Hard baits: Poppers

A floating body with a cupped or slanted face: a short pop of the rod makes it spit water and chug, then it sits still. The most controllable topwater, fished to a target and left there.

ItemDetail
Body5–9 cm (2–3.5"); a cupped face chugs and spits, a slanted face spits and walks
RetrievePop, pause 2–5 s, pop; a chug-and-walk on the slanted-face models
WhereDocks, laydowns, grass edges, shade lines, bed fish
SeasonPost-spawn shad spawn, summer mornings, fall
Rod / line6'10"–7' (2.08–2.13 m) M moderate; 15–20 lb mono or 30 lb braid with a mono leader
ModelsRebel Pop-R, Yellow Magic, Megabass Pop-X / PopMax, Strike King KVD Splash, Lucky Craft G-Splash, Heddon Chug'n Spook (chug and walk)

Longer pauses in clear calm water, faster pops in chop: the fish tells you the rhythm on the first blow-up.

Top 10 in four markets

United States

  1. Lobina Ricos — $24.99 - $25.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #1; topwater, 2-3/8 in (60 mm), 1/4 oz (7 g) (Rio Rico 2-7/8 in, 7/16 oz); the hand-painted Rico popper with a feathered rear treble; 3.9/5 avg (12 reviews)
  2. Yellow Magic Japanese Popper — $16.49 - $16.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #2; topwater, 2.25 / 3.5 in (57 / 89 mm), 1/4 / 1/2 oz (7 / 14 g); cupped-mouth Japanese popper in two sizes; 4.8/5 avg (4 reviews)
  3. Megabass Pop Max — $21.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #3; topwater, 3-1/4 in (83 mm), 1/2 oz (14 g); Megabass's big popper with a water-channel cup; 4.0/5 avg (10 reviews)
  4. Storm Rattlin Chug Bug — $10.00 - $10.49. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #4; topwater, 2-1/2 / 3-1/4 in (64 / 83 mm), 1/4 / 3/8 oz (7 / 10.6 g); tail-weighted chugger that casts far and rattles; 5.0/5 avg (2 reviews)
  5. SPRO Essential Series E Pop Topwater Popper — $11.99 - $12.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #5; topwater, 2-1/2 / 3 in (65 / 80 mm), 3/8 / 7/16 oz (10.6 / 12.4 g); E Pop 65 and 80 poppers; 5.0/5 avg (9 reviews)
  6. Berkley Bullet Pop Popper — $10.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #6; topwater, 2-3/4 / 3-1/4 in (70 / 80 mm), 2/5 / 1/2 oz (11 / 14 g); long-casting popper in 70 and 80; 4.6/5 avg (5 reviews)
  7. Strike King HC KVD Splash Popper — $10.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #7; topwater