltwater lure tailing
applications.
Dry fly pelts have their place in lure making
too, even if the lure is not meant to be a top water
91
variety. Whiting Farms budget-minded High &
Dry dry fly hackle product line is perfect for collar
hackling poppers and adding tails to poppers, ,
sliders and divers. The hackle fiber length is not
as small as the traditional dry fly lines of Whiting
Farms, such as the Whiting line (former Hoffman
genetics) or the Hebert-Miner dry fly genetic line.
The slightly larger hackle fiber length is preferred
for poppers, sliders and divers.
Soft hackle is primarily used in smaller
poppers. The small one to two inch feathers are
rounded and curved, forming a perfect set of frog
legs when tied concave-side out. Not all soft
hackle is good for popper tying. Typically, rooster
chicken soft hackle is preferred over the hen
chicken soft hackle. The feathers are slightly larger
and more firm, holding their cupped shape longer.
While soft hackle is from the breast and sides of
any bird, it is the feathers of water fowl and
domestically raised chickens that are most
desirable for lure making.
Black-Laced White Feathers
Black-Laced White feathers, produced by
Whiting Farms, are marketed in Popper Packs.
They offer a unique naturally-marked feather
perfectly suited for tailing material on lures,
particularly as frog legs on frog-style poppers. The
black-laced white feathers come from an
Black-Laced White feathers imitate frog legs on a small
popper quite well.
 BODY AND TAILING MATERIALS

1
2

Hackle. 1) Shrimp dyed grizzly American rooster hackle by Whiting Farms. 2) Natural grizzly rooster dry fly neck by
Whiting Farms. 3) Yellow dyed American rooster soft hackle by Whiting Farms. 4) Orange dyed black-laced white American
rooster soft hackle by Whiting Farms. Bottom: Whiting Farms High & Dry Hackle is perfect for tailing on poppers, sliders
and divers.

www.pixachrome.com 92
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

3
2

5
6

7
8

Feathers. 1) Bird Fur by Whiting Farms. 2) Yellow dyed guinea fowl. 3) Fiery orange dyed and barred marabou by Hareline
Dubbin. 4) Tea-stained natural mallard flank. 5) Fuchsia dyed extra select marabou by Hareline Dubbin. 6) Chartreuse
dyed spey plumes by Hareline Dubbin. 7) Red dyed ostrich plume by Hareline Dubbin. 8) Olive dyed and barred ostrich
plume by Hareline Dubbin.

ornamental chicken called a Polish, known for
their eccentric head dress of feathers. The gradual
natural curve of the feather stem is ideal for frog
leg imitations.
Marabou
If there were one material to have for tying in
tailing material for poppers, sliders and divers,
marabou would be it. Marabou feathers originally
were found from the rear underside of the
marabou stork. Marabou stork underside feathers
93
are naturally pure white, making them ideal for fly
tying and lure crafting purpose. Today, most
marabou comes from farm-raised turkey. The
white marabou feathers are cleaned, sometimes
additionally de-colorized with a mild bleach or
other whitener, and dyed into a myriad of colors.
Marabou is a quite durable feather for being
thin and wispy for most of the plumage length. It
is this advantage that makes it desirable for tailing
material. When tied in to the tail of a lure, it flows

n Multi-Color Marabou
Create your own multi-color marabou
tips. Using markers that work well with
feathers such as the Letraset Pro-Marker,
color the tips of marabou on a scrap piece of
cardboard. Work from the center of the
feather outward to the tips. A chisel-tip or
wide-tipped marker works best. Let dry
overnight and brush the tips out with a
soft-bristle toothbrush. Some dried marker
residue will powder off, but most of the color
will remain.
seemingly undisturbed in the water as it is worked
back to the angler.
Spey Hackle & Bird Fur
Unique to the world of tying feathers is a
Whiting Farms product derived from the breed of
chicken called a Silkie. It has unusually fluffy
plumage over most of its body, much like fur,
hence the moniker Bird Fur. The saddle of the
bird exhibits a mix of soft, fur like plumage with
long hair-like fibers which make a suitable spey
hackle (e.g. - heron) substitute.
Ostrich Plumes
Ostrich plume fibers make excellent tailing
material as they are suitably durable, have
sufficient length and come in a rainbow palate of
colors. The most attractive feature of ostrich
www.pixachrome.com
BODY AND TAILING MATERIALS
plume feathers is the seemingly unrestricted
flowing movement they add to the body and tail
of a lure. Similar to CDC fibers tied into wet flies
and nymphs, ostrich moves and undulates in the
water, adding life-like motion to a lure as it is
fished.
Guinea Fowl
Guinea fowl is a unique feather that contains
perfect white dots within a dark feather
background. When color dyed in bright or
fluorescent colors, the feather stands out and adds
special appeal to a lure. Commercially available
lures do not typically use guinea fowl as it is more
difficult to raise, harvest and provide as a source
material in large quantities to manufacturers.
Mallard, Wood Duck and Teal
Wild water fowl such as duck and geese provide
plenty of colorful and patterned feathers which
have traditionally been used on freshwater
poppers. The flank feathers are preferred for
tailings because of the naturally curved feather
stem and beautiful natural markings and colors.
Mallard, wood duck and teal flank feathers are
most popular.
Synthetic Materials
Discussing synthetic materials for lure making
could fill a book on its own, at least a small book.
The amount of synthetic material choices available
today is overwhelming. Each has its own
characteristics and color ranges. Some are more
durable than others. Some are long and flowing.
Some are short and stiff. The comparisons and
contrasts are seemingly endless. It is certain as
this chapter is written that at least a few more
synthetic materials will be invented. Discussed in
the following sections are some of the authors
favorite synthetic materials used in making top
water fly fishing lures.
94
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Craft Fur & Psuedo Hair
Craft fur has a texture and flexibility similar to
human hair. The workable length is
approximately three inches (75 cm). Whats not
to like about craft fur? - Its inexpensive, easy to
work with and moves well in the water. However,
since it is a thin, limp material, it has a tendency
to get fouled around the hook bend. In a pinch,
its a suitable replacement for marabou. Hareline
Dubbins Pseudo Hair is similar to craft fur, but is
finer and has a silky sheen. A white section of
Pseudo Hair, colored with permanent markers,
makes a versatile wispy tailing material that reacts
with the slightest of movement.
Krystal Flash
Known to all fly tyers, Krystal Flash is a
common tailing and legging material for lure
makers. It is long (10, 25cm), supple and has a
reflective twist, which makes great tails on lures
and flies. Krystal Flash is available in over forty
colors.
Flashabou & Flashabou Magnum
Flashabou is a supple, long and straight mylar
that is thinly cut (8 inches long, .010 inches wide,
~20cm long, 0.25mm wide). Flashabou comes in
several styles as well; Glow, Holographic, Pearl,
BEFORE: Some materials have fluorescent properties.
Under normal daylight, the human eye cannot detect the
fluorescence.
95
and Magnum (20 inches long and 1/32 inches
wide, 51cm long, 0.8mm wide). Flashabou also is
available in a Krystal Flash-like material called
Accent. Like Krystal Flash, it is a staple material
for making top water lures.
Flashabou Magnum is 2x wider (1/32,
0.8mm) 2x longer (16, 40.6cm) and 2x stronger
according to the manufacturer, Hedron, Inc.
Lateral Scale Flashabou
Lateral Scale Flashabou deserves is own
mention apart from standard Flashabou products.
Lateral Scale features a kinked texture
permanently embossed along the length of the
strand. It mimics scales quite well. A few strands
can be tied in as tailing to add extra sparkle and
flash or glued in to the sides of a top water lure
body to form lateral lines and the appeal of scales.
Lateral Scale is approximately 10 (25cm) long and
1/16 (1.6mm) wide.
EP Fibers
EP fibers are a translucent material in water
and are easy to cast as it does not absorb water in
the material. The fibers exhibit a movement
somewhere between marabou and bucktail. The
10 (25cm) fibers come in a wide variety of colors
and material deniers (thickness).
AFTER: Illuminating the same three flies with a UV lamp
exposes the materials that emit fluorescence.
 BODY AND TAILING MATERIALS

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11

Synthetics. 1) Extra select craft fur by Hareline Dubbin. 2) Pseudo Hair by Hareline Dubbin. 3) Peacock Flashabou by
Hedron, Inc. 4) Dark purple MicroLon by Hedron, Inc. 5) Black pearl Lateral Scale by Hedron, Inc. 6) Pearl Sparkle
Flash by Tiewell. 7) Orange Krystal Flash. 8) Orange Esox Pike Skinz by Jerkbaitmania. 9) Peacock green Ice Dub Shimmer
Fringe by Hareline Dubbin. 10) Fluorescent orange black barred Flashabou Magnum by Hedron, Inc. 11) Red EP Fibers
by Enrico Puglisi Flies. All materials are available via local fly shops and national retail chains, distributed by Hareline
Dubbin.

hanks which are 8 (20.3cm) long. Like EP

Pike Skinz
Pike Skinz is a synthetic material with a matte
finish, slight wavy kink and coarse hair-like
appearance. It is easy to cast and builds a large
profile without much bulk. It comes in unbound
Fibers, it can be tied in by itself as a tail on a top
water lure without any other material - its all
youll need for a bushy tail profile.

www.pixachrome.com 96
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
MicroLon
MicroLon is a light, durable, 70-denier flat-
strand nylon which comes in 10 (25cm) bound
hanks. It has a unique micro-scale sheen, similar
to a toy dolls hair, which helps build top water
tailings with a natural appeal. It comes in a
wide-variety of colors.
Ice Dub Shimmer Fringe
Shimmer Fringe is a micro-thin mylar that
moves like marabou when fished. Add just a little
bit on each side of a top water lure to give
attracting sparkle and flash. Since it doesnt
absorb water, its a easy casting material. The
length of Shimmer Fringe strands are 3-3.5 (~7.5-
9.0cm)
Rubber and Silicone Legs
When tied in as tailing and legging material on
lures, silicone and rubber feel and behave similarly.
They both are elastomers, which is a fancy word for
saying they stretch without loosing their shape.
Rubber is more elastic and has a higher tensile
strength than silicone. You may notice this when
working with rubber legs versus silicone legs. I bet
you have snapped silicone legs by stretching them
too far when pulling them through a cork popper
body. Join the club - we have all done that.
Without getting deep into the chemistry of
either, rubber can be naturally occurring or
synthetically made, where silicone is synthetically
manufactured (not to be confused with silicone,
which is the naturally occurring 14th metalloid
element on the periodic table). Most all rubber
contain polymer chains of carbon. Silicone has
polymer chains of silicone, not carbon. This is the
primary difference between the two. Why is this
important? Because rubber materials made with
carbon chains break down under the duress of
ozone, UV, water and heat over time. Silicone is
resistant to these impacts. Ironically, as heat is
applied to silicone, it exhibits better tear and stretch
97
Silicone legs are available in a wide variety of solid and
mixed colors with sparkles, flecks and barring.
properties. You may have noticed your fathers old
bass lures with rubber leg skirting has all but dried
up and broken off. This is a prime example of the
lack of durability of rubber. It can take only a
matter of years for rubber to break down into a
brittle state.
Natural rubber is pre-mixed with coloring
agents, softening oils and kneaded together before
being extruded into shape. For this reason, it is
difficult to make rubber legs with multiple colors
in one strand. Silicone can be extruded in
transitional colors and flecks of sparkle or a solid
color can be added within. This makes silicone
more visually appealing for lure legging material.
So, which is better - rubber or silicone? Rubber
can stretch better and has higher tensile strength,
but breaks down to the elements over time. Silicone
stretches less and can be more fragile when working
it, but is significantly less susceptible to breaking
down over time. Silicone is less durable to the
stresses of toothy fish. Its your call - rubber or
silicone. They both have their place and work well
for making lures.
More is discussed on rubber and silicone legs in
the chapter in Section Two - Legs.
Bells & Whistles
Propellers & Blades
Propellers and blades to some fly fishers
represent unacceptable accoutrements to top water

Blades have limited application in top water fly rod lures,
but propellers can effectively be used with diving top water
lures.
fly rod lures, citing it is too close to spin fishing.
However, fly fishing purists could learn a thing or
two from spin fishers, namely the lures they use to
make the water move and cause disturbance.
Propellers in small sizes applied to top water fly
rod lures are effective in causing disturbance, flash
and vibration in the water as a lure is retrieved.
Note that the same spinning motion created in the
water is also created in the air as the lure is cast with
a fly rod. For this reason, it becomes more difficult
to cast a top water fly rod lure adorned with small
propellers or blades, Keep the propellers small to
make the lure easier to cast. Blades are more
difficult to apply to top water lures and have limited
use.
The shape of the top water lure also helps the
effectiveness of the spinning motion. A large
flat-faced cork popper is not as easily retrieved
through the water with long, quick strokes
necessary to move a propeller - it pushes water
versus sliding through it. A slider lure shape is
better suited for propellers. As a slider is retrieved
with long and fast strokes, the lure sleekly moves
through the water allowing the propeller to spin.
Rattles
In rough and off-colored waters, rattles can be
like a dinner bell.
Fish can detect underwater sound and the
direction from which it comes, using the sound
www.pixachrome.com
BODY AND TAILING MATERIALS
waves as clues to seek out the prey. Fish can detect
low pitched sounds better than humans, and the
opposite is true as well; fish cant hear higher
pitched sounds like humans can. Low-pitched
sounds travel farther in water than do higher-
pitched sounds. So, a plastic rattle tube with a few
large lead balls to create a low-pitched rattling
thud is better than a plastic rattle tube with several
smaller steel beads. The wrong sound could
actually drive fish away. To fish, a higher pitched
sound is less realistic than a lower-pitched sound.
The lure body itself also makes an impact on the
sound profile of the rattle. A hard molded
Styrofoam top water lure body will emit a more
high-pitched tinny sound as compared to a wood
lure body, which will emit a more dampened lower
tone. Cork bodies tend to mute the sound even
further.
More on using rattles in top water fly rod lures
is discussed in Section Two - Blades, Propellers and
Rattles.
Rattles can be found in many sizes in glass and plastic
housings. The plastic housing doesnt resonate like glass
does, so an extra steel ball is affixed to one end. When the
freely moving bearings hit the fixed steel ball, it creates a
louder sound.
98
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Artisans Gallery
Kirk Dietrich

Kirk Dietrich lives in Southern Louisiana, where he has perfected the art of the top water lure for saltwater fishing. Not
only do Dietrichs lures catch fish, his lure painting and finishing methods far surpass the best production lures available
today. Top Left: Kirks Golden Rabid Dog. Top Right: The original Rabid Dog. When attempting to mimic a fly rod
version of a Zara Spook, Dietrich says it moves side-to-side like a Zara Spook, but dips underwater in doing so. Its an
unintended favorable consequence of the design, and highly effective. Dietrichs Rabid Dog pattern is a go-to redfish and
bass fly in Southern Louisiana. Middle: Kirks Perch Float Popper, made with one-half of a small perch float, keeping the
center hole unobstructed. Bottom Left: Kirks Mylar Popper. Bottom Right: Dietrichs Diver, created in 1987 as a
by-product of trying to replicate a fly rod version of the shallow diving Rapala, Kirk shares fish really like it; its a good
example of a failed design being a [fishing] success.

99
 SECTION TWO

Elements of Design
Body Styles & Shapes
Eyes
Texturing & Scaling
Tails & Collars
Hook Guards
Legs
Diving Heads & Lips
Spinners & Rattles
Adding Weight
Bubble Heads
Painting Techniques
Applying Finishes

- Dennis Braid, Legendary big-game angler and world record holder

www.pixachrome.com 100
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Body Styles, Shapes & Characteristics

P opper, slider and diver bodies come in so

many styles, shapes and sizes that it
becomes difficult to categorize them. The
to mention adding to the casting difficulty in
larger sizes.

following categories of body styles differentiate the

most popular popper, slider and diver styles used
today.

Cup-faced top water lures are ubiquitous to fly fishers

around the world. They are generally known as poppers,
Flat-faced poppers, like Matt Zudwegs Zudbubbler are
due to the popping commotion they make when retrieved.
excellent at pushing water and attracting fish.
Popper designed, painted and tied by Matt Zudweg.

1. Poppers
Cup-Faced (Chuggers)
When most anglers think of poppers, the
cupped variety comes to mind first. When
retrieved in short, quick, erratic bursts, the cupped
face spurts water and makes loud popping sounds,
causing quite a commotion on the water surface.
This commotion is what makes the lure style work
best. This body style benefits by deigning the lure
body to ride tail-down in the water, as swiftly
retrieving the lure will cause the head to dip
downward with each strip. The angle of the cup
and the depth of the cupping contribute to the
noise and commotion the popper may make, not
Flat-Faced (Pushers)
Flat-faced poppers are the simplest form of
popper. Common examples are cork stoppers,
pre-formed Styrofoam bodies and high-density
foam cylinders. While they make a popping sound
when retrieved, it is not as pronounced as with a
cupped popper face. They are excellent for
pushing plenty of water when retrieved, which is
ideal for attracting fish from the depths. Large
saltwater and freshwater flat-faced poppers are
often called plugs, pushers or bangers. They work
best when retrieved at a slower, methodical or
jerking pace.

101
 BODY STYLES & SHAPES

The original McNally popper such as this example crafted
by Thomas McNally himself, featured small cylindrical
raised eyes and an impeccable paint job. Popper courtesy of
Bob McNally.
Buzzer-style poppers can be designed with flat or cupped
faces. These vintage Buzzers have cupped faces.
Buzzer-Style
Buzzer-style poppers were popular in the 1940s
through 1970s primarily for bass fishing. A
variation is tied for trout fishing, commonly called
the Skwala Bug. Buzzer style poppers are often
made with simple bottle-stop corks and having
some sort of winging material tied in at the head,
extending backwards like wings.

