Topwater with a trailer line?

Bassinkorea · February 03, 2010, 05:47:26 PM

Anyone used a topwater lure like a popper, removed the rear treble, added length of line to the back of this lure with another smaller lure/bait/fly on the end of the line??

When it's fished, the popper will be on the surface and the other bait will be below the surface and following the popper. The popper will be the attractor and the other bait will be what the bass takes.

This is something I am thinking about trying during my fun fishing days. Anyone else tried this rig?

Fishing Iowa · February 03, 2010, 07:07:14 PM

I have a Top water lure from strike king i have done something similar with. I took off the back trebble and attached a double hook and added a pair of big foot frog legs from a scum frog. (these can be bought in packages of 3 for 2 dollars) The wake that is created by the frog legs trailing the top water is amazing. I really enjoy rigging up the top water like this from time to time. Something you may be able to try.

-Fishing Iowa

bassindude · February 03, 2010, 07:19:28 PM

Ive done that with a PopR, and a small fly as the trailer, but the fly was for bluegill. It worked pretty good, and I would occaisionally catch a bass on the PopR.

Bassinkorea · February 03, 2010, 07:45:21 PM

Both great ideas guys, thanks

I just rigged up a 4" popper type bait, removed the rear hook and added a trailer line of 8lb fluoro about 24" long and added a 2/0 EWG hook and a small fluke. When fished, I'm guessing the fluke will suspend perfectly 2 feet below the surface.

ring fry · February 04, 2010, 07:25:15 AM

Someone use to make a quarter sized triangle shaped lure called a frontrunner. It had a line tie in the front, one in the back and a treble hook on the bottom. I'd put a pop-r or a spook 10 - 15 inches behind and it had great action. Caught a 3# small mouth and a 4# largemouth on the same cast with it once.

bigjim5589 · February 04, 2010, 07:46:56 AM

BK, I've done it with flies & big poppers, and with pop-r's & flies, or a small spoon, or a small jig. I've attached the dropper to the rear hook or to the bottom hook eye, leaving the tail hook, and removing the belly treble and with fly rod poppers, where the dropper is tied to the hook, or the dropper is part of the leader, tied in ahead of the popper.

Works well sometimes, but tends to tangle when casting. I've fished dropper flies as well, two subsurface flies, usually a streamer & a wet fly or nymph on the dropper, but again, they tangle. I haven't done this in many years.

Now trolling for Striped bass is a different story! A big floating/diving lure on a long leader, attached to a 3 way swivel & a dropper with a big bucktail jig attached is a commonly used rig in the Chesapeake Bay.

-Steve- · February 04, 2010, 08:19:34 AM

Sounds like some pretty good ideas

guys. Do any of you have some picks so I can visualize what your talking about??? Steve

firerat41 · February 04, 2010, 08:53:22 AM

BK, I take the rear treble off a small pop-r, add a 18" section of 15# Flouro tied to a 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook. I put a Zoom Super Fluke on the hook. By using the small pop-r and the large fluke, it seems as if the fluke is stalking the pop-r. Get ready for some vicious strikes! Sometimes you'll double up with one on the pop-r and one on the fluke. This is an awesome rig!!!

TrailerHook · February 04, 2010, 01:25:47 PM

Quote from: Bassinkorea on February 03, 2010, 05:47:26 PM
Anyone used a topwater lure like a popper, removed the rear treble, added length of line to the back of this lure with another smaller lure/bait/fly on the end of the line??

When it's fished, the popper will be on the surface and the other bait will be below the surface and following the popper. The popper will be the attractor and the other bait will be what the bass takes.

This is something I am thinking about trying during my fun fishing days. Anyone else tried this rig?

Bassinkorea, I have heard of people doing this by adding short length of line (several inches or so) to the rear split ring and then tying a feathered treble to the trailing end of the line. I have never tried it myself, but now that you've reminded me of this I may give it a go this spring.

Bassinkorea · February 04, 2010, 07:36:13 PM

Bigjim, I forgot about how well this dropper style fishing works in flyfishing

(it's been a while)
I used to flyfish for trout using 3 flies on my leader, usually a muddler type fly on the top dropper, a small weighted fly on the end of the tippet and a buzzer in the middle. Same principle with lure fishing

All great ideas so far guys, keep 'em coming.

Quote from: -Steve- on February 04, 2010, 08:19:34 AM
Sounds like some pretty good ideas guys. Do any of you have some picks so I can visualize what your talking about??? Steve

Steve, here's something I just put together and will try once it's warm enough....

aydensdad · February 05, 2010, 09:36:32 AM

I didn't see this mentioned but I have a Popr that I took the back treble off made a 12"flouro leader and connected an additional Popr (2 total; 1 in the front 1 in the back). I got the idea from watching shad bust on topwater...I can't tell you if it works because I haven't fished with it yet but in my daydreams I catch 10+ pounders all the time. I will let everybody know how it works when topwater bite turns on in NC. The rig looks killer though. Currently the two poprs match in weight and color but I like the idea of having a smaller pop in the front and a larger in the back.

aydensdad · February 05, 2010, 09:37:57 AM

Quote from: Bassinkorea on February 04, 2010, 07:36:13 PM
Bigjim, I forgot about how well this dropper style fishing works in flyfishing (it's been a while)
I used to flyfish for trout using 3 flies on my leader, usually a muddler type fly on the top dropper, a small weighted fly on the end of the tippet and a buzzer in the middle. Same principle with lure fishing

All great ideas so far guys, keep 'em coming.

Steve, here's something I just put together and will try once it's warm enough....

What brand Popr is that? It has incredible detail

Bassinkorea · February 05, 2010, 07:56:03 PM

Interesting idea with the 2 poppers aydensdad

It sounds kind of similar to a double fluke rig (donkey rig), and that really works when bass are busting baitfish on or near the surface, so I bet your idea will work great.

The Popper brand is a local Korean brand, and it's been one of my best topwater baits ever

-Joe- · February 05, 2010, 08:20:42 PM

I do this same thing (donkey Rig) with my frogs. It works like a charm, alot of times they'll blow up on the front one then come back and nail the rear one.

Joe

aydensdad · February 06, 2010, 08:53:39 AM

Quote from: Bassinkorea on February 05, 2010, 07:56:03 PM
Interesting idea with the 2 poppers aydensdad It sounds kind of similar to a double fluke rig (donkey rig), and that really works when bass are busting baitfish on or near the surface, so I bet your idea will work great.

The Popper brand is a local Korean brand, and it's been one of my best topwater baits ever

I was thinking more about it and you would have to rig a heavier popr as the "back" lure to keep the baits from tangling on the cast...I think this rig could have some potential