First split foam frog popper

[david marrocco]

First split foam popper. I followed nick's SBS on the site. please give me some critique to go off of!

[DaveSiejka]

Good job on the tie .... it looks secure and well tied ...... but you need a hook with a bigger gap. If you get a take on that thing, there is not enough space to actually hook the fish.

[david marrocco]

Do have any recomendations on hooks or hook gap sizes. Just wondering how big of a gap I should leave. Thanks dave!

[johnjarosz(jj)]

hey sling....check out the bass fly pics from the bass fly swap. The body diameter on the popper I tied is 1/2" and I used a Daiichi 2722 size 1/0 hook. I'm pretty sure Brookies' warm water Whammy also has a 1/0 size hook.
The 1/0 size in the package looks big but by the time you put on foam and/or a weed guard, the gap is pretty well used up.
The shop has the Dai-2722 hooks & if you think the 1/0 size is too big, there are slightly smaller sizes.
What's nice about that particular hook design is that it has an extra large gap that will give you plenty of clearance.

[johnjarosz(jj)]

Daiichi 2722 size 1/0. There's plenty of room in that gap.

[DaveSiejka]

Yes ..... that is a good hook.

Could get away with some of the streamer/salt water hooks as well. The foam should keep it floating. Just dont go too far in the other direction and get a hugemungous hook that is going to sink the fly.

[Nick Pionessa]

it does look good Dave, other than the hook as mentioned.

i use the daiichi 1530 for the smaller ones since the stinger hook JJ mentioned doesn't come very small. any short shank down eye is good in a 4 or 6 for bass and down to a 10 for panfish. a short shank hook would have a bigger gap per shank length ratio than a standard or long shank hook would.