Gurgler-Style
McNally-style poppers are typically tied with hook in the
Jack Gartside popularized the Gartside Gurgler,
up position, but theres nothing wrong with tying the style
hook-side down. Author Tom Nixon referred to this style a foam-bodied fly that was designed to cause
as Swallow Tails. commotion on the surface. Gartside tied it in
varied styles to fish for striped bass, trout, tiger
fish, largemouth bass and more. Each was fished
McNally-Style in a slightly different manner meant to entice the
McNally style poppers were popularized in the
targeted fish.
1950s by Thomas McNally. McNally was an avid
outdoorsman, prolific author and one of the
founders of Fly Fisherman Magazine. One of his
fly creations, the McNallys Frog Popper, is a
classic to this day. McNally-style poppers use a
cupped or flat-faced popper body with an inverted
hook and integrate frog-like legs extending from
the back sides of the popper body. Depending on
the angle of the leg material, they can act as a weed
guard of sorts, besides forming an effective
silhouette of frog legs.
The Gartside Gurgler fly pattern has inspired hundreds of
variations, including this Everglades Gurgler by Umpqua
Flies.

www.pixachrome.com 102
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
2. Sliders
Slider-style bodies combine the high-floating
nature and the commotion-making ability of
poppers with a body style that can make them
slightly dive when aggressively stripped. Adding
a weed guard to this body style makes a deadly lure
for fishing in heavily weeded waters. The style is
popularized by the Sneaky Pete pattern.
A Sneaky Pete pattern is a deadly top water fly for bass and
panfish of all kinds.
3. Skaters
Skating top water lures literally skip across the
surface when retrieved. They perform best when
a water-absorbing tail material is tied in, pulling
the tail in the water and nose of the fly upward.
Short, quick retrieves work best for fishing this top
water lure style.
Skating top water lures are effective for schooling and
aggressively feeding fish.
103
4. Divers
Divers are a close relative to the slider-style
body. While sliders dive, they do not dive as deep
as diver-style bodies. Aggressive continual
stripping of a fly line will keep a diver body under
water. The faster the strip, the deeper the lure may
go. There is a limit however, to the depth in which
a diver-style fly can go as they typically are made
of a floating body material. Some divers include
a small lip or an aggressively sloped collar to direct
the lure deeper as it is retrieved.
ABOVE: Diving top water lures dart wildly and
unpredictably when rapidly retrieved. Red/Yellow CB Fish-
Head Diver by Rainys Premium Flies.
BELOW: Bubbleicious, is an innovative commotion-making
design by Charlie Bisharat, tied by Umpqua Flies.
5. Walkers
There are several top water lures that imitate
the side-to-side motion of the venerable Zara
Spook spin fishing lure. The characteristic
walking-the-dog motion of the lure became a
spin fishing standard since it was introduced in
the 1950s. Today, several fly rod top water lures
imitate Heddons Zara Spook: Charlie Bisharats
Pole Dancer, the DC Dodger and Zaggin Zook
are just to name a few.

With a bit of practice, Charlie Bisharats Pole Dancer will
walk like a Zara Spook. Umpqua Flies.
An effective walk-the-dog fly rod lure has
several design factors which are different from
other top water lures: 1) HEAD: the angle of the
leading edge of the head should be roughly 45-
degrees upward and cannot float the fly too high,
2) TAIL: the tail should be long enough to weigh
the fly down in the water column reasonably well.
Tail mass is important in this fly. 3) WEIGHT:
adding weight to the back of the hook shank helps
tilt the tail downward and the lure head upward,
which aides in creating the walk-the-dog motion
when retrieved, and 4) SIZE: larger sizes, 2 - 6/0
work best, smaller sizes have more difficulty in
achieving the side-to-side motion. Basswood or
balsa is the preferred material for the head, but
Styrofoam or high-density foam works well too.
It takes practice to get the balance of head angle,
tail mass and weight just right, but when you do,
the fly has deadly motion.
Bobs Banger makes a lot of commotion when stripped,
which is the whole purpose of the large flat head.
www.pixachrome.com
BODY STYLES & SHAPES
Bangers can also have a cupped face, such as this Umpqua
Flies fly design, Master Jack Popper.
6. Plugs & Bangers
Plugs (also called bangers) are typically used in
saltwater and esox fish family fishing. The larger
head and body style requires a heavier weight rod
to cast the wind-resistant flies. The fly is
popularized by the Bob Popovic style body.
7. Pencil Poppers
Pencil poppers are an elongated style of flat-
faced poppers. They are meant to imitate a surface
bait fish, a snake or some other slender bait. The
flat face gives the stripped lure some commotion-
making ability, but not like a cupped popper. They
most often are made of carved balsa, basswood or
pre-molded Styrofoam.
While the Crease Fly (created by Captain Joe
Blados) is meant to be fished with a sinking line
or sinking line tip, it makes an effective top water
lure as well. Its erratic and splashy movement on
the waters surface is effective in teasing up lunkers
from the depths.
Pencil poppers make less of a commotion on the water
surface, but work well fished as an injured bait fish.
104
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
The Crease Fly created by Captain Joe Blados has become
a top water favorite for freshwater fishing. Umpqua Flies.
A darter is more slender than a slider, such as this brook
trout style darter.
8. Darters
Darter style bodies are extremely effective
fleeing surface bait fish imitations. They are
meant to be a sleek floating imitation of slender
bait. They cause much less commotion on the
water surface than poppers or bangers. Darter
style bodies are often created by simply reversing
a pencil popper body on the hook shank.
However, there are a number of very creative
darter styles using a wide variety of materials.
Such an example is Todds Wiggle Wog - a foam
cylinder affixed to a curved shank salmon or spey
hook. When retrieved, it darts wildly and
randomly from side to side.
9. Tube Plugs, Popping Heads
(Bubble Heads) & Teasers
Tube Plugs
Tube plugs in general provide effective means
to interchange heads on a fixed-style hook. For
105
Todds Wiggle Wog is designed for salmon and steelhead,
but works equally as well for warm water game fish.
Umpqua Flies.
Tube plugs for saltwater game fish are typically 6-8 long
and require heavy weight fly rods to cast.
Green/Yellow Tube Popper by Rainys Premium Flies.
example, a bare hook can be prepared in advance
with a weed guard. Having an assortment of tube
plugs allows the angler to interchange, or even
stack, tube plugs ahead of the hook with the hook
guard. Tube plugs give the angler a quick-change
method on the water to meet changing fishing
conditions.
Popping Heads (Bubble Heads)
Popping, or bubble heads, serve three purposes:
1) to cause a surface commotion when the trailing
lure is retrieved, 2) to suspend the trailing lure at
the desired depth, and 3) provide visual feedback
to the location and cadence of the retrieve in
off-color water. The commotion of popping heads
is primarily meant to imitate surface feeding or
fleeing bait fish. A smaller 2.5 to 4 popping head
is typically used for calm water and larger popping
heads 4 to 6 long are used for choppy water.
Popping heads are typically made as tube-style
heads and rigged as illustrated in Figure 12 -
 BODY STYLES & SHAPES

Figure 12 - Rigging a Popping Head

Sliding
stopper bead
between knot
and popper

Optional: replace the stopper bead

with a sliding round weight or two Two sliding
Use barrel swivels at
to add rattling noise and make the stopper beads
front and rear
popping action more violent between knot
connection points to
and cupped
the popper head to
popper face
prevent line twist
To subsurface
lure or bait

Some bubble-head top water lures have one larger hole

while others may have several smaller holes, which aid in Tube plug teasers for saltwater game fish can reach 10-12
creating more surface bubbles when retrieved. long and are meant for trolling, not casting.
Rainys Yellow PSP Bubble-Head by Rainys Premium Flies. Rainys Blue/White CB Banger by Rainys Premium Flies.

Rigging a Popping Head. The technique illustrated

in Figure 11 is typically used with spin fishing gear, hook or bait rig. Teasers have limited application
although smaller popping heads suitable for fly in fresh water, but are deadly for taking saltwater
casting can be used with fly gear. big game fish. Trolling teasers are often daisy-
chained using heavy monofilament reaching 10
Making standard popping heads into bubble
feet or more in length. The last lure in the rig is
heads is easy. Drilling a ported hole through the
usually a larger hooked predator-style bait, which
front of a top water lure, extending at an angle
imitates a fish chasing the smaller bait fish
back through the body helps create additional
teasers ahead of it. Obviously, this isnt a rig that
trailing bubbles as the lure is retrieved.
is cast with a fly rod!
Teasers
Teasers are akin to bubble heads in that they
are tied tube-style and affixed ahead of a trailing

www.pixachrome.com 106
 painted eyes

DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Brian Schmidts uniquely creative top water pattern, Spook-R, is effective fly in freshwater and saltwater alike due to its
walk-the-dog motion with pops, darts and dives. The highly erratic and unpredictable motion is key to this flys success.

Articulating Top Water Lures

10. Jointed/Articulating
Jointed and articulating flies are not the same.
While jointed lures give articulated movement,
articulating flies are not always jointed.
Jointed Top Water Lures
Jointed flies are constructed of two or more
segments adjoined in such a way to allow free
movement in the water. The sections are often
joined with Kevlar line, wire or eye screws. The
jointed sections made add more complication to
casting it with a fly rod, but as long as the overall
size of the jointed lure is not too obtrusive, a
medium-weight fly rod should be able to cast it
easily.
Articulating lures can simply be constructed of
extended tailing material which can be braided or
furled. The articulation is given by the the limp
movement of the tailing material. Adding
articulation to diver-style heads is a fantastic way
to imitate large surface bait.
11. Spherical
Ball Shaped Top Water Lures
Round cork or Styrofoam balls are easily
fashioned into highly-effective top water lures for
small panfish and bass. The original round
popping lure was called the Round Dinny, made
popular by Tony Accardo of Louisiana in the
1950s. Today, the style is commercially available
as Betts Pop-n-Round.

This articulating slider uses two Wapsi Perfect Popper heads,

joined by heavy Kevlar fishing line. These Pop-n-Round style poppers are slight in size but
move plenty of water when retrieved.

107
 BODY STYLES & SHAPES

12. Specialty Shapes

Hoppers
Hopper poppers are popular with the light
tackle spin fishing crowd as a hopper pattern can
be quite effective erratically fast retrieved. Dull
colored hopper poppers need not apply either.
Brightly colored fire-tiger style poppers have
caught their fair share of fish.

Mice
Mouse poppers, especially layered sheet foam
patterns are particularly effective fishing mid- An extended foam body, a foam popper head and some
summer Alaskan rivers and streams. Patterns like winging material makes quick work of a popping damselfly
the Morrish Mouse or Rainys Mouse are equally pattern.
effective. Some tyers take the simple foam mouse
bodies can be used to make a popping or skipping
pattern to the next level or two by adding in extra
version of a dragonfly or damselfly.
features to make the lure look almost like the real
thing.
And The Others
While this chapter is meant to illustrate todays
Dragonflies and Damselflies most significant top water lure styles, theres just
Warm water ponds, slack water sloughs in
as many, if not more, that dont fit any one
rivers and even slow flowing rivers all produce
category. And thats where the beauty in the art
dragonflies and damselflies. The pattern can
is captured, in those patterns that defy
particularly be effective lake fishing for trout or
categorization and are highly effective fish-
bass. Most dragonfly and damselfly patterns are
catchers. It is these patterns that have yet to be
made with sheet foam, however thin pencil popper
created from the hands of artisans such as yourself.
It is these patterns that will continue to shape the
future of top water fly rod lures and the beauty
in the art is not lost with good functionality.

Charlie Bisharats Flat Fred fly imitates a crippled or dying

There are countless variations of foam mouse patterns, like bait fish. Its meant to lie flat on its side, contrary to most
this conical wedge-shaped diving mouse pattern using surface lure designs, which adds to its effectiveness as an
Rainys half cone foam head. easy meal to predatory fish. Umpqua Flies.

www.pixachrome.com 108
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Body Shape Characteristics

Several factors can influence how a lure body
sits in the water such as hook size/weight, tailing
materials and length. But nothing affects the
performance of a lure more than body shape and
the material used. Not all body materials have the
same buoyancy factor.
Using different common body styles prepared Wapsis Perfect Popper saltwater head shape sits relatively
level in the waters surface.
in the same manner (same tailing materials,
thickness of epoxy coating and hook), the
following photographs illustrate how various
common lure body styles float and rest in the
waters surface.

Reversing Wapsis Perfect Popper saltwater head shape to

create a slider/diver style lure, places more buoyancy near
the hook bend, raising the tail slightly.

The ubiquitous cupped-faced popper (Wapsis Perfect

Popper in this example) with a standard wire popper hook
sits in a perfect desired position for popping when stripped
in.
Wapsis Perfect Popper pencil popper sits slightly more level
than the saltwater head shape since the thickness of the body
is more uniform along the hook shank.

Reversing the Wapsi Perfect Popper body to become a Wapsis Perfect Popper pencil popper situated as a diving
diving head places more of the buoyancy near the bend of slider rests flush with the waters surface.
the hook, raising the tail.

109
 BODY STYLES & SHAPES
Photographs 1-5: High-Density Polyethylene Foam was
used to create five variations of the same lure head style. B
Various head angles, from sharp diving angles to sharp
popping angles were cut in the leading edge of the lure head
to demonstrate how the lure head floats on the waters
surface.

A long furled rabbit strip tail tends to make the lure head
ride straight up-and-down in the water and will affect how
the lure behaves when retrieved. Compare how this popper
2 head (Photograph B) sits in the water to the short-tailed
example (Photograph A) on the previous page.

Photograph C: A hand-carved balsa popper head made to

approximate the same size as the Wapsi Perfect Popper body
in Photograph A, exhibits more buoyancy than Styrofoam.

4 Observations of Body Shapes

Balsa and cork are the most buoyant body
materials compared to Styrofoam or high-density
polyethylene foam.
Basswood (not specifically shown here) floats
similar to Wapsis Perfect Popper bodies
Styrofoam is the least buoyant material, with
high-density polyethylene foam somewhere in the
middle.
5 Hook size and weight dont materially impact a
lures floatation as much as one would think
Long tail lengths tend to cause the lure head to sit
more perpendicular to the waters surface, but
dont affect lure head buoyancy greatly.
Eyes are an important feature to include on a lure
body as most top water lures sit in the water low
enough to show eyes just below the waters surface.

www.pixachrome.com 110
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Eyes
L ure eyes are often subject to intense
scrutiny on their importance, or lack
thereof. Do they make a difference? The answer
is definitely maybe.
The Importance of Eyes on Lures
Fly tyers have long been taught the three basic
rules of designing flies, all which matter to picky
fish: size, color and shape. But what about
distinctive trigger features? Dont fish look for
characteristic features of a food source? Of course
they doand, at other times, they dont care one
bit.
For example, legs and eyes are distinctive
features on frogs. So it stands to reason that frog
patterns typically have these visually distinctive
features. A frog popper without some sort of legs
and eyes would simply look like a green thing
floating around on the surface.
And in saltwater, eyes become even more
important. Most pelagic fish have distinctively
large eyes, needed for seeking out prey in deep
dark waters. Even terrestrial evolution has
determined that eyes are important - caterpillars,
moths, snakes and some small lizards have eye-like
markings at the opposite end of their real eyes in
as an evolution of fool to survive. One of the
most popular saltwater game fish, has eye mimicry
too - the tail of the redfish.
The opposing side of the argument leans on
motion and scent being more important than
features, like eyes, legs or tails. And there is some
merit to this discussion. Many baits, like soft
111
plastics, worms, lizards and crayfish patterns do
not have any significant features (outside of
general shape), but instead have plenty of
movement and may even be scented or flavored.
Buzz baits and blades dont have eyes either, but
they catch fish for certain. So, if top water lures
had more movement and were scented, would
they work as effectively as those with creature
features and big eyes? Definitely maybe. But one
thing is for certain, making top water lures would
not be as fun or visually appealing if it werent for
the art of the eye.
Painted Eyes
The original method for placing eyes on lures
was to paint them. While there are many choices
for 3D eyes, doll eyes that rattle and ultra-realistic
stick-on eyes, there is a simplistic reverence to
creating a top water lure with hand-painted eyes.
Achieving crisp edges on the circles and shapes
for hand-painted eyes is key to a good looking
paint job. The best way to achieve perfect circles
is to not hand-paint, but dab the eye circles with
a metal dowel, or eye stamp. Using wood or plastic
will not create the sharp edges required for crisp
looking eye circles - use metal rods to achieve the
best looking hand-painted eyes. (Refer to the DIY
Making Eye Stamps section later in this chapter.)
As discussed in Section One - Paints, there are
many options for eye paint. The most commonly
used is acrylic paints. Hobby enamels and nail
polish also work well for creating hand-painted
eyes. Place a small amount on a white sheet of

