Double Barrell Diplo Bass Popper

When we are not out fly fishing for trout we sometimes switch it up and chase shad, steelhead, striper, and of course bass. Tying bass poppers is another one of those things that provides therapy and keeps you busy in between trips to the Truckee, East Walker, Carson, and other waters.

I have been tying poppers for a long time, starting with crude cork poppers with some hackle and marabou. They worked, but were not the prettiest flies I have ever tossed. That all changed when my wife purchased a Copic Air Brush compressor, and stocked up on over 100 Copic pens. I quickly claimed the compressor and some key pen colors and started doing Copic air brushed popper bodies. Super easy, clean, and AMAZING results!

I have am fortunate to have a bass pond in my backyard. That means that I can tie up a popper and immediately test it for functionality, casting, and fish-ability. I have created some crazy color combinations over the years, and at this point if I never tied another popper I would likely have enough for the next 10 years. These are durable and last a long time. I also tie them with a weed guard so I can hit some of the bassier looking spots that are in weed blooms or cattails. Super easy to add when tying, and works surprisingly well.

There are countless styles and sizes of popper bodies available to fly tiers. In addition to tying up the bass size poppers I also tie smaller versions to target the blue gill in our pond. Pound for pound I think blue gill put up a better fight than bass when you are throwing small poppers on a light fly rod.

Create the Popper Body

1. Add some thread to the front of the hook so you have a glue base when you attach popper body

2. Heat up bodkin with a lighter and press through center of popper body. Leave it in place for a few seconds so it creates the space you need

3. Add glue to thread added to hook, press on popper body

4. PAINT. Either using COPIC marker directly or with COPIC air brush system.

5. Add Loon Soft Head. It will appear milky white, this dries clear. If you have a rotary drier add poppers and leave for a couple hours

Tie the Popper

1. Start thread and wrap back half of hook with base

2. Tie in crystal flash, rubber legs, or other material as desired (optional)

3. Tie in marabou color of choice

4. Tie in hackle feather legs (optional)

5. Tie in hackle feathers directly in front of marabou. Wrap forward to popper body and tie down

6. Whip finish

7. Optional Body Legs: Heat bodkin with a lighter and press through body side to side. Remove bodkin and push bobbin threader through hold. Lace in legs so they fold opposite of the bobbin threader. Pull through. Trim to length.

Material List

COPIC Air Brush System List

• https://amzn.to/3ObQ2Ic - Air Compressor

• https://amzn.to/3zDHgyM - Air Brush System Starter Set

• https://amzn.to/3aSbdkg - COPIC markers, this set has all the colors you need, or buy what you want individually.

Popper Material