FTT Popper Mark II and further product development

[Little_Flatty]

This home made lure thing has really got me good. Though the Foam Tile Thing (FTT) poppers look very rustic and the handiwork is rough, there is a lot of thought put into getting the action and 'hang' behaviour.

Though my first incarnation caught fish, I really craved a bit more casting distance. So rather than one small ball sinker in the lure, I decided to put two. Then it was a matter of getting enough foam so that the lure floated.

Thus far, I'd been aiming for a 45 degree hang angle, because Les Baker (the inventor of the Thong Thing that he sold in the 90s). So I was experimenting with weight placement to achieve this:

But the problem I had was that the hookup rate didn't seem so good with the FTT Popper Mark I. One thought was that assist hooks were not on the original Thong Things. The difference in angle between the lure body and the assists troubled me.

That led me to question: how does a slippery dog sit in the water? Slippery Dogs seem to have a great hookup rate, so it made sense that I emulated that.

A Daiwa video gave me the answer - they hang almost vertical!

And so that was decided, the FTT Popper Mark II would sit vertically when at rest. Changes made, it was time to go fishing.

Got onto the water at Five Dock Bay at 5:45am this morning and started casting in the darkness. First few casts I heard a 'kiss' as a fish chased my lure. But then there wasn't any action after that. So I changed to an OSP Bent Minnow and caught a little chopper tailor really quickly.

As the sun came up, I saw more action from feeding bream. So I tied the FTT Popper Mark II back on and got casting. As I got to a really shallow end of the flats (given it was a low-ish falling tide), something hit the popper and I was faced with a bit of a tussle. Another little bream:

Still no legals yet, but to be honest I've only got one legal bream on topwater thus far.

So next improvements for the FTT Popper will be:

1. Longer body so that the assists don't foul the popper head on an enthusiastic cast - this is a problem because the foam is soft and will catch the assist hook.
2. A new method to more precisely calculate the amount of foam required to float my sinker/wire/hooks, which will involve a bit of testing in a plastic box and a bit of revision of high school geometry (1/2 x base x height, plus volume calculations)  If I get my calculations correct, this will give me more freedom to experiment with the shape of the lure whilst ensuring that the lure will float right once completed. This lure weighting business is somewhat reminiscent of correctly weighting a float when float fishing.

Anyhow, so far so fun. In fact even after my tackle purchase embargo is over, I might well continue this project, albeit with more fit-for-purpose materials and tools from hardware and fishing stores.

Thanks for reading.

[corro]

Awesome! Must be quite the feeling to trick a fish into catching a lure of your own making!

[bessell1955]

I remember Malcom Douglas catching fish with his home made lure, a hook and Aluminium foil. 

[Little_Flatty]

8 hours ago, corro said:

Awesome! Must be quite the feeling to trick a fish into catching a lure of your own making!

It's really fun, adds yet another dimension/challenge to your fishing. It also helps you think more deeply about the lures that work for you and why. I hadn't really paid much attention to how a Slippery Dog sat in the water until I started playing with these foam poppers.

Tying your own flies is normalised in fly fishing, it's a shame that making your own lures is not. I'm sure it was different in the days of yore...👇

8 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

I remember Malcom Douglas catching fish with his home made lure, a hook and Aluminium foil. 

...which proves my point above. That would've been a sight to behold Bessell!

[Green Hornet]

That’s brilliant Mike. Just proves that besides the buzz of catching fish on a lure you made yourself, you learn a lot about how and why certain lures work.  
 

[noelm]

Making your own lures is great fun, and very addictive, one issue we face here in suburbia is “fish rich” waters to fully test stuff.

[linewetter]

This is so cool to follow and seeing you actually catch good fish on it too - amazing. The fish must be interested in seeing something so foreign and different than all the other top water lures thrown at them 😝 

[BaitDropper]

Luv your work, interested in how or what you end up with... and the process you go thru.

I've often thought to delve into the lure making field, but just to many projects on the go,, never say never tho..

[Yowie]

Good work again on the thong lure.

[Little_Flatty]

3 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

That’s brilliant Mike. Just proves that besides the buzz of catching fish on a lure you made yourself, you learn a lot about how and why certain lures work.  
 

Cheers Pete, Though I started doing this to get me out of a tight spot, it’s taught me so much already. I’m looking at a fly pattern that behaves similarly to try to break my first bream on fly duck!

2 hours ago, noelm said:

Making your own lures is great fun, and very addictive, one issue we face here in suburbia is “fish rich” waters to fully test stuff.

It sure is fun Noel. As for ‘fish rich’ waters, we all wish for them! That said, it does make it more satisfying when you have caught an ‘educated’ fish on a lure you made yourself.

2 hours ago, linewetter said:

This is so cool to follow and seeing you actually catch good fish on it too - amazing. The fish must be interested in seeing something so foreign and different than all the other top water lures thrown at them 😝 

Thanks mate, it’s not a big bream by any measure, but still satisfying all the same.

You’d be surprised what fish will eat. If it’s the right size, moves like something it could eat, it will likely give it a taste.😎

12 minutes ago, BaitDropper said:

Luv your work, interested in how or what you end up with... and the process you go thru.

I've often thought to delve into the lure making field, but just to many projects on the go,, never say never tho..

Thanks Baitdropper. I encourage you to give it a go!

Keep it simple for starters. This project only required a Stanley knife, cutting board, some foam, some wire and hooks. I’ve learned to only make one lure at a time until I am sure the lure is doing what you want it to do in the field. This will help you to avoid duplicating mistakes and design flaws.

Will keep you updated as I come up with better ways to craft them.

3 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Good work again on the thong lure.

Thanks Dave.

[mrsswordfisherman]

You are an intelligent angler @Little_Flatty

A really interesting and scientific method you use to make your changes 👏

[Aussie_fisher]

I’d be happy to buy one of those if they go on sale😂

[Larkin]

Haha, Its only a matter of time before I start to seeing the “Little Flatty” range of lures and flies at my local!

[Little_Flatty]

10 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

You are an intelligent angler @Little_Flatty

A really interesting and scientific method you use to make your changes 👏

Thanks Donna, I'll see if my method works out.

9 hours ago, Aussie_fisher said:

I’d be happy to buy one of those if they go on sale😂

They're easy to make and don't have to be perfect. Most important aspects are that they are an appropriate size for your target species and they sit right int he water. Give it a go  I may share templates when I'm happy with the design, mine are not quite ready yet as they still have foibles only the lure maker will tolerate.

7 hours ago, Larkin said:

Haha, Its only a matter of time before I start to seeing the “Little Flatty” range of lures and flies at my local!

Hahaa, with my workmanship, I'd never sell any  The originals did sell commercially on a small scale though, I believe!

[Green Hornet]

11 hours ago, Larkin said:

Haha, Its only a matter of time before I start to seeing the “Little Flatty” range of lures and flies at my local!

Little Flatty’s Slippery Thong kind of has a ring to it…………then again, maybe it doesn’t.