Z Painted Eye Choices
Using the primary colors plus black and
green, the eye templates shown here
illustrate some of the variations that can be
created. Typically, darker pupils (centers)
are desired over lighter pupils. Centering
the pupil has a more static effect while
offsetting the pupil provides a more living
look to the eye.
Centered Eyes
printer photo paper or aluminum foil and dip your
eye stamp in the small pile of paint , taking only
what is necessary to dab one eye dot.
There is an art to painting eyes using eye
stamps. Practice on a white sheet of printer photo
paper until you achieve perfect circles within each
other. The photo paper mimics the surface
tension of a lure body and provides the best
feedback on practice. Use alternating light and
dark colors so you can determine progress. Youll
quickly learn how much paint to dab on the end
of the eye stamp and how much pressure to apply
www.pixachrome.com
EYES
Offset Eyes
when dabbing it on the lure body. Allow each dab
of paint to dry before adding the next.
Eye paint will dry more quickly on absorbent
standard copy paper, cardboard or paper towels.
None of those substrates make good choices as an
artists color palate. Youll find after only a few
minutes, the paint will start to form a thin skin
and become more viscous. There is a fine balance
between paint that is too thin and runny and too
thick, where it wont spread manageably well in
either case. Again, practice with the paints you
choose and youll learn when it works just
112
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
n Eye Stamps
Making your own set of eye stamps is simple,
using commonly available materials.
1. Source the metal rods and needles: Metal
rods can be made of darning needles, tapestry
needles and aluminum or brass rods found in
most hardware stores and hobby shops. Yarn
darning needles are larger in diameter than
tapestry needles. Just like thread in fly tying,
the larger the size number, the smaller the
diameter. So a size 14 darning needle is
larger than a size 20 tapestry needle.
Large Rods: Assemble a wide variety of di-
ameters from pin sized to as large as 3/4
(1.9cm) or even larger if you are painting
large saltwater patterns. A common set of
sizes for freshwater and light saltwater use
contains 5/8, 1/2, 3/8 1/4, 1/8.
Mid-Sized Needles: Yarn darning needles
typically come in packs ranging from size 14
to 18.
Small Needles: Tapestry needles typically
come in packs ranging from size 18 to 22.
2. Cut and file: For each needle, cut the eye end
off and file the end perpendicular to the rest
of the needle. Obtaining a crisp and defined
edge is essential. Do not cut off the pointed
end. This will be used to insert into the
Eye stamps dont have to be pretty (as evidenced by the authors set), just functional in order to make perfect circles
with defined edges.
113
handle in a later step. For larger metal rods,
filing flush most likely is not necessary as
the rod is already cut and has a finished
edge when purchased. Youll just have to
cut it down to hand-size to suit your needs.
3. Prepare handles: Prepare 3-4 (7.5 - 10cm)
handles made of soft wood like balsa.
Round handles tend to roll around on the
painting desk, thus square or triangle han-
dles tend to stay put better.
4. Put it all together: For the smaller sized
needle rods, just push them in the end of a
handle about 1/2 (1.25cm) deep. Pre-drill-
ing holes of approximate size in the ends of
the handles will have to be done for the
larger needles. Apply a drop of cyanoacry-
late glue as you insert each needle to secure
it into the handle. Then, apply some 2-part
epoxy around the needle at the point it is
inserted into the handle for extra durability.
Finish the handle with a protective coating
for a more professional look.

perfectly for dabbing with eye stamps.
Keeping the eye stamp perfectly perpendicular
to the lure surface is also important. Applying eye
paint at an angle will create an oval. Sometimes
this is a preferred outcome, however. In nature,
not all pupils and eyes are perfectly round, so while
this section focuses on perfectly round eyes using
eye stamps, it is entirely not required to have
perfect circles for eyes. A bit of variation and
asymmetry is quite ok. As the immortal painter
and TV show host Bob Ross once said, We dont
make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.
EYES
Eyes make ultra-realistic 3D eyes. Choose from
eye patterns such as roach and carp, deep sea
predator, chameleon, cutthroat, piranha, dragon,
lizard, frog and shark. As certain as you are
reading this, there are more realistic 3D eye
patterns being created.
Making your own 3D stick-on eyes is illustrated
in the section DIY Stick-on and 3D Eyes found
later in this chapter.

Flat Stick-On Eyes

One of the easiest ways to place eyes on a top
water lure is to use flat stick-on eyes. A wide
variety of colors and pre-cut sizes are available,
including glow-in-the dark options. Some of the
more appealing stick-on eyes are imprinted on
holographic or prismatic material.
Making your own flat stick-on eyes is

These large 1/2 (1.3cm) 3D prismatic eyes are slightly

thicker than a penny.

Adhesive-backed flat eyes make any top water lure look

more appealing.

illustrated in the section DIY Stick-on and 3D Eyes

found later in this chapter.

3D Eyes
Three dimensional eyes certainly add a touch
of realism to any top water lure. There are many
3D eye options on the market. Manufacturers like
Ultra-realistic 3D eyes, such as these, add lifelike realism to
Fish Skull Living Eyes and Deer Creek Gator
any top water lure.

www.pixachrome.com 114
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
n Stick-On and 3D Eyes
Its easy to make your own flat stick-on eyes 1
with adhesive prismatic film and sharp edged
2
hole punches.
1. Apply a small length of adhesive backed pris-
matic film to a rubber or fine-grained wood
cutting block. Wood tends to dull the edges
of the cutting tools over time, but certainly
works well. You can find the adhesive pris-
matic film online in sheets or in tape.
2. Gently press and rotate a hole punch to cut
through the prismatic film.
3
3. Remove the cut film circle and place on wax
paper or a kitchen silicone pot holder or triv- 4
et pad. The cut circles will not stick perma-
nently to silicone.
4. Making Flat Stick-On Eyes: Using high-
gloss nail polish and a eye stamp smaller
than the diameter of the prismatic film eye,
dab a pupil with the nail polish. After dry-
ing, they are ready to apply to a lure.
5. Making 3D eyes: Take an extra step and ap-
ply a small amount of thick brush-on UV 5
cure resin to the prismatic film eye and work
to the edges, but not farther. The thick na-
ture of the UV cure resin will tend to stay
within the confines of the prismatic film eye.
Cure the UV adhesive with a UV cure light.
The DIY eyes are now ready to apply to a
lure.

Adhesive prismatic film is available online in sheets or rolls.

The adhesive rolls below are marketed as decorative tape
for twirling batons.

115

Before and After: A McNally-style frog popper was created
using silvered plastic beads taken from a Christmas present
wrapping. The eyes were painted using a combination of
nail polish and acrylic paints.
Beads
There are occasions where creating a bulging
eye helps mimic the real thing, such as in making
frog popper eyes. Plastic beads glued to the upper
sides of a popper head mimic frog eyes well. Use
cyanoacrylate glue to fix the beads in the proper
position, then apply UV cure resin around the eyes
to smooth things out.
Hot Melt Glue
Hot melt glue can also be used to create bulging
eyes, similar to the frog pattern above. Hot melt
glue can also be used to craft any specific 3D
feature. For example, the small finlets between the
second dorsal fin and the caudal peduncle (tail)
on many mackerel and tuna can be shaped using
hot melt glue.
www.pixachrome.com
EYES
Before and After: Hot melt glue eyes were applied to a
blank popper body, then cut flush vertically to form a flat
surface to apply 3D stick-on eyes.
Hot melt glue has many advantages.. It can be
roughed-in when applied hot and carved and
shaped after it has cooled. Using the classic frog
popper example again, instead of leaving the hot
melt glue as round bulges for eyes, the cooled
bulge can be carved with a flat surface to accept
stick-on 3D eyes as a finishing touch.
Stenciled Eyes
Using templates and stencils for airbrushing is
a quick way to add eye patterns, but the detail is
marginal compared to hand painted eyes or 3D
eyes. For large top water lures and spots on fish
lures, it is an effective method.
Stencils can be made from overhead
transparency film or similar weight clear plastic.
Freehand shapes can be cut into the film with an
X-ACTO knife and holes can be cut using hole
116
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

A hot-melt glue gun is a great method to add three-

dimensional eyes and shapes to top water lures.

punches. Be sure to securely attached the film

stencil in position on the lure body with tape
before airbrushing. Any movement in the film
will cause the shape to distort, smear the wet paint
and loose its sharp edge profile.

Other Eye Materials Top: Various stencil shapes have been punched and cut into
overhead transparency film for use in air brushing.
Classic plastic doll eyes have been used for Bottom: The signature black dot on the trailing edge of a
many years in lure making. The pupils move bluegills gill plate was created by air brushing through a
freely within a clear plastic eye bubble. While they stencil.
are not as aesthetically pleasing as other 3D eyes
available today, the subtle rattling sound may add
to the fishy appeal of using plastic doll eyes.
Another unique way to create 3D eyes is to ball
up a small portion of aluminum foil, place it in the
center of a pre-cut eye material as described in the
DIY section entitled Stick-On and 3D Eyes, and
epoxy or UV cure glue into place. Color the
aluminum foil with a transparent paint or marker,
The original 3D lure eye - the classic plastic stick-on doll
such as Copic colors, for a more appealing look. eyes and the posted cat eyes for spun deer hair lures.

117
 Artisans Gallery
Pat Cohen

One-Eyed Willy (Bottom)

One-Eyed Willy (Top)

Acclaimed warm-water enthusiast Pat Cohen is a leading spun deer hair designer, where he creates fishing works-of-art.
Even though this book does not cover the technique of spinning deer hair, it would be remiss not to include Pats incredible
work, if nothing more than to inspire cork, foam or balsa equivalents. TOP LEFT: Stank Leg Slider, TOP RIGHT: Frog Leg
Popper, MIDDLE ROW: One-Eyed Willy Popper, BOTTOM LEFT: Frog-Leg Slider, BOTTOM RIGHT: Frog Leg Diver.

www.pixachrome.com 118
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Legs

W hen legs are discussed in lure making,

it is most often meant to describe long
materials meant to create movement in the water,
Feathers
The most common
materials for building
but not necessarily to imitate true legs. For legs on top water lures
example, there are many patterns that imitate are feathers.
living creatures that have legs, such as frogs, mice, Specifically, the
salamanders and the like. But what about slider feathers that are not
styles that imitate injured bait fish or divers that good for dry fly tying,
dont imitate anything in particular but instead are but the ones that are
meant to create havoc and commotion? Many of big and bulky. Long
those patterns have plenty of legging material tied rooster saddle feathers
in. When we talk of legs in top water lures, we and schlappen
often talk about something that gives movement feathers are most
and bulk without the added weight - those are commonly used,
often referred to as legs as well. Regardless of especially for saltwater
the intended purpose of legging material on a top lures which may
water lure pattern, adding in legging material to a require many longer
pattern gives it motion and life in the water. And feathers. The feathers
oftentimes, added motion is the difference used in top water lures
between a lure that works and one that doesnt. usually have larger,
stiff stems, which
Leg Materials make them more
durable and easier to
work with.
The long feathers on this tube
Bucktail fly banger head can be
A common considered legs and also as
material used in top straight tailing material. Fished
fast, the feathers act as a tail.
water lure legs is deer
Fished slowly, the feathers
bucktail. It can be tied splay out and act as legs.
on the hook shank
The poster child for all things poppers: two or three rooster flowing straight back
saddle feathers tied on either side and flared outward to or tied in a V to
imitate legs of a frog, as shown in this Bandit Popper. form legs. It can also
145

be glued in small holes drilled in the sides of top
water lure bodies, similar to the McNally-style
popper. In some creative cases, many bundles of
bucktail can be inserted in the sides of lure bodies
like oars extending on a Viking ship.
Top water lure pioneers like Bob McNally, explored effective
designs such as inserting bucktail into the bodies of top
water lures to imitate legs.
The McNally style bucktail legs can take many creative
routes, including this Viking ship or flying fish style
pencil popper.
Synthetics
There are so many synthetics for making legs
to choose from today, each one with different and
unique characteristics. Some of the more popular
synthetic leg materials are EP Fibers, Psuedo
Hair, Darlon, Fishair, Flashabou, Krystal Flash,
McFlylon, Ice Fur, Sculpting Flash Fibre, Pike
Skinz, Sparkle Yarn and so on. Regardless which
synthetic material becomes your favorite, tying
legs on top water lures is done rather consistently
using one of a few methods. The legs typically are
www.pixachrome.com
LEGS
tied to emulate those of a frog. The techniques are
discussed further in this chapter.
Leather
Long before there was synthetic leather and
leatherette fabrics (eg - pleather, vinyl covered
backing), leather was the material of choice for
legs and tails on mice and frog patterns. Natural
leather quickly absorbs water and becomes heavy
to cast, which is why synthetics are preferred over
leather strips today.
A custom-shaped foam lure head is fitted out to look similar
to a mouse, complete with a quite pronounced leather tail
and legs.
Fur Strips
Zonker cut or cross-cut fur strips of fox,
squirrel or rabbit make quick work of imitating
legs on a frog lure pattern. The fur strips also have
the added benefit of imparting extra movement in
the water and simulating mass without the extra
weight. For frog poppers in sizes 2 and larger,
rabbit strip legs are easy to tie in and hard to beat
for fish-teasing movement.
Fur strips tied in as legs on a frog pattern makes a quick and
easy way to imitate legs with plenty of motion.
146
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Zonker cut squirrel or arctic fox strips also
make interesting side adornments, giving the
illusion of mass without weight, like as applied in
a balsa wood mouse pattern.

Using the medium frog leg stencil below, light green foam
was decorated to match the cork bottle stopper popper body.
Of course, the decorations on top are for catching people,
not fish.

Inserting zonker or cross-cut strips of fur along the length

of each side on a lure body adds the appearance of bulk Foam
without weight and has the added benefit of materials that Foam is one of the easiest materials to shape
make fish-attracting motion. into the outline of legs simply by cutting it to shape
with scissors or a hobby knife. Then, decorate it

n Frog Leg Stencils

Copy this page then cut out the frog leg
patterns as stencils to transfer the outline to
foam, leather or other synthetic material.
X-Small
1 (~2.5cm)

Large - 2.5 (~6.3cm)

Medium - 2 (~5cm)

Small - 1.5 (~4cm)

147
 LEGS
with paints, markers, glitter and whatnot for easy They can be tied in such a way that they stick out
and quick legs. Copy the DIY Frog Leg Stencils perpendicular from the hook shank. When
provided on the previous page to make your own. retrieved, they offer incredible motion and extra
action, even when the fly is at rest. Long legs tied
Rubber & Silicone in at the collar (and inserted as part of the lure
As discussed in more detail in Section One - body) are reactively sensitive to small twitches,
Body & Tailing Materials, rubber and silicone legs micro-currents and sudden breeze.
are available in seemingly an endless array of
colors and patterns. They are a versatile legging
material that can be tied in at the tail or threaded
through the lure body itself. There are pros and
cons to rubber versus silicone - rubber is more
elastic and durable but will deteriorate when
exposed to the elements. Silicone is more fragile
than rubber, but will outlast rubber since it is more
impervious to heat, chemicals and UV light.
One caution worth mentioning is that silicone
legs and CA adhesive do not play together well. Rubber legs were tied in at the collar and allowed to flow
CA adhesive will certainly adhere the silicone legs backward with the tail and forwards, ahead of the lure body.
to any base medium, but the adhesive makes When fished, the rubber legs give a lot of motion and are
silicone brittle and the silicone legs will break off sensitive to any twitch imparted.

almost immediately after coming in contact with

the glue. Its tempting to use CA adhesive for most Knotted Legs
everything in lure making, but when it comes to Knotted legs are relatively easy to fabricate
silicone legs, avoid using it. More about how to using most of the long fibrous synthetics on the
use rubber and silicone legs is discussed further in market today. Select a small hank of the synthetic
this chapter. of your choice and tie a overhand knot near the
end of the hank. Tie another overhand knot at the
Shaping Material Into Legs
Shaping feathers and synthetics with flexible
adhesive is a great way to create lure parts to be
tied in at a later stage in the lure manufacturing
process. A common examples are a tail fin on a
bait fish or frog legs. Most any hair or fiber-based
material works well by being shaped with generous
amounts of Softex or Plasti Dip.

Leg Styles
Legs Tied in at the Collar
Legging material tied in at the collar is most
often (read almost always) rubber or silicone legs.
A course synthetic material (PikeSkinz) was chosen for these
knotted legs to help keep the legs from fouling around the
hook gape. The knot to form the junction of the legs and
feet was thoroughly soaked with tying cement to keep things
in order as it is fished.

www.pixachrome.com 148
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
other end. Cut the knotted hank in the middle to
form two separate legs. Liberally apply tying
cement to the knots to keep them in place. Tie in
as legs on a frog pattern. Trim the feet portion of
the legs to appropriate size for the lure.
Thread-Wrapped Legs
Once you get the hang of tying thread wraps
over materials without the aid of a hook shank or
a vise, youll quickly find this method of making
simple frog legs quite appealing. By tightly
wrapping 1/8 to 1/4 (3mm - 6mm) thread wraps
around leg material (either synthetics or bucktail)
to act as the joints where the legging material
Two strands of EP Fibers were cinched with tight thread
wraps at the top of the legs and where the frog feet begin.
Then, Softex was liberally applied to the only the feet and
flattened out with a wooden craft stick. They were left to
thoroughly dry before the toes in the frog feet fins were cut
out with scissors.
Two separate colors of EP Fibers were cinched with tight
thread wraps where the legs are tied in and where the frog
feet begin. Dark color the on top, light color on the bottom.
Then, Softex was liberally applied to the only the feet and
flattened out with a wooden craft stick. They were left to
thoroughly dry before the toes in the frog feet fins were cut
out with scissors.
149
should bend, shaping the legs becomes quite easy.
Liberally apply Softex or Plasti Dip to the feet of
the frog legs and shape them with your fingers.
After drying, bend the thread wraps to angle the
feet outward and shape the feet to your liking with
sharp scissors. The result is a nice impressionistic
set of legs that is quick to tie in, easy to cast and
wont easily foul around the hook gape.
Jointed Legs
Jointed legs take more effort to make, but the
result is a nearly free-moving set of legs that
impart a very natural motion. The leg material
Cut the excess mono
(or wire) shafts here.
These simple examples of jointed legs were tied on wire and
monofilament. The top pair was tied on pre-formed 3
(7.6cm) wire shafts with closed eye loops from Janns
Netcraft. The bottom pair is tied on 40-lb monofilament.
The tag ends of the wire shafts and monofilament were cut
just behind the thread wraps as the feet begin.
can be tied on 40-50lb monofilament or on wire,
both fitted with a loop at one end to affix to the
bend of the hook with wire or Kevlar thread.

Kevlar fishing line is looped
through each leg loop and tied
back onto the hook shank.
Tie the leg loops in just behind
the hook point to help prevent
fouling around the hook gape.
Use Kevlar fishing line to secure each leg on either side of
the hook shank. Securely tie the Kevlar thread along the
length of the hook shank and leave two 2 (5cm) tags ends
extending backwards. Thread one Kevlar tag end through
one of the leg loops and tie the Kevlar back onto the hook
shank going forward. Dont make the Kevlar thread too
tight restricting movement of the leg. Repeat for the other
leg loop.
Installing Legs in Lure Bodies
There are several ways to apply legs to a lure
body. The lure body material determines the best
method to use. Of course, if the legs are shaped
to imitate the real thing, such as frog legs, they are
usually tied in on the back of the hook shank
behind the lure body. But for legging material like
rubber or silicone legs, or legs made of a synthetic
fiber material, there are more options than just
tying them in at the back of the hook.
Install Legs Before or After the Final
Protective Lure Body Top Coat?
There are pros and cons of installing legs in lure
bodies before or after a final top coat is applied.
It is easier to insert legs in or through a lure
body before a final protective coat is applied. But
it becomes problematic to keep the wispy and
flexible legging material out of the curing top coat,
such as epoxy, as the lure turns on a drying wheel.
Some innovative lure builders concoct fancy
ways to keep the legs from falling into the epoxy
coating, but these tricks are often more work than
www.pixachrome.com
LEGS
the benefit they derive, and may not always work
consistently. For this reason, it is better to install
legs in and through lure bodies after the lure body
is painted and coated with a top coat like epoxy.
An added benefit of installing legs after the final
top coat is applied is the top coat provides a firm
foundation in which to start the hole.
Sealing Leg Holes in Lure Bodies
Once the legs are heated, drilled or punched
through the finished lure body, apply a small
amount of tying cement, Softex or Plasti Dip to
seal the small holes in the lure body. If done
carefully, applying a very small amount of epoxy
around the base of the leg material is also a very
effective way to water-proof a lure body around
holes made for legs. Allow the epoxy to cure
overnight on a drying wheel.
As mentioned before, avoid using CA adhesive
to seal leg holes with silicone legs - the legs become
brittle and break off easily. Its OK to use CA
adhesive on rubber or other non-silicone leg
material, but the adhesive easily soaks into the
material, making it completely hard and inflexible
at the base. Avoid using too much CA adhesive.
Legs in Polystyrene Lure Bodies
There are two ways to install leg material in
Styrofoam polystyrene lure bodies (eg - Wapsis
Perfect Popper) - use a hot needle or drill a small
hole. It is very difficult, if not futile, to punch or
thread a hole through polystyrene.
The hot needle method is best reserved for lure
bodies with less girth. A hot needle is not an
accurate way to make a hole in thick material. The
more times a hot needle is inserted through a hole,
the larger the entry hole will become.
On the other hand, drilling a hole through
polystyrene is an accurate way to make a
consistent diameter hole.
With either method, sealing the holes after the
legging material is inserted is less of a concern
150
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
with polystyrene since water and the elements will be useful for large diameter lure bodies or really
take a long time to rot the lure body from the dense high-density foam.
inside out. It is estimated to take 500 years or If a heated needle is used, be quick about
more for polystyrene to break down in nature. punching the hole through the body. Lingering
If the hole made in the polystyrene body is too or inserting the heated needle in and out a few
large for the leg material, and the legs are easily times will only create a larger hole than is needed.
pulled out, applying a small amount of Softex or If that happens, the rubber or silicone legs wont
Plasti Dip will affix the legs in place and help seal hold in the foam well and can easily be pulled out.
the small holes. A small discreet amount of epoxy Try an unheated needle first as your best overall
also works well. Its your choice whether to use a option for inserting leg holes in high density foam.
hot needle or a hand drill with a small diameter
bit - they both are effective for inserting rubber or Leg Positions
silicone leg holes in polystyrene lure bodies.
Straight Through
Legs in Cork & Wood Lure Bodies The most common position for rubber and
The preferred method for making leg holes in silicone legs is straight through the lure body,
cork and wood lure bodies is to drill using a small perpendicular to the hook shank and behind the
diameter drill bit. A hot needle will do nothing eyes. The legs can be short, imparting very little
more than burn partially the way in, not all the movement, or long and flowing back towards the
way through. It also leaves darkened or charred tailing material.
areas around the hole, which can be a visually
unappealing look to the finish of a lure.
If holes are made in cork or wood bodies, be
certain to seal the entry and exit holes very well
with any of the methods discussed thus far
(Softex, Plasti Dip, or epoxy).
Ideally, if you can avoid poking holes through
wood and cork lure bodies, please do so. I am not
a fan of threading rubber legs through cork or
wood bodies as it creates a hole where water can
get in and cause rotting. Even if you think you
have sealed the entry and exit holes well, its still In this popper example, rubber legs were inserted with an
a hole and ultimately water will get in. Its just as unheated needle and after the epoxy final coat has been
applied.
effective to tie rubber or silicone legs in at the tail
of the hook as it is to punch holes through cork or
wood lure bodies. X-pattern
The X-pattern for legs is a great way to create
Legs in Foam Lure Bodies the appearance of front and back legs on a lure
The preferred method for making leg holes in
body. The downside is the method creates two
high-density foam lure bodies is with a needle.
more holes in a lure body that require proper
Most times, a needle that has not been heated
sealing against the elements to prevent internal
works just fine, although heating the needle might
rotting in the future.
151
 LEGS
Cowens Creatures Frog Legs
Innovative fly tyer Pat Cohen has created
realistically-shaped frog legs in seven sizes ranging
from X-small, mini 3/4, micro 1/2, small 1.5,
medium 1.75, large 2.5 and XL 3.5. The legs
are laser-cut ultra suede and can be colored with
markers or the Copic Air Brush System to create
realistic or artistic frog legs for lure bodies. When
tied in, they have realistic movement in the water
and are easy to cast.

Legs were inserted with an unheated needle in this foam

popper body using the X-pattern.

Pre-Made Legs and Leg Tools

Zuddys Leg Puller
A handy tool made by creative fly tyer Matt
Zugweg, the Zuddys Leg Puller makes quick and
accurate work of punching leg holes through a
variety of lure body materials including soft
woods. The large knob-style handle is easy and
comfortable to work with and helps add extra
leverage when punching holes through stiff lure
body material.
Instead of tediously cutting out your own frog legs, Cohens
Creatures Frog Legs offer laser-cut detail ready to be colored
with marker or an air brush system.

Zuddys Leg Puller is handy for inserting legs in medium

and large-sized lure bodies. The tool is 4.5 (11.4cm) long
with the needle portion being 2.5 (6.3cm) long.

www.pixachrome.com 152
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Diving Heads & Lips

F or all practical purposes, diving head

designs are better than diving lips on top
water lures, especially for fly fishing. Casting a
diving head is easier than casting a lure body with
a diving lip. A diving lip will cause significant lure
spin and line twist when cast with a fly line. While
a micro barrel swivel will alleviate line twist, it
wont stop lure spin, which slows line speed, limits
casting distance and makes it difficult for the line
and lure to turn over. Despite these barriers, small
diving lips on top water lures can add an effective
dive-wobble to the lure as it is retrieved.
Most all diving heads can benefit by adding
weight to help it dive. More on adding weight to
diving lure heads can be found in Section Two -
Adding Weight.
In general, diving top water lures add the
dimension of motion underwater as the lure is
retrieved. Rarely does a diving top water lure just
go downward and pop back up in a straight
motion. Instead, the diving lure wobbles and darts
its way downward and back up to the waters
surface. Its this erratic and unpredictable motion
that is compelling to curious fish. And its for
these reasons that a diving top water lure head is
something every fisher should have in their lure
arsenal.
name a few. While diving heads can easily be
carved into balsa, cork or wood, most diving heads
today are made of high-density foam. Working
with foam is easier and many different shaped
foam pieces can be glued together to quickly create
a diving head.
Flat Diving Heads
Angled flat top water lure heads is the simplest
form of diving heads to make. Cutting a foam,
wood or a cork body at a sharp angle, usually
around 45, will effectively create a diving head.
The more upright the head angle, the more it will
push water and make a surface disturbance. The
more the head angle is sloped, the more it will dive
and wobble when retrieved. Figure 13 - The
Retrieve Path of a Typical Un-Weighted Diving
Lure Head illustrates the dive rate of a flat-faced
diving head.

Diving Head Shapes

The shape of the diving lure head determines
how the lure behaves - the surface commotion A flat diving head will dive quickly and wobble during the
made, the depth of the dive and the erratic retrieve.
wobbling action when stripped back in, just to

155
 DIVING HEADS & LIPS
Figure 13 - The Retrieve Path of a Typical Un-Weighted Diving Lure Head

1 3

In this simplified illustration, the typical path of a flat-faced un-weighted diving head is shown. Many factors influence the
dive rate and depth of a top water lure: angle of the head, rate of the retrieve, buoyancy of the lure head material, leader
diameter and material, tail material length and buoyancy, etc. (1) When a top water diving lure is retrieved, the initial lure
reaction is to make a surface commotion and push water upward and forward. (2) It then quickly begins to dive and wobble
to a point where the diving head is nearly perpendicular to the water surface. At this point, the head will wobble with an
extended retrieve, but not dive much further downward. The resistance of the leader is the primary reason it has reached
maximum diving depth. (3) Once the retrieve strip ends, the lure takes a more direct path to the waters surface, back to
the original resting position.

Cupped Diving Heads Z Shaping a Conical Diving

Cupped diving heads make more of a Head
commotion on the waters surface by virtue of 1. Shape s foam cylinder on a rotary tool similar
having a cupped head to push water, make to Illustration 1. The collar can be straight,
popping noises and leave a bubble trail. Cupped as shown, or tapered towards the nose of the
diving heads also dart, wobble and dive more head.
2. Cut the bottom flat just below the center of
the foam head where the shaping spindle was
inserted.
3. Wrap a thin base 1
of thread wraps
on a hook shank,
apply a small CA
adhesive and
2
slide the foam
diving head on a
hook shank.
Position the flat
part of the diving 3
head on the
bottom over the
Cupped diving heads pop, dive and move in unpredictable
hook point.
ways when retrieved.

www.pixachrome.com 156
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Pre-shaped conical diver heads by Rainys Premium Flies
make easy work of creating diving top water lures.
randomly, which is certainly a fish attracting
feature.
Rounded & Conical Diving Heads
Rounded and conical diving heads utilize the
head to begin and direct the dive pattern and a
collar to increase the dive angle and water
displacement/disturbance.
Rounded and conical diving heads are easy to
make from a foam cylinder using a rotary tool and
a nail file as the sanding and shaping tool. Hold
the foam cylinder in place using a DIY shaping
spindle described in Section Three - High-Density
Foam. When the desired shape is achieved, cut a
flat bottom to give clearance for the hook point.
Charlie Bisharats Bubbleicious by Umpqua Feather
Merchants is a diving lure head that also creates quite a
commotion on the waters surface.
157
For those who may not want to bother with
shaping foam, Rainys diver heads are perfectly
crafted of smooth high-density foam, ready to
paint, decorate and add to a hook.
Bubble-Creating Diving Heads
An innovative idea from Charlie Bisharat is
adding small holes to the collar of a diving head.
It creates trailing bubbles and more water surface
disturbance. If you make your own, the small
holes can be punched in the collar of a diving head
with a small leather punch. More on bubble-
making lures can be found in Section 2 - Bubble
Heads.
Craft Foam Diving Heads
With nothing more than a circular-cut piece of
sheet craft foam, a simple diving head can be
formed in front of any streamer-style fly pattern.
Stacking several circular discs in front of another
creates a diving head that has more floatation.
Once tied on the hook, glue them together with
CA adhesive.
A circular craft foam disc placed in front of marabou and
rubber legs makes an effective mouse pattern. When
strip-retrieved, it mimics a struggling mouse.
 DIVING HEADS & LIPS
slightly smaller than a U.S. penny and can be cut
Diving Lips to desired shape and size. Ten Flylipps come in
a pack. They accommodate hook sizes from #4 to
DIY Diving Lips #2/0. Trimmed down, they can fit hooks as small
While diving lips have appeal in the spin fishing
as size #10.
world, they are not really practical for lures cast
with a fly rod. Diving lips add wind resistance A few modifications are required for
and line twist. It is also difficult to get the full application on top water hooks. Flylipps do not
effect of a diving lip when retrieved unless trolled fit kinked-shanked hooks well, such as the Mustad
with a fly rod behind a motor-propelled boat or CK52S, unless the Flylipps is cut and shaped to
float tube. Trolling is the best way to achieve best fit. The width of the tie-in stem also requires
results with diving lipped fly rod lures. Diving trimming to make it thinner, closer to the hook
lipped lures can also be fished using sink-tip lines. shank width. This will help seat a lure body on the
The lure will wobble back and forth when hook shank, slipping over the hook shank and
retrieved or trolled. FlyLipps stem.
With the downsides out of the way, the use of
a small diving lip on some top water fly rod lures
can add effective action to a top water lure. Design
the diving lipped lure more like a long streamer to
encourage better action. Limit or eliminate any
sideways legs or flared out tailing material to
encourage maximum wobble and action when
fished. Its also helpful to use a micro barrel swivel
on the leader to prevent line twist.

FlyLipps add a
professional touch to top
water lures requiring a
diving lip. Unmodified,
the FlyLipp is easily tied
onto a hook before
finishing the lure. To fit
A monofilament loop facing forward at approximately a top water lure body, the
45-degrees downward is formed similar to making a tie-in stem should be
monofilament hook guard. Applying a few coats of Softex trimmed on either side to
will fill in the monofilament loop and create an effective and thin the profile and allow
durable diving lip. Fly tied by John Ryzanych. a lure body to be adhered
to the hook and FlyLipp

FlyLipps Diving Lips stem together. Be sure to

place the FlyLipp
Pre-made diving lips are also available. behind the hook eye at
Flylipps (www.flylipps.com) are pre-molded least an 1/8 (3mm) to
clear square-billed diving lips that are tied in give plenty of room to tie
before the rest of the lure is assembled. They are in a leader.

www.pixachrome.com 158
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Spinners & Rattles

A noisy lure can be the difference between a

successful day and a day where you walk
away scratching your head wondering what you
could have done better.
Fish cannot see as well as they can hear. A fishs
lateral line is incredibly sensitive to changes in water
pressure. The lateral line is a fishs long information
pipeline which brings environmental stimuli
information back to the brain, which is highly
specialized to work in harmony with the lateral line.
Vibration and movement can easily be seen by a
fish even though the water may be very turbid. Fish
can even roughly determine the size, shape and
relative location of your lure based upon the noise
profile it creates. And fish can do this faster than
humans can as sound travels five times faster in
water than it does in air.
is causing it. Spinners can be applied to the front,
to the back or both front and back of a lure body.
They are best used with slider and diver style bodies
versus water-pushing styles like poppers or bangers.
The ideal body style is an egg or bean shaped body
- a body that is rounded and tapered on both ends
to offer least resistance in the water and promoting
adequate spin. Adding some weight to the body will
place it lower in the water surface, even sit just under
the waters surface, which enables the spin right away
when the lure is retrieved. Weight can be in the form
of a few small balled weights inserted in the body
itself or as beads inserted on the hook shanks
themselves (see the next chapter, Adding Weight, for

When To Use Noise-Making Lures

If the water is off-color, turbid or cloudy, or it
is twilight or night time, a noise-making lure is
more effective.
Conversely, using a noise-making lure in water ABOVE: In this example, the small spinner is placed in
that is typically calm and quiet, could be a fire front of a diving body between two beads, which enable free
alarm to nearby fish. Backwaters, sloughs, shallow spin.
BELOW: A diving body has the spinner placed behind.
water and the like are best reserved for top water
Adding tailing material to a spinner behind the lure body
lures that dont have extra noise-making bells and will dampen the movement of the spinner.
whistles.

Spinners
Like diving lips, spinners tend to make top water
lures more wind resistant and difficult to cast. They
are often referred to in error as propellers -
propellers move a body by pushing or pulling wind
or water. Spinners move because the water or wind
159
 SPINNERS & RATTLES
methods to add weight). Its best to place a bead
before and after the spinner to offer least resistance
to spin. The beads can be affixed in place or free on
the hook shank - the body size and design
determines the best way to prepare the beads and
spinner on the hook shank. A faster hand retrieve
or a slow troll is most effective to make the spinner
rotate and make water disturbance.

Rattles
Adding rattles to top water lure bodies adds to
the ability for fish to find your lure in murky or off
color water, and to draw fish from farther away.
Rattles typically have a few metal balls encased
within glass or plastic tubes. As they move back and
forth, the rattling sound is created by the metal balls
striking each other and the ends of the tube. The
larger the rattle, the louder the sound can be.
Different body materials have a significant effect on
the pitch and volume of the sound made by a rattle.
Glass rattles have a slightly more crisp sound than
plastic rattles, but there is little volume difference.
Epoxy coatings have little effect on the sound of Holes were drilled in the center of the two popper bodies
rattles as well. Figure 13 illustrates the volume and above, and rattles were inserted before finishing. It is a
handy idea to mark lure bodies that have rattles with a small
FIGURE 14 indicator, so they are easily identified in a fly box. In these
Effect of Rattle Sound in Different Lure examples, a small dot was painted on the top of the leading
lip to indicate the lure has a rattle inside.
Body Materials
Lure Body Material Rattle Volume/Sound pitch variances of rattles in various body materials.
Volume Overall, balsa and cork help project the loudest and
Balsa Pitch: SHARP HIGH clearest rattle sounds.
Volume
Cork Pitch: SHARP HIGH
Glass and plastic rattles are available in many sizes to fit
Volume most fly rod top water lures.
Basswood Pitch: DULL HIGH
Volume
Wapsi Perfect Popper Pitch: HIGH

Foam floats or Volume

Styrofoam Pitch: DULL MID

Volume
High-density foam Pitch: DULL MID-HIGH
= Loudest = Quietest
Pitch is relative to the body material used; balsa and cork
help project the clearest rattle sound while basswood tends
to mute the sound. High-density foam projects a loud
sound, but the pitch is lower.

www.pixachrome.com 160
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Adding Weight

I t seems counter-intuitive to add weight to a

top water lure, but there are certain
applications that warrant a bit of weight,
particularly with diving head shapes. Weight can
also create a neutral buoyancy effect to suspend a
lure body in the water column slightly below the
waters surface.

Types of Weight
The most commonly available weight is split-
shot. It is easy to apply to a lure body and allows
for small adjustments. Weight also comes in the
form of beads, tape, powder and strips. Powder is
helpful for fine-tuning the overall weight
distribution as a finish is applied to lure bodies.
Tape and strip forms are helpful when adding a
larger amount of weight to an area on a sizeable
lure body. The weight tape is helpful in adding
weight after the lure is finished and as the lure is
being fished.
Split-shot weight is commonly available for weighting top
water lure bodies. Smaller weight sizes, like #4 and #6 allow
for fine-tuning the action of a top water lure.
161
Lead tape offers a quick way to add weight on the water in
an effort to fine-tune the performance of a lure body.
Adding Weight
Adding weight to a lure body is as simple as
drilling a hole and placing small weights inside,
then sealing the hole with wood filler or epoxy.
Determining the amount of weight can be a matter
of a guess or of calculated precision. The latter
will deliver more consistent and predictable results
with your top water lure designs. In the case where
more weight is required, weight strips and tape
can be used.
Another method is to add tungsten powder to
a lure body coating or finish, although youll need
to know exactly how much tungsten powder is
required ahead of time to ensure the weight is
adequate. Be aware that adding weighted powders
to lure body finishes distributes the weight across
the entire lure body and wont tilt the body one
way or another, if so desired. Of course, you can
add weighted powders to lure finishes on just a
section of a lure body, but the amount of weight
 ADDING WEIGHT

Leadwire in various diameters help fine-tune weighting

along a hook shank before affixing in place. Be aware of
local laws where lead is not permitted; use a lead substitute
instead.

ABOVE: Twistons line weight are small match-sized strips

of weight which can be glued on the bottom of a lure body.
There are advantages of this form of weight; it allows more
weight to be applied to a lure body with a small profile
without drilling holes and it distributes weight across the
lure body in an even fashion.

BELOW: Storm Lures, a Rapala company, manufactures

SuspenDots,and SuspenStrips removable adhesive
weights to alter lure buoyancy and action.

Adding beads before or after a lure body is an easy way to

fine-tune the performance of a top water lure. Often beads
are used in tandem with other forms of weight to achieve
the desired top water resting position.

being added becomes more of a guessing game and

the lure finish can become uneven.
Simpler methods to add weight include
wrapping weight around a hook before it is affixed
to a lure body, or drilling small holes and gluing
in small split-shot. Weights can also be added
externally with beads, such as illustrated in the
chapter Spinners & Rattles, where beads were used
to isolate the spinner blades and slightly weigh
down the lure body.
There are some additional factors that impact
the amount of weight needed on any lure body
design. The density of saltwater or freshwater can
make a difference. Water temperatures to some
extent can also affect performance. A diving lure

www.pixachrome.com 162
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
designed for cold pickerel and muskellunge water
will perform quite differently in warm coastal salt
water, for example.
Body material buoyancy (wood, balsa, foam,
etc.), the weight of the hook and the weight of the
coating all have a part in determining the amount
of weight required for a lure body to sink, dive or
float low in the water.
The shape of the lure head also can help
determine where the weight can be added.
Examples in this chapter further illustrate this
point.
To summarize, there are five primary ways to
add weight to a lure body:
1. Insert split-shot into small drilled holes
2. Weight the hook shank with weight thread
before applying the lure body
3. Apply weighted strips or tape to the outside
of a lure body or before a lure is painted and
head has enough body material in the forward
section of the lure body to drill a few holes and
add small split-shot. However, a long pencil
popper affixed to the hook backwards to form a
long, slender diving body doesnt have forward
body mass to drill into. Instead, external weight
options are more applicable, or weighting the
hook before the hook is inserted into the lure body
and glued in place.
A properly front-weighted top water lure should tilt the
front of the lure body downward under the water surface
just slightly. The stripping action, the tapered shape of the
lure head, and the tilted nose slightly downward will make
the lure dive efficiently.

finished
4. Add weighted beads to the hook shank in
Rear-Weighted Lure Bodies
front of the lure head
Most top water lure bodies will ride canted
5. Add weighted powders to paints and finishes
slightly backwards since the hook weight and the
drag of the tailing material impart the backwards
The rest of this chapter will focus on methods 1-4
tilt. The backwards tilt aides in making the lure
listed above.
pop and throw water when retrieved. However,
some fly rod lures bodies can benefit from having
Determining the Right Amount
of Weight
Front-Weighted Lure Bodies
For most situations, diving lures require
forward weight to make them behave optimally.
Adding just enough weight to make the nose dip
slightly under the waters surface when at rest will
impart quick diving action when strip-retrieved.
It also slows down the rate of ascent to the surface
30 - 45
to a small degree, which often can be a fish strike angle
trigger.
A properly rear-weighted top water lure should tilt rearward
The shape of the lure head helps determine enough to create a 30-45 degree angle of the lure face to the
which weight form should be used. A diving cone waters surface. This will create good splash and disturbance.

163

additional weight in back to make it skip, walk or
pop better. A representative top water lure body
that may need weight is a standard cork popper.
The buoyant lift of the cork body places the angle
of the lure body too level on the waters surface for
effective popping action.
This example of a rear-weighted cork stopper body
illustrates a good angle of the popper face to the water
surface. When stripped in, the face of the popper will throw
water up and out, creating more noise and surface
disturbance. Weighting this popper is described on the next
page.
Neutral Buoyancy Lure Bodies
Neutral buoyancy lures use heavy or dense
water-absorbing materials for the tail and/or add
a small amount of weight in the body prior to
finishing to make the lure sink slightly when
retrieved. Some lures are made with heavier-
density wood to achieve the same results. Larger
fly rods are typically required to cast neutral
buoyancy flies given their size and weight. Darters
and divers are especially effective body styles to
convert to neutral buoyancy flies. When stripped
in, they impart action under water due to the
shape of the body. Refer to the Body & Tailing
Materials chapter for more information on how
tailing materials can affect lure performance.
www.pixachrome.com
ADDING WEIGHT
Displacement Method: Adding Weight for
Neutral Buoyancy
Prepare the desired top water lure without weight,
and prepare a wide-mouthed jar filled to the brim with
water. Weigh the jar and water before placing the lure
in the water. Carefully place the lure in the jar of water
filled to brim, allowing the water to displace outside of
the jar. Remove the lure, wipe the outside of the jar
dry and weigh the jar and water again. The difference
between the weight of the jar and water before and after
is the weight needed for neutral buoyancy.
This method works well for large top water lures
that have plenty of bulk to begin with, but is not a good
method to judge weight needed for neutral buoyancy
on smaller top water lures unless you have a very
accurate scale.
Trial and Error Method
It seems rather unscientific yet very fitting for the
lure making artist - the easiest method is simply to add
weight temporarily to a finished lure using removable
painting tape. Adjust the position of the weight and
the weight amount itself until the desired resting
position is achieved. Of course, the resting position
and the action of the lure when retrieved is not always
congruent. Be sure to test the lure action in a bathtub
filled with water or on a pond or lake, then carefully
observe the action of the lure as you strip-pull it along.
Many times, some minor tweaking is necessary.
Plan to make three or four of the same top water
lure as close to final form, using each to fine-tune the
weight needed to achieve the desired top water action.
Theres no need to paint them, but be sure to add all
the other materials to make the tail and legs, which can
affect the performance of a lure. Be sure to add the
final coat as well, as the finish coating can affect weight,
buoyancy and affect the overall weight distribution of
the lure.
Once you have dialed-in to the desired weight and
location, take photos and make notes in a lure making
journal for future reference so you dont have to go
through the experiments again.
164
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
EXAMPLE:
Using Drilled Holes with Split Shot - Rear
Weighting
Resting position BEFORE rear weight was added.
Resting position with rear weight.
Adding rear weight is particularly important for the
performance of large cork popper bodies. The weight pulls
the rear down and angles the front face closer to 45-degrees
to the waters surface. This will help create more pop and
splash. For this large cork popper example, the weight of
four BB-sized split shot was determined to be the amount.
The weight was taped on the rear to test before being
inserted into a hole drilled in the rear of the popper body.
165
EXAMPLE:
Using Drilled Holes with Split Shot - Front
Weighting
An easy way to add front-loaded weight a little at a time to
a diver head is to drill holes around the perimeter of the
nose and insert split shot. Insert enough split shot to tilt the
nose downward to the desired level on the waters surface
while at rest. You will not need to sink the nose entirely,
but just add enough weight to tilt the nose downward for
the diving action to be enhanced. Another method is to
wrap the hook shank near the hook eye with some wire wrap
as a baseline to help weight the nose downward and add
split shot weight as needed.
Once the weights are inserted, the holes can be covered
up with stick-on eyes and finished as normal, as shown in
the bottom photograph.

EXAMPLE:
Using Shank Weighting
A reversed Wapsi Perfect Popper body is fashioned into a
diver head. Strip weight was added to the bottom near the
front of the head to encourage deep diving when retrieved.
Different length of weight tape segments were temporarily
taped to the body and dipped in a testing tank to determine
the proper amount of weight needed. Once the right weight
tape length was determined, the strip weight tape was glued
to the bottom of the lure with CA adhesive and burnished
to smooth the edges.
Not shown: Some small straight wire weight was laid
alongside the hook shank and glued in, filling in the hook
shank slot before additional weight tape was added on the
outside of the body.
www.pixachrome.com
ADDING WEIGHT
EXAMPLE:
Using Weighted Beads
Adding weight using weighted beads is a particularly easy
technique to weight diving cone heads. Slide a bead at a
time behind the cone head until the nose dips in the waters
surface to the desired level, then glue with CA adhesive in
place. It doesnt take many beads to dip the front
downward. A bead in the middle of the hook shank will
sink the lure body evenly, like in the photograph above.
Tungsten beads work best.
166
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Applying Finishes
A pplying a finish to a top water lure body
is the integrum consummare. It is the step
that marks an end to a multi-step and long process
to prepare a lure body for completion. It is also
the most important step in preserving your hard
work against the elements and toothy fish critters,
not to mention it adds a definitive touch of
professionalism to your works of art. This chapter
applies what is discussed in Section 1 - Body Fillers
& Finishes to the practical application level.
After applying a finish to a top water lure I
make, I often feel like my work is done - it seems
anti-climactic to an extent. Tying on tailing
material and the like takes a matter of minutes
compared to the dozen steps or more I employ to
craft and paint a lure body; all of which can take
several days to complete. Ive personally touched
my top water works-of-art many times over and
know each ones idiosyncrasies and abnormalities
as if it had a personality. No two are exactly the
same. And that rare one in 100 is just near darned
perfect. I have a few shoe boxes full of finished
top water lure bodies that have yet to be tied with
tailing material, legs, etc. They are each quite
fishable and beautiful, but Id rather move on to
creating the next lure body, keeping in mind some
little tweak to make the next one better.
Of course, I do finish my fair share of top water
fly fishing lures for my own use and to give away
to close friends. And with that it mind, I always
sign the bottom of the lures I make. I encourage
you to do the same, but be sure to sign your little
gems before applying the final top coats. More on
that later in this chapter.
197
Clear Acrylic
Acrylic paint is a fast-drying water-soluble
paint made of a pigment mixed in an acrylic
polymer. Acrylic paints become highly water-
resistant, but not water-proof when dry. For this
reason, acrylic is not an ideal final top coat
solution as it requires a more durable protective
finish itself.
A clear acrylic top coat is good for covering
multiple paint mediums without making them
run, fade or dissolve. For the first coat, apply a
very light layer, just enough to cover the lure body.
Too much acrylic as a first top coat may cause
colors to run and dissolve, and the spray will most
certainly run and drip, as spray acrylic is thin.
Clear acrylic should be sprayed, not brushed.
Brushing on clear acrylic will most certainly make
underlying colors bleed and run together,
especially nail polish and acid-based markers.
As a matter of personal choice, spray acrylic is
available with a matte, semi-gloss or gloss finish.
Gloss is most often used for lure making, however
there is nothing wrong with using a matte or
semi-gloss finish. A matte acrylic finish will leave
a slight texture. The slight texture, combined with
a soft body material like high-density foam, is an
interesting combination for frog bodies and the
like.
A good way to evenly spray lure bodies is to use
a simple DIY spray painting jig. How to make the
DIY jig is described in Section One - Paints.
 APPLYING FINISHES

Water-Based Urethane
As mentioned in Section One - Body Fillers and
Finishes, water-based urethane can be used as a
final coat on all body material types, but it should
be used with caution. It can become brittle and
crack or chip away over time. Once it shows signs
of cracking, water will seep in and begin to rot
away the lure body underneath. Often, the finish
will crack or chip away after just one day on the
water. Water-based urethane does not make a very durable coating
for top water lures. The simple high-density foam popper
Water-based urethanes can either be brushed
was fished only once. Notice the separation of the urethane
(using a product like Ceramcoat or Loon layer on the front of the popper face.
Outdoors Hard Head) or sprayed with an aerosol
can. Spraying a water-based urethane will least The first drawback is its not as economically
disturb marker colors and air brush colors, friendly to cover large lure bodies as using epoxy,
avoiding the bleeding and discoloration. Another UV cure resin is more expensive compared to
consideration for aerosol spray water-based other coating options. Secondly, most UV cure
urethanes is the tendency to dry with a slight resins still require a coat of clear nail polish to
yellow tint. Brushed on water-based urethanes do remove the residual tackiness from the surface.
not exhibit this tendency. And the third drawback is it can be difficult to coat
a medium or large lure body with UV cure resin
Brushing water-based urethanes on surfaces
without it running or pooling before being cured
that have been marked with most permanent
with UV light. Thin UV cure resin should be used
markers or painted with Copic markers, for
with caution for this reason, use UV cure resin
example, will cause the colors to bleed, blend and
with a thicker viscosity.
discolor. For this reason, water-based urethanes
are best as top coats on lure bodies painted with You will experience mixed results when using
acrylics or enamels, or for lure bodies that dont UV cure resin as a protective coating as it quickly
require painting such as some high-density foam bleeds acid-based marker colors together and even
heads. Two or three coats are optimum. fades some colors significantly. It pays to
experiment before ruining a perfectly good
UV Cure Resin painted lure body. The verdict is UV cure resin
should be left to finishing fly heads and not coating
UV cure resin can be used as a final top coat
but has a few drawbacks to note alongside with its entire hand-painted top water lure bodies.
advantages.
The prime advantage to using UV cure resin is
Clear Nail Polish
Clear nail polish can be used as top coat option
its quick. In a matter of minutes, a lure body
over acrylics and enamels, although not as good
can be coated and light-cured, provided the lure
as epoxy. Clear nail polish will not work well as a
body is small.
top coat over permanent markers or the Copic
Air Brush System. Because acetate is in nail

www.pixachrome.com 198
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
polish, it will dissolve, blur and blend marker and
airbrush colors applied underneath it. Another
good use for clear nail polish is a top coat over UV
cure resins to prevent the tacky feeling after the
UV cure resin cures. One caution to note: nail
polish will tend to blister under heat (direct sun)
as the air and slight moisture content inherently
trapped in the material coated by the nail polish
expands. Nail polish is very flexible, unlike most
epoxies. (However, FlexCoats Lure Gel epoxy is
quite flexible, as it was specifically designed for
lure making.)
One last note on using nail polish as a paint and
top coat - allow each application several hours to
dry completely. Even though it may seem dry after
only 20 minutes, it is not dry throughout.
Touching incompletely dried applications of nail
These two examples of surface lures were painted with nail
polish and coated with clear nail polish. The top lure body
was a Wapsi Perfect Popper body. The nail polish
expanded and wrinkled under normal fishing conditions.
The bottom cork popper was not sealed, painted with nail
polish and coated with clear nail polish. The result is a finish
that blisters under normal fishing and weather conditions.
Sealing the cork prior to painting would have helped
prevent the blistering.
199
polish will leave permanent fingerprint
indentations in the paint.
Epoxy
Two-part epoxy is the best finish for highly
durable and professional looking top water lures.
The best two-part epoxies to use are those that take
more time to cure. Sixty-minute or longer cure
times is preferred (such as rod building epoxy).
Epoxies that cure quickly ( 30 minutes or less) tend
to yellow quickly, turn brittle and chip away under
normal fishing conditions in sun and water. They
will barely last a summers worth of fishing.
Note that quick-cure epoxies generally spread
and cures evenly over most surfaces, especially if
a lure turning wheel. However, some epoxies will
tend to have a phobic nature to nail polish and
some markers, and will ball-up on the lure body
where the epoxy separates and does not cover the
body surface. Flex-Coat lure gel coat does not
exhibit these phobic tendencies.
Flex-Coat produces some of the best lure
making epoxy available - Lure Epoxy Gel Coat.
Flex-Coat epoxy yields a highly durable and
flexible coating. It takes at least 12 hours to cure
tack-free and thus requires a turning wheel to
ensure an even coat. It is thin in viscosity and easy
to work on the lure and into small areas using a
small disposable craft/paint brush. The lure gel
coat remains crystal clear and wont yellow over
time. Because its viscosity is low, mixing in
coloring powders and glitter agents is easily done,
producing excellent results.
In general, epoxy doesnt like sharp edges on
lure bodies. The sharp edges force epoxy to
migrate away using the path of least resistance.
The result is an unprotected edge and a bulge of
epoxy between the sharp edges. Rounded edges
on lure bodies will allow the epoxy to settle evenly
over the entire body.
 APPLYING FINISHES

This hand-carved basswood pencil popper body has a red

air brushed head and was coated with 10-minute epoxy.
The lure has never been fished and has exhibited finish
cracking in only three months. Quick-cure epoxies do not
make good long-term lure finishes.

Square edges of the popper face

Rounded edges of the popper face

Flex Coat Lure Gel Coat epoxy is available in an iridescent
finish system which includes everything needed to apply a
finish to lure bodies, including syringes, several tubes of
micro glitter powder, mixing cups and hobby brushes.
ABOVE: Most finishes do not like sharp or square edges.
The finish will separate away from a sharp edge as it dries
or cures leaving the edge unprotected. Rounding sharp

Enamel and Varnish edges with sandpaper will help finishes adhere and offer
better edge protection, as shown in the bottom unfinished
Traditional spray and brushable pencil popper above.
varnish/enamel is composed of an oil, a resin, a BELOW: A well-fished cork popper shows signs of wear
around the sharp edges where the epoxy finish did not
glossifier and a thinner or solvent. The labels of
adequately cover and protect.
varnish and enamel can be confusing product
names as some latex and water-based urethanes
also use these same terms to describe their
products. For purposes of this discussion, enamel
and varnish are distinguished as being oil-based
media.
Enamels and varnishes dry hard and naturally
glossy, unless the added glossifier is a semi-gloss
or matte finish. Lures coated with enamel or

www.pixachrome.com 200
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
varnish are well-suited to the harsh outdoor
extremes that lures are subjected to. Lures top-
coated with enamel and varnish also take lure
makers back to a time when that was how all lures
were finished. Todays polymers, epoxies and
plasticizers have revolutionized what we use to
finish top-water fishing lures.
Because enamels and varnishes have solvents
in them, they will smear and distort most any color
underneath, especially nail polishes and acid-
based marker colors. They do not react with
acrylics, however.
Spraying enamels and varnishes in very, very
light, even coats is best to prevent any reaction to
the colors and mediums underneath. Slowly build
up a few ultra-thin coats of enamel/varnish,
allowing ample time between coats to dry (1 hour
or longer).
Softex and Plasti Dip
Sometimes, a matte or semi-gloss finish that
isnt rock-hard is a good thing. A good example
is with frog-style poppers. To mimic the texture
and look of a real frog, consider applying one or
two coats of Softex or Plasti Dip over a shaped
high-density foam body. The Softex or Plasti
Dip is best quickly brush applied and allowed to
dry thoroughly before applying another coat.
Realistic looking and feeling frog skin can be
achieved using this technique.
Contrary to popular opinion, Softex and Plasti
Dip are not the same. While the chemical
composition of each is trade intellectual property
(IP), there are seemingly no limits to the creative
efforts of fly tying enthusiasts to ascertain that the
two are the same. Personal discussions with the
creator of Softex, Mr. John Ryzanych, and an
adhesives chemical engineer (a personal friend)
have given practical advice on the differences
without breaching the valuable IP of each product.
They both appear to be the same at first glance.
However, they each have their unique properties
201
This hand-shaped high-density foam popper was air
brushed with Copic markers, spotted with nail polish and
finished with two coats of Softex. The result is a popper
body that has life-like soft and flexible characteristics similar
to real frog skin.
which distinguish themselves. Plasti Dip is a
commercial multi-purpose rubber coating that is
intended for light industrial conditions that do not
relate to fly tying. Softex is specifically
formulated for fly tyers to work with fly tying
materials.
The advantage of Softex and Plasti Dip is
both are self-leveling, meaning the liquid, before
it dries, will level out across the lure body, creating
an nice even coating. Softex self-levels better
than Plasti Dip. Softex or Plasti Dip can be
brushed on or dipped. Brushing the finishes on
creates less waste than a dipped lure body. Again
Softex is easier to brush on versus Plasti Dip.
Softex is slightly thinner, clearer and is more
pliable/flexible than Plasti Dip. Softex is easier
to apply in thin layers whereas Plasti Dip builds
up thickness rapidly. Repairs are also more easily
done with Softex since it self-levels quickly and
bonds to itself quite readily. Plasti Dip is more
difficult to work with when it comes to repairing
a faulty or torn coating.
Each can work equally well as a durable life-like
coating on a top water lure - it is ultimately a
matter of personal preference. My preference is
to work with Softex for most applications due to
 APPLYING FINISHES
its comparable ease of use and known
compatibility with most fly tying materials.

Adjuncts
Craft Glitter
A simple and effective way to add a fish scale
effect to any top water lure is to add glitter to the
final finish medium. Adding too little glitter will
result in an ineffective visual representation of
shimmering fish scales, and adding too much
glitter will yield a lure that looks like a grade-
school art project. With just a little
experimentation, knowing how much glitter to
add to the finish medium will become second
nature. Of course, it ultimately is personal choice.
There are two types of glitter to consider for
the lure maker transparent and opaque.
Transparent glitter will shimmer, allowing the
color underneath to show through while opaque
glitter will visually provide a sparkly speckling Micro-fine hobby glitter is useful for adding sparkle to
appearance. Transparent glitter is more represent fish scales.
commonly used in lure making.
ranging from the smallest size of 50 microns
Glitter is available in various sizes as solvent- (0.002, 0.05mm) to 3125 microns (1/8, 3mm).
resistant, rainbow, fluorescent, pearl, metal (such Extra fine glitter is sold online and in hobby shops,
as aluminum flakes) and luminous. Glitter can be and is ideal for general lure crafting. Glitter made
found in various shapes too, including round, for school and craft use is best for larger bangers
hexagonal, and star-shaped. Generally speaking, and saltwater lures.
lure makers prefer the smaller round or hexagonal
sizes in rainbow, pearl and luminous colors. Powder
Glitter is available in base colors such as red, violet, Pearlescent powders can be added to top coat
blue and turquoise. Glitter is sized in microns, finishes to give added realistic sheen and iridescent

The micron-measured diameter of various glitters give appearances from an iridescent sheen to a grainy scale effect when
added to top coat finishes. Glitters range from a fine powder to distinct flakes: (1) Loon Outdoors powder, 400+ microns.
(2) 300-micron glitter. (3) 200-micron glitter. (4) 100-micron glitter. (5) 75-micron glitter. (6) Micro-fine hobby glitter.
(7) Standard craft glitter.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
www.pixachrome.com 202
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
appeal. Most powders, like those found in make-
up, are made of natural materials like ground fish
scales, mica, various minerals, titanium dioxide,
bismuth oxychloride and even crushed and
ground insects.
Fly tying powders manufactured by Loon
Outdoors are specifically made for lure making.
The twelve colors work well with water-based
urethane and epoxy finishes.
As an alternative, blush make-up added to a
top coat finish will add a natural sheen similar to
what scales provide.
Phosphorescence
Much has been studied and written over the
years (since at least the early 1800s) regarding the
appeal to fish of bioluminescence and the science
today of luminous lures.
Sometime around 1802, Alexander von
Humboldt, the first known scientist to make
mention and study of bioluminescence, wrote:
The luminous animals of the ocean appear,
from these conjectures, to prove the existence of a
magneto-electric light-generating vital process
the small Infusoria of the ocean, being
Loon Outdoors fly tying powders add plenty of
pearlescence to epoxy, water-based urethanes and UV cure
resins.
203
surrounded by strata of salt-water which constitutes
a powerful conducting medium, must be capable of
an enormous electric tension of their flashing
organs to enable them to shine so vividly in the
water.
To understand why luminosity and glowing
lures work so well, we need understand how light
travels through water and how fish see it.
Colors of the light spectrum travel at different
rates through water. Reds and oranges under
daylight travel the least distance under water,
appearing almost gray in just ten feet of water. On
the other end of the spectrum, blues travel the
furthest under water. Green, a combination of
yellow and blue, is somewhere in between. (See
Figure 10 - Light Wavelength in Section One - Body
Fillers & Finishes.) Similar to green light under
water, UV light is equally as visible, although salt
water tends to limit how far UV light travels
compared to fresh water.
It stands to reason that as lures emit a UV green
phosphorescent glow, they will be more easily seen
by predator fish with eyes that are big and attuned
to stalking in low-light conditions. Predator fish
also key on the eyes of prey, so glowing eyes on
lures can also add to their fish catching ability.
In the spin fishing lure world, spinner baits,
buzz baits, crankbaits, jig heads, molded worms,
crayfish and salamanders all are available with a
phosphorescent option. Even spin fishing hooks
are manufactured with proprietary finishes that
glow-in-the-dark (eg - Gamakatsu Octopus Hook
UV).
The more senses in game fish you can trigger,
the better a lure will work. Adding glow-in-the-
dark powder to lure finishes can only help the
lures ability to catch fish, not detract from it,
especially if you fish after the sun sets.
 APPLYING FINISHES

Personalization
After investing hours of time applying several
layers of paint and finishes to a lure body, it can
become a work of art. And if it is a work of art,
personalizing it like famed artists is the thing to
do. Its the last step before sealing everything
together with a final top coat.

Archival Ink Marker

The simplest and best method is to use an
archival ink permanent marker to scribe your
initials or signature on the lure. A fine-point
Sharpie marker can be used, but the ink often is
blended into the surrounding paint many finishes,
like two-part epoxy. If a fine-point Sharpie is
used, be sure to set the ink with a hair-dryer on
medium-hot setting for a few seconds before
applying the final top coat. A hair dryer is not
needed if an archival ink marker is used.
Personalizing a custom top water lure is usually
done on the rear underside of the body, but it is
Personalizing a hand-crafted top water lure is akin to a
signature proudly displayed on a painters canvas.
For most top water lures used in fly fishing, an archival ink
marker with a tip size of 2,3 or 5 microns is the ideal size to
personalize the lure body.
entirely up to you where you choose to make your
mark.
Applying Finishes
Most two-part and water-based finishes are
best applied with a small craft brush and left to dry
or cure on a rotating wheel. Some finishes, like
urethanes, which can be dipped, certainly help
speed up the lure coating process, but require an
open-air space for ventilation and an area where
the lures can drip as they dry. Some claim that
two-part epoxy is messy to work with, but
compared to dipping lures, it is a breeze. Unless
you intend to produce lures in mass production
mode, top coating lures with two-part epoxy is the
best compromise of durability, clarity and ease of
use in a home/hobby setting. Refer to the tip How
to Apply Two-Part Epoxy later in this chapter to
learn more about best methods to achieve a clear,

www.pixachrome.com 204
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

Artisans Gallery
Jason Goodale

When it comes to spinning and packing deer hair for top water flies, Jason Goodale of Northern Colorado ties them as dense
as they come. Jason has also perfected shaping the spun hair with surgical precision, as evidenced by his spun deer hair examples
above. Jason has been tying flies since the age of five and is a fly designer for Montana Fly Company.

207
 SECTION THREE

Making Poppers, Sliders and Divers

Common Procedures
Using Pre-Shaped Styrofoam
Using Craft Sheet Foam
Using Sandwiched Sheet Foam
Using High Density Foam
Using Balsa & Basswood
Using Cork

- Tom Nixon, Author of Fly Tying and Fly Fishing For Bass and Panfish

www.pixachrome.com 208
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
skipping unnecessary finishing steps. For
Z 12 - The Basic 8 Finishing example, Step 2 - Wood Sealer is not needed for
Steps foam or Styrofoam, and Step 7 - Acrylic Sealer is
usually not needed for most painting applications.
Professional looking and performing top water
Of course, the bare minimum can be applied
lures dont come quickly. They require several
as well, such as one layer of paint, or just wood
time-intensive and precise steps to the final
sealer and stick-on eyes. The result however, is a
product. It can take up to 26 hours to complete
top water lure that not only looks less than
one lure body. Thus, it is most efficient to make
complete, but also lacks durability and longevity.
a handful of lure bodies at the same time, since it
Ultimately, the incremental investment of time
takes negligible extra effort to make several versus
to thoroughly finish a batch of top water lures is
one.
well worth the effort expended. Youll be
Referring to the tip The Basic 8 Finishing Steps
rewarded with professional looking and long-
on the opposite page, not all eight steps are needed
lasting lures that can outlive your lifetime.
for all top water lures, so time can also be saved by

The author displays a respectable peacock bass that took a hand-painted surface popper he made. While its a spin fishing
popper, all of the techniques discussed in this book for painting and finishing were used to make the lure.

221
 COMMON PROCEDURES
Z The Basic 8 Finishing Steps

The estimated fully dry/cure times for each finishing layer is estimated for the Basic 8 Finishing
Steps below.

1. Hole and Hook Slot Filler: 30 minutes.

2. Wood Sealer: 2 - 4 hours.
3. White paint base layer: 1 hour if acrylic is used, longer for other paint options.
4. Pearlescent layer: 30-45 minutes each coat x 3.
5. Air brushing or painting the initial lure color scheme: nearly instantly dry for alcohol-based
colors to 30 minutes for acrylics. Acrylics can be fast-tracked by using a hair dryer.
6. Hand-painted spots and dots: 1-2 hours
7. Acrylic sealer (if needed): 1-2 hours
8. Final epoxy clear-coat: 12-14 hours for the clearest long-cure epoxy; as little as 15 minutes
for general household epoxy.

The Basic 8 Steps in Finishing a Top Water Lure Body

8. Epoxy clear coat layer (x2 if needed)

7. Acrylic sealer (if needed)

6. Hand-painted spots, dots and eyes layer

5. Initial lure color painting via air brush or paint

brush
4. Translucent pearl or iridescent layer (up to 3X)

3. Painted base layer, usually white

2. Wood Sealer (if balsa, basswood or cork)

1. Hole and hook slot filler

Base foam, wood, cork or Styrofoam

body

www.pixachrome.com 222
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Using Pre-Shaped Styrofoam
U sing Wapsi Perfect Popper bodies is an
ideal way to get started in top water lure
making. The wide range of shapes and sizes cover
most all freshwater and saltwater top water fishing
applications. Since the bodies are pre-shaped and
come with a properly-matched hook size for the
body, the hard part is taken care of, leaving the
creative painting process up to you.
223
Making a Bug-Eyed Frog Popper
Materials
Body: Wapsi Perfect Popper large tapered
cupped popper body and matching hook
Thread: 8/0 golden olive
Eye Sockets: hot melt glue
Eyes: Hareline holographic 5/32 gold 3D eyes
Paint: Copic YG95 Pale Olive, E39 Leather,
Y08 Acid Yellow
Spots: Raw sienna acrylic paint, black nail
polish, glitter green nail polish.
Epoxy: Flex Coat Lure Gel Coat two-part epoxy
Tail, Bottom: Hareline marabou, cream
Tail, Top: Hareline marabou, golden olive
Legs: Hareline Grizzly Micro Legs, olive
Collar: Whiting Farms American Rooster soft
hackle olive saddle feather (2)
 PRE-SHAPED STYROFOAM
Step 1. Preparing the Body 2a
Prepare a tapered cup Wapsi Perfect Popper
per the instructions in the previous chapter,
Common Procedures: 1 - Preparing Pre-Shaped
Styrofoam. Painting a solid color (white)
undercoat is not necessary at this point. A white
undercoat will be required after the eye sockets
are created in the next step.

Step 2. Making the Bug-Eyes

The characteristic bulging eye sockets on a frog
are easily created with hot melt glue. Orange hot
melt glue is used here for demonstration purposes.
Using white or clear glue is better, as the colors in
some hot melt glue sticks can bleed through the
base paint layers.
Apply a small evenly round ball of hot melt
glue to the front third of a cupped and tapered 2b
Wapsi Perfect Popper body, as if you were
making a set of Mickey Mouse ears, as
illustrated above (Photo 2a).
With a sharp hobby knife or razor blade, cut a
flat surface on the outer edge of each hot melt glue
ball, as illustrated above. This will become the flat
surface where 3D eyes will be glued to complete
the bulging eye look (Photo 2b).

Step 3. Applying a White and Pearlescent

Base Coat
Once the hot-melt glue eye sockets are formed,
paint the entire body a base coat of white (Photo
3). Two or three coats may be required. Use spray
can acrylic paint, Rainys Popper Paint or white
air brush paint. Avoid any latex or oil-based 3
paints as paints used in subsequent steps may
react to these media.
This step is optional: a pearlescent undercoat
adds a realistic looking sheen to the body,
especially if translucent paints or markers are
used. Follow the instructions in the previous
chapter, Common Procedures: 2 - Applying a
Pearlescent Base Coat.
www.pixachrome.com 224
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Step 4. Air Brushing the Body Colors 4a
Air brushing the Bug-Eyed Frog Popper colors
uses the Copic Air Brush System. Three colors
are used: YG95 Pale Olive for the primary body
color, E39 Leather for the underbelly speckling
and Y08 Acid Yellow for the front cup of the
popper body.
Using the YG95 Pale Olive color (chisel tip
end), begin spraying the top of the lure body and
work towards the sides, fading the color away
towards the white underbelly (Photo 4a). The 4b
darkest olive color should be on the top of the lure
body.
Next, insert the point end of the E39 into the
Copic air brush holder to spray the brown specks
around the entire body (Photo 4b). Practice
spraying the specks on a piece of paper before
painting on the lure body. This will ensure you
have a good feel for how the specks are being
sprayed and at what distance to keep the marker 5a
tip from the lure body for optimum effect.

Step 5. Painting Body Detail and Spots

Draw a brown line from bottom of eye to the
back taper point (Photo 5a). This line simulates
the ridge on a real frog, particularly leopard frogs.
This step is not necessary, but it does add a touch 5b
of realism.
The next step is to paint the leopard spots
characteristic of a frog. The spots are made of
three layered colors using DIY eye stamps as
discussed in Section Two - Eyes.
The three layers of eyes and colors used are:
1. Base olive spots - raw sienna acrylic brush
paint using a large eye stamp, only a few are 5c
needed to create the frog spot effect (Photo
5b)
2. Middle black rings - apply black nail polish
using a medium sized eye stamp on top of the
base olive spots (Photo 5c)

225
 PRE-SHAPED STYROFOAM
3. Small black spots - apply a few sparse dots of
black nail polish around the larger frog spots 5d
using a small sized eye stamp (Photo 5d)
4. Top glitter green dots - apply glitter green nail
polish on top of the black/olive spots using a
small sized eye stamp (Photo 5e)
A note of caution: if acrylics are applied on top
of nail polish, the nail polish will bleed through.
Always apply nail polish on top of acrylics to
prevent color bleeding.
5e
Step 6. Affixing the Eyes
On the flat surface of the eye sockets, apply
Harelines adhesive holographic 5/32 gold eyes
(Photo 6). Depending on the size of the eye
sockets you created, you may have to adjust the
size of the eyes up or down a size to fit. There is
no need to glue these in place, the adhesive
backing should adequately hold them in place
until a top coat is applied.
6
Step 7. Applying the Epoxy Top Coat
The last step in finishing the popper body is to
coat and protect it with two-part epoxy. Flex
Coat Lure Gel epoxy is ideal for a water-clear,
flexible epoxy coat. You have the choice of adding
in micro-fine glitter to add some sparkling flair to
the epoxy coat. In this example, no glitter was
added.
Refer to the DIY tutorial entitled How to Apply
Two-Part Epoxy in Section Two - Applying
Finishes, on how to correctly apply two-part epoxy.
Dont forget to sign your work of art with a
permanent fine-point marker. Give the ink time
to dry or dry it briefly with a hair dryer. This will
ensure the ink doesnt smear or run as the two-
part epoxy is applied. Also dont forget to clear
the hook eye of any paint before applying epoxy.

www.pixachrome.com 226
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Step 8. Tying in The Tailing Material 8a
Using 8/0 golden olive thread, tie in 2 plumes
of marabou, a cream colored plume first then a
golden olive plume directly on top (Photo 8a).
The length of the marabou tail should roughly
equal the distance from the eye to the hook bend.
On either side of the tail, tie in 3 to 4 strands
of silicone olive micro legs where the marabou
was tied in (Photo 8b). The length of the silicone 8b
legs should extend backwards slightly beyond the
length of the marabou tail and forward to the
hook eye.
To make things easier when tying in the collar
hackle, tape the front legs forward against the
popper body to get them out of the way. Then,
tie in two Whiting Farms American Rooster soft
hackle by the stem, at the common material tie-in 8c
point (Photo 8c). Apply a drop or two of tying
cement to help lock in the thread wraps and
hackle as it is wrapped around the collar area
(Photo 8d, 8e).
After the collar hackle is wrapped and tied in,
whip finish the thread to complete the popper.

8d

8e

A finished Bug-eyed Frog Popper is ready to fool some eager

largemouth bass.
227
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS

AFTERWORD
The Essence Of Design

T op water fishing doesnt require a pattern

of exact size, shape and color, unlike the
match-the-hatch needs in trout fishing. The
commotion a top water lure makes is often the
only thing it needs to do to attract fish. An
unfinished cork bottle stopper glued on a hook can
work equally well as a artisan-quality frog popper.
And, fishing a top water lure is visually appealing
seeing the violent strike of a pike attacking a top
water slider or feeling the line tighten as a redfish
takes a large banger-style popper is hard to beat.
Hence, there is no one single standard recipe
for a popper, slider or diver. When you sit down
at the tying vise to prepare a few top water lures,
its all designing once the hook and body is
clamped in the vise.
To illustrate, if a group of tyers were assigned
to tie a pheasant tail nymph, theres a good chance
that most of the nymphs would end up looking
very much alike, as the pattern is ubiquitous in the
fly fishing world. If the same group of tyers were
asked to make a frog popper, the poppers would
all end up looking very much different. Therein
lies the beauty of top water lure making; there are
no hard fast rules. Everything presented in this
book is meant to inspire your own creativity with
ideas to design your own top water masterpieces.
The further I delve into making various top
water lure styles with the most professionally
advanced techniques and materials, the closer I am
drawn back to the effective simplicity of the classic
top water lure designs. The saying of the more
things change, the more they stay the same
certainly applies.
Take for example the RetroPop cork popper
pattern detailed Section Three of this book.
Without any change at all it works just as
effectively today as it did when the original, the
Pop-It fly rod popper, was introduced in 1926.
Lets just say that fish havent evolved as fast as the
lures man creates and frankly said, fishermen
tend to over-think lure making, especially when it
comes to the using latest color scheme, materials
or shiny whiz-bang feature.
While this book is meant to illustrate todays
most popular top water lure styles, theres just as
many, if not more, that dont fit any one category.
It is those patterns which defy categorization that
often become highly effective fish-catchers. It is
those patterns that have yet to be created from the
hands of artisans such as yourself. And, it is those
patterns that will continue to shape the future of
top water fly rod lures and good functionality
is not lost in the the beauty in the art. People like
yourself are those who are perpetuating creativity
in the pursuit of this craft - and this is ultimately
the essence of design.
Bluegills, like this dark and richly colored male, can hardly
resist a surface popper during the twilight hours on a hot
summer evening. The cork popper used here was one of the
authors first creations, made as a 12-year old boy.

301
 Photograph/Illustration *
INDEX
3 Body Fillers and Finishes............................................................................................ 77
3D Thermoform Stencils *....................................................................................... 188
3M Super 77 spray adhesive............................................................................. 73, 212
3-ring Notebook Storage *.......................................................................................... 33
A Book of the Black Bass (1923).................................................................................... 14
Abercrombie & Fitch................................................................................................... 15
Accardo, Tony.................................................................................................... 107, 297
Acrylic, Clear.............................................................................................................. 197
Acrylics........................................................................................................................ 177
Acrylics, Air Brushing *.............................................................................................. 66
Acrylics, Texturing with Sponges *......................................................................... 183
Adding Weight, Determining the Right Amount................................................. 163
Adhesive Effectiveness When Gluing Lure Body Materials to Each Other........ 75
Adhesive Effectiveness: Gluing Hooks to Common Lure Body Materials.......... 46
Adhesive Spray Box..................................................................................................... 31
Adhesives...................................................................................................................... 71
Adjustable Clamp Stands *......................................................................................... 32
Advantages and Disadvantages of Paint Options for Lure Painting.................... 68
Advantages and Disadvantages of Popper & Slider Body Materials.................... 36
Affixing a Lure Body to the Hook Shank *............................................................ 210
Air Brush Color Changes *....................................................................................... 182
Air Brush Maintenance............................................................................................. 181
Air Brush Paint, Choosing the Best........................................................................ 179
Air Brush Paint, Holographic *............................................................................... 180
Air Brush Paint, Thinning Acrylics........................................................................ 183
Air Brush, Back Flushing *....................................................................................... 181
Air Brush, Selecting the Best.................................................................................... 178
Air Brushing with Lacquer and Acetate-Based Paints......................................... 179
Air Compressor *......................................................................................................... 30
Airbrush Paint Spray Hood *..................................................................................... 31
Alligator Clips *............................................................................................................ 32
Aluminum Foil and Foil Tape................................................................................. 123
American Rooster Hackle by Whiting Farms *....................................................... 92
Applying a White and/or Pearlescent Base Coat *................................................ 211
Applying Finishes...................................................................................................... 197
Aquaseal *................................................................................................................... 74
Arbogast and Weber Company................................................................................. 24
Articulating Top Water Lures.................................................................................. 107
B Copic Air Brushing Tips......................................................................................... 173
Badger Model 100 Side Feed *................................................................................. 178
Badger Universal 360 *.............................................................................................. 178
Ball Shaped Top Water Lures.................................................................................. 107
Balsa and Basswood, Using...................................................................................... 283
Balsawood *.................................................................................................................. 37
Bandit Popper *.......................................................................................................... 145
Base Coat Painting Jig *........................................................................................ 29, 69
Basic 8 Finishing Steps *........................................................................................... 221
Basic Tools for Painting.............................................................................................. 28
Bass and Bass Fishing (1924)..................................................................................... 14
Bass-Oreno bass plug.................................................................................................. 21
Bead chain drying rack *............................................................................................. 32
Bead Chain Drying Rack *.......................................................................................... 32
Beads *......................................................................................................................... 162
Belgrade Bugs *............................................................................................................. 16
Berners, Dame Juliana................................................................................................. 13
Betts Pop N' Round.................................................................................................. 107
Bic 36 Mark-it permanent marker *........................................................................ 53
Bird Fur by Whiting Farms *..................................................................................... 93
Bisharat, Charlie....................................................................... 103, 108, 157, 168, 275
Black Bear Fur *............................................................................................................ 90
Black-laced white feathers *....................................................................................... 91
Black-Laced White Feathers *.................................................................................... 91
Blades and Propellers *................................................................................................ 98
Blados, Captain Joe.................................................................................................... 104
Blockhead Balsa *....................................................................................................... 287
Bobs Banger............................................................................................................... 278
www.pixachrome.com
INDEX
Bobs Banger *............................................................................................................ 104
Bobs - Surface lures..................................................................................................... 13
Body and Tailing Materials........................................................................................ 89
Body Shape Characteristics...................................................................................... 109
Body Shaping Considerations.................................................................................. 217
Body Styles, Shapes & Characteristics.................................................................... 101
Bottle Stopper Popper *............................................................................................ 291
Braid, Dennis.............................................................................................................. 100
Braud, Ronald.................................................................................................... 171, 195
Bream Bug................................................................................................................... 297
Bubble Head Divers *................................................................................................ 168
Bubble Head Poppers *............................................................................................. 168
Bubbleicious *.................................................................................................... 103, 168
Bucktail, as leg material *.......................................................................................... 145
Bug-Eyed Frog Popper *........................................................................................... 223
Buzzer-Style Popper *............................................................................................... 102
C
Calf Tail *...................................................................................................................... 90
Callmac Bugs *............................................................................................................. 17
Carroll, Dixie................................................................................................................ 14
Ceramcoat Varnish *.................................................................................................. 80
Cigar Butt Popper *................................................................................................... 263
Classic Balsa Popper *............................................................................................... 283
Clear Nail Polish.......................................................................................................... 84
Closed-cell Polystyrene Foam (Styrofoam)........................................................... 38
Coaxer Floating Bass Fly............................................................................................. 14
Coaxer Floating Trout Fly *....................................................................................... 14
Cohen, Pat.......................................................................................................... 118, 152
Cohens Creatures Frog Legs *................................................................................. 152
Collar Length.............................................................................................................. 131
Colors of the Copic Color System *........................................................................ 61
Colors of the Letraset ProMarker Color System *................................................ 60
Comal Tackle Foam Snap-On Floats *.................................................................... 40
Common Hook Point and Barb Styles *................................................................... 45
Common Lure Making Procedures........................................................................ 209
Common Tying Threads and Their Characteristics............................................... 49
Copic ABS (Air Brush System)............................................................................ 171
Copic Air Brush System *....................................................................................... 65
Copic Air Brushing Techniques, Advanced *...................................................... 175
Copic Limitations.................................................................................................... 174
Copic Markers, Filling *.......................................................................................... 174
Copic Markers, Wet Blending Enamels *............................................................. 177
Copic, Basic Color Choices...................................................................................... 65
Cork Cutters *...................................................................................................... 39, 215
Cork Strike Indicators *............................................................................................ 300
Cork, Body Materials................................................................................................... 35
Cork, Filling and Sealing *........................................................................................ 219
Craft Glitter *.............................................................................................................. 121
Craft Sheet Foam, Using........................................................................................... 239
Crease Fly *................................................................................................................. 105
Creek Chub Bait Company........................................................................................ 22
Cross-Linked Polyethelene XLPE *........................................................................... 38
CS Coatings Vinyl Lure Finish *............................................................................... 86
Cup-Faced (Chuggers).............................................................................................. 101
Cup-Faced Popper *.................................................................................................. 101
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive (CA)............................................................................. 71, 80
D
Damselfly, Popping *................................................................................................. 108
Darter *........................................................................................................................ 105
DC Dodger.................................................................................................................. 103
Deer Hair....................................................................................................................... 35
Deeter, Kirk................................................................................................................... 26
Determining the Right Hook to Use......................................................................... 43
Die Cut Machine, Making Custom Stickers *....................................................... 194
Die-Cutting Stencils and Masks.............................................................................. 191
Dietrich, Kirk....................................................................................................... 99, 297
302
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Dietrichs Diver *......................................................................................................... 99
Dilg Fly Rod Minnow, The......................................................................................... 19
Dilg, Will H................................................................................................................... 16
Diving Head Shapes.................................................................................................. 155
Diving Head, Shaping a Conical head *................................................................. 156
Diving Heads & Lips................................................................................................. 155
Diving Heads, Bubble-Creating *............................................................................ 157
Diving Heads, Craft Foam *..................................................................................... 157
Diving Heads, Cupped *........................................................................................... 156
Diving Heads, Flat *.................................................................................................. 155
Diving Lips *............................................................................................................... 158
Diving Triceratops *.................................................................................................. 275
Dorr, Jim....................................................................................................................... 13
Double Loop Hook Guard *..................................................................................... 137
Double-Barrel Popper Bodies *................................................................................. 40
Drying Wheel *............................................................................................................. 31
Durability of Lure Finishes......................................................................................... 86
E Gluing Hooks to Lure Bodies..................................................................................... 71
E6000 Adhesive *....................................................................................................... 76
Effect of Commonly Used Marking Pens on Selected Materials *....................... 58
Effect of Rattle Sound in Different Lure Body Materials *.................................. 160
Effect of Sun Exposure on Common Marking Pen Ink *...................................... 59
Effect of Tail Length on Lure Bodies *.................................................................... 129
Elements of Design.................................................................................................... 100
Elmers Wood Filler *................................................................................................ 77
Enamel Spray Paint...................................................................................................... 78
Envirotex Lite Pour-On High Gloss Finish *......................................................... 81
Epoxy, How to Apply *............................................................................................. 205
EP Fibers by Enrico Puglisi Flies *.......................................................................... 96
Evazote *................................................................................................................ 37, 39
Eye Dot Stamps *......................................................................................................... 29
Eye, Painted Eyes *.................................................................................................... 112
Eyes with Hot Melt Glue *........................................................................................ 116
Eyes, 3D *.................................................................................................................... 114
Eyes, Beads *............................................................................................................... 116
Eyes, DIY Photo-Realistic *...................................................................................... 119
Eyes, Flat Stick-On *.................................................................................................. 114
Eyes, Making Your Own *........................................................................................ 115
Eyes, Stencils............................................................................................................... 116
F History of Top Water Flies......................................................................................... 13
Feathers for Texturing *............................................................................................ 128
Feathers, as Leg Material *........................................................................................ 145
Field & Stream Magazine............................................................................................ 15
Filling a Hook Slot *.................................................................................................. 210
Finishes, Applying..................................................................................................... 204
Finishes, Archival Ink Marker *.............................................................................. 204
Finishes, Clear Nail Polish........................................................................................ 198
Finishes, Craft Glitter *............................................................................................. 202
Finishes, Enamel and Varnish................................................................................. 200
Finishes, Epoxy.......................................................................................................... 199
Finishes, Pearlescent Powders *............................................................................... 202
Finishes, Phosphorescence....................................................................................... 203
Finishes, UV Cure Resin........................................................................................... 198
Finishes, Water-Based Urethane............................................................................. 198
Finishing Coats............................................................................................................. 81
Fish-Head Diver *...................................................................................................... 103
Flash or No Flash?..................................................................................................... 132
Flashabou Magnum by Hedron, Inc. *................................................................... 96
Flat Fred *.................................................................................................................... 108
Flat-Faced Popper *................................................................................................... 101
Flex Coat Lure Gel Coat epoxy *.................................................................... 82, 200
Floating Night Bug....................................................................................................... 15
Fly Rod Pop-it.............................................................................................................. 22
FlyLipps Diving Lips *............................................................................................. 158
Flymen Fishing Company.......................................................................................... 40
Foam Cutting Cylinders, making *......................................................................... 213
Foam Cylinder Bodies, Shaping.............................................................................. 216
Foam Skater *............................................................................................................. 244
Foam, as Leg Material *............................................................................................ 147
303
Foam, Tail Anti-Foul *.............................................................................................. 134
Forked Sweeper Hook Guard *................................................................................ 141
Forked Sweeper Hook Guard, removable *........................................................... 144
Fresh Water Hooks...................................................................................................... 43
Frog Leg Diver *......................................................................................................... 118
Frog Leg Popper *...................................................................................................... 118
Frog-Leg Slider *........................................................................................................ 118
Fur Strips, as Leg Material *..................................................................................... 146
Furling a Tail *........................................................................................................... 236
Fuzzy Bodies *............................................................................................................ 128
G
Gartside Gurgler *...................................................................................................... 102
Gartside, Jack.............................................................................................................. 102
Gary Krebs Popper Jig Set *..................................................................................... 254
Gesso.............................................................................................................................. 80
Gluing Foams............................................................................................................... 73
Gluing Foil.................................................................................................................. 123
Gluing Materials Together......................................................................................... 72
Gluing Wood and Plastic............................................................................................ 72
Goat Fur *...................................................................................................................... 90
Goodale, Jason............................................................................................................ 207
Gordon, Theodore................................................................................................. 13, 14
Gorilla Glue *.............................................................................................................. 76
Grey, Zane..................................................................................................................... 19
Guinea Fowl *............................................................................................................... 93
Gurgler-Style.............................................................................................................. 102
H
Hackle............................................................................................................................ 91
Halford, Frederic.......................................................................................................... 13
Harvey Wallbanger *................................................................................................. 278
Heddon Bass Bugs *..................................................................................................... 18
Heddon Feather Minnow *........................................................................................ 19
Heddon, James............................................................................................................. 13
Helm, Christopher....................................................................................................... 48
Henshall, Dr. James A................................................................................................. 14
High & Dry Hackle by Whiting Farms *.................................................................. 92
High Density Foam, Using....................................................................................... 263
High Density Polyethylene Foam *........................................................................... 37
Holschlags Blockhead Popper Heads by Rainys *................................................. 41
Hook Guard Styles..................................................................................................... 136
Hook Slot, Cutting in Wood and Cork *................................................................ 220
Hooks, Kink-Shanked................................................................................................. 47
Hooks, Wide-Gape...................................................................................................... 47
Hopper Poppers......................................................................................................... 108
How Tails Affect Lure Performance *.................................................................... 130
Humboldt, Alexander von........................................................................................ 203
I
Importance of Eyes on Lures................................................................................... 111
Imprinting Versus Imaging...................................................................................... 123
Inconsiderate Frog *.................................................................................................. 239
Integrating the Tail and the Lure Body Together................................................. 133
Iwata HP-C Plus *...................................................................................................... 178
J
Jacobs, Tim................................................................................................................... 25
Jamison Wiggler *........................................................................................................ 20
Jamison, William J. (and William J. Jamison Company)...................................... 14
Jarhead Frog *.................................................................................................... 252, 269
Jiffy Popper *.............................................................................................................. 253
John J. Hildebrandt Company................................................................................... 15
Jointed Top Water Lures.......................................................................................... 107
K
Kirks Mylar Popper *................................................................................................. 99
Kirks Perch Float Popper *........................................................................................ 99
Kirk's Golden Rabid Dog *......................................................................................... 99
Knurling Aluminum Foil *....................................................................................... 124
 Photograph/Illustration *
Krystal Flash *............................................................................................................. 96
L National Fishing Lure Collectors Club Magazine................................................... 14
Larson, Dr. Todd.......................................................................................................... 13
Lateral Scale by Hedron, Inc.*.................................................................................. 96
Lead Wire *................................................................................................................. 162
Leather Strips, as leg material *................................................................................ 146
Leg Holes, Sealing...................................................................................................... 150
Leg Positions............................................................................................................... 151
Leg Styles..................................................................................................................... 148
Legs in Cork & Wood Lure Bodies......................................................................... 151
Legs in Foam Lure Bodies......................................................................................... 151
Legs in Polystyrene Lure Bodies.............................................................................. 150
Legs Tied in at the Collar.......................................................................................... 148
Legs, Inserting with a Needle *................................................................................ 153
Legs, Inserting with Drilled Holes *........................................................................ 154
Legs, Jointed *............................................................................................................. 149
Legs, Knotted *........................................................................................................... 148
Legs, Pre-Made and Leg Tools *.............................................................................. 152
Legs, Thread-Wrapped *.......................................................................................... 149
Letraset ProMarkers *............................................................................................... 54
Lighting......................................................................................................................... 28
Lime Wood................................................................................................................... 37
Linden Wood................................................................................................................ 37
Liquid Fusion *........................................................................................................... 74
Liquid Nails *.............................................................................................................. 74
Loon Outdoors Hard Head *................................................................................... 79
Loon Outdoors Powders *........................................................................................ 79
Looped Rake Hook Guard *..................................................................................... 140
Looped Sweeper Hook Guard *............................................................................... 142
Lure Body Materials.................................................................................................... 35
M Peacock Flashabou by Hedron, Inc. *..................................................................... 96
Mallard Flank *............................................................................................................. 93
Marabou, Barred *....................................................................................................... 93
Marabou, Multi Color *.............................................................................................. 94
Marker Colors, Testing *............................................................................................ 58
Marker Inks: Dyes vs. Pigments................................................................................ 56
Marker reference chart, create your own *.............................................................. 57
Markers, Acrylic *........................................................................................................ 55
Markers, Fabric Paint.................................................................................................. 54
Markers, Metallic *...................................................................................................... 56
Markers, Neon (Fluorescent) *.................................................................................. 56
Markers, Oil Based *.................................................................................................... 55
Markers, Permanent Ink............................................................................................. 53
Marking Pen, what is the best?.................................................................................. 59
Mascot Bass Plug.......................................................................................................... 20
Master Jack Popper *................................................................................................. 104
McClane's Standard Fishing Encyclopedia and International Angling Guide,
1965................................................................................................................................ 15
McMillan, Mark......................................................................................................... 232
McNally Popper *...................................................................................................... 102
McNally, Bob.............................................................................................................. 102
McNally, Thomas...................................................................................................... 102
McNally-style Poppers.............................................................................................. 102
Metallic Fabric *......................................................................................................... 127
MicroLon by Hedron, Inc.*........................................................................................ 96
Minwax Wood Hardener *....................................................................................... 78
Mississippi River Bass Bug......................................................................................... 15
Modern Bait and Fly Casting (1928)......................................................................... 15
Mono loop guards *................................................................................................... 133
Monofilament hook guard....................................................................................... 135
Monofilament Tail, Anti-Foul *.............................................................................. 134
Morrish Mouse........................................................................................................... 108
Motorized Drying Wheel *......................................................................................... 31
Mouse Poppers........................................................................................................... 108
Mouse, Diving *......................................................................................................... 108
Mylar Tubing *........................................................................................................... 122
N Rainys Pre-shaped Bass Pops *................................................................................. 41
Nail Polish..................................................................................................................... 66
www.pixachrome.com
INDEX
Nail Polish, UV Gel..................................................................................................... 67
National Sportsman magazine................................................................................... 14
Native Americans........................................................................................................ 13
Natural Furs.................................................................................................................. 89
New Wilder-Dilg Lure Feathered Minnow, The..................................................... 19
Nixon, Tom................................................................................................................ 102
Noise-Making Lures, when to use........................................................................... 159
O
Observations on Weathering of Various Finishes.................................................. 86
One-Eyed Willy Popper *......................................................................................... 118
Organization, Thoughts on........................................................................................ 33
Original Rabid Dog *................................................................................................... 99
Ostrich plumes *.......................................................................................................... 93
Outdoor Life................................................................................................................. 15
Outers' Recreation....................................................................................................... 17
P
Paasche Talon TG#2L *............................................................................................ 178
Paint Box *.................................................................................................................... 30
Paint, Enamel *............................................................................................................. 64
Paint, Metallic............................................................................................................... 64
Painting Techniques.................................................................................................. 169
Painting Techniques With Permanent Markers................................................... 171
Painting, Brushing..................................................................................................... 169
Painting, Splattering with a Brush *........................................................................ 170
Painting, Spraying *................................................................................................... 169
Painting, Stippling by Hand *.................................................................................. 171
Painting, Stippling with a Brush *........................................................................... 170
Palmer Grasshopper *................................................................................................. 23
Palmer, Marion M....................................................................................................... 23
Pearl Sparkle Flash by Tiewell *................................................................................. 96
Peckinpaugh, Ernest.................................................................................................... 15
Pencil Popper *........................................................................................................... 104
Permchrome Ink.......................................................................................................... 56
Pike Skinz Fibres *............................................................................................... 96, 275
Pinchot, Gilford........................................................................................................... 19
Pirate Diver *.............................................................................................................. 259
Plastazote *.................................................................................................................. 38
Plasti Dip............................................................................................................. 86, 201
Plugs & Bangers......................................................................................................... 104
Polar Bear *................................................................................................................... 90
Pole Dancer *.............................................................................................................. 104
Polyurethane Foam...................................................................................................... 38
Pop-It fly rod lure *............................................................................................... 21, 24
Popovic, Bob...................................................................................................... 104, 278
Popping Head, Rigging *.......................................................................................... 106
Popping Heads........................................................................................................... 105
Preparing Lure Bodies................................................................................................. 77
Pre-Shaped Styrofoam, Preparing *...................................................................... 209
Pre-Shaped Styrofoam, Using................................................................................ 223
Primer Coatings and Sealants.................................................................................... 78
Pseudo Hair by Hareline Dubbin *........................................................................... 96
Purple Cow Bug......................................................................................................... 297
Putting the Pop in Popper Heads *....................................................................... 217
R
Rabbit Strips *............................................................................................................... 90
Rainys Art Deco Cylinder Poppers with Hole *..................................................... 41
Rainys Cylinder Poppers *......................................................................................... 41
Rainys Dinks *............................................................................................................. 42
Rainys Diver Heads *.................................................................................................. 41
Rainys Full Cones *..................................................................................................... 42
Rainys Half Cones *.................................................................................................... 42
Rainys Mouse............................................................................................................ 108
Rainys Pee-Wee Pops *.............................................................................................. 41
Rainys Pencil Poppers *............................................................................................. 42
Rainys Sliders *............................................................................................................ 42
304
DESIGNING POPPERS, SLIDERS & DIVERS
Rattles, Glass and Plastic *.................................................................................. 98, 160
Red Fox Tail *............................................................................................................... 90
Retrieve Path of a Typical Un-Weighted Diving Lure Head *............................ 156
RetroPop *................................................................................................................... 294
Ripley, Ozark................................................................................................................ 14
Rollie Pollie................................................................................................................. 297
Rotary Tool................................................................................................................... 35
Round Dinny *........................................................................................................... 107
Rounded & Conical, Diving Heads *...................................................................... 157
Rubber & Silicone, as leg material........................................................................... 148
Rubber and Silicone Legs............................................................................................ 97
S Tying Thread................................................................................................................ 48
Salt Water Hooks......................................................................................................... 43
Sandwiched Craft Sheet Foam, Using..................................................................... 253
Sandwiched Sheet Foam, Making blocks *............................................................ 212
Scale Stamps *............................................................................................................. 125
Scaling Powders & Eye Shadow *............................................................................ 121
Schmidt, Brian............................................................................................................ 107
Schmucker, Tom.......................................................................................................... 48
Sealing Wood Bodies................................................................................................. 219
Shaping Feathers and Synthetics with Adhesive..................................................... 73
Sharpies *..................................................................................................................... 53
Silhouette Hopper *................................................................................................... 247
Silhouette Portrait personal die cutting machine *...................................... 193, 248
Single and Double Rake hook guards *.................................................................. 138
Single Loop hook guard *......................................................................................... 136
Single Sweeper Hook Guard, removable *............................................................. 143
Skaters.......................................................................................................................... 103
Skating Diver *........................................................................................................... 103
Sleazy Steves Brass Cutters *................................................................................... 214
Slider, Articulating *.................................................................................................. 107
Sliders.......................................................................................................................... 103
Sneaky Pete *.............................................................................................................. 103
Softex......................................................................................................................... 201
Softex *......................................................................................................................... 85
South Bend Bait Company......................................................................................... 17
South Bend Feather Minnow *.................................................................................. 19
Sparkle Skin Saltwater Popper *.............................................................................. 228
SpazStix, Air Brush Paint *..................................................................................... 180
Spey Plumes *............................................................................................................... 93
Spinners *.................................................................................................................... 159
Splattering, Air Brushing *....................................................................................... 177
Spook-R *.................................................................................................................... 107
Spray Paint, Enamel *.................................................................................................. 63
Spray Urethanes *........................................................................................................ 80
Squirrel Tail *............................................................................................................... 90
Stainless Steel Wire, hook guard............................................................................. 135
Stank Leg Slider *....................................................................................................... 118
Stencils and Masks..................................................................................................... 183
Stencils and Patterns *................................................................................................. 29
Superglue *.................................................................................................................. 71
Surface Seducer double barrel popper body *........................................................ 40
SuspendDots *.......................................................................................................... 162
SuspenStrips *........................................................................................................... 162
Swallow Tails (McNally-style) *.............................................................................. 102
Synthetic Material........................................................................................................ 94
Synthetics, as leg material......................................................................................... 146
T Zaggin Zook............................................................................................................... 103
Tail Anti-Fouling Techniques.................................................................................. 133
Tail Length.................................................................................................................. 129
Tailing Materials, customizing................................................................................ 132
Tails & Collars............................................................................................................ 129
Teasers......................................................................................................................... 105
Texturing & Scaling................................................................................................... 121
Texturing Rollers *.................................................................................................... 126
Texturing with Common Materials *..................................................................... 127
Texturing with Knurling........................................................................................... 123
Texturing with Rollers.............................................................................................. 124
Texturing with Scale Stamps.................................................................................... 124
305
Texturing with Wrinkles.......................................................................................... 123
The Feather Minnow.................................................................................................. 17
The Spindler *.................................................................................... 217, 260, 284, 295
The Treatyse on Fysshynge with an Angle (1496).................................................. 13
Theatrical Eye-Shadow *........................................................................................... 122
Tools for Gluing and Drying...................................................................................... 31
Trout-Oreno *.............................................................................................................. 21
Tube Plugs *................................................................................................................ 105
Twistons line weight *............................................................................................... 162
Two-Part Epoxy............................................................................................... 71, 78, 81
Two-Part Epoxy *........................................................................................................ 72
U
Ultraviolet (UV) Cure Glues...................................................................................... 82
UV Cure Resin *........................................................................................................... 83
UV Cure Tackiness...................................................................................................... 84
UV Cure Tail Stiffener *........................................................................................ 134
UV Llights *.................................................................................................................. 84
V
Ventilation.................................................................................................................... 28
Vinyl Lure Finish......................................................................................................... 86
Vinyl Stencils, Hand-Cut *....................................................................................... 192
W
Walkers........................................................................................................................ 103
Walkin Ball *.............................................................................................................. 297
Wapsi Foam Cylinder *............................................................................................. 42
Wapsi Perfect Popper *.............................................................. 39, 42, 223, 228, 232
Water Woggle *.......................................................................................................... 232
Water-Based Latex....................................................................................................... 78
Water-Based Urethanes.............................................................................................. 79
Weathering Effects on Cork, Balsa & Basswood with Various Coatings............ 87
Weathering Effects on High-Density Foam with Various Coatings.................... 87
Weber Lifelike Fly Company..................................................................................... 23
Weedless Coaxer bass plug......................................................................................... 14
Weight, Adding.......................................................................................................... 161
Weight, Displacement Method................................................................................ 164
Weight, Front Weighting *....................................................................................... 165
Weight, Front-Weighted Lure Bodies.................................................................... 163
Weight, Neutral Buoyancy Lure Bodies................................................................. 164
Weight, Rear Weighting *........................................................................................ 165
Weight, Rear-Weighted Lure Bodies...................................................................... 163
Weight, Shank Weighting *...................................................................................... 166
Weight, Using Beads *.............................................................................................. 166
Wiggle Wog, Todd's *............................................................................................... 105
Wigglers and Wobblers (a.k.a. Divers)..................................................................... 20
Wigglers and Wobblers *............................................................................................ 22
Wilder Feather Minnow *........................................................................................... 18
Wilder, Benjamin F..................................................................................................... 15
Wilder-Dilg lure *........................................................................................................ 20
William Mills & Son.................................................................................................... 15
Winchell, Ben............................................................................................................... 19
Wood Hardener........................................................................................................... 78
Work Area Prep........................................................................................................... 28
Wrinkling Aluminum Foil *.................................................................................... 125
Z
Zara Spook............................................................................................................... 103
Zudbubbler Poppers *........................................................................................... 40, 70
Zuddys Leg Puller *.................................................................................................. 152
Zudweg, Matthew................................................................................................ 70, 101
 STEP-BY-STEP PATTERNS INCLUDED IN THE BOOK

www.pixachrome.com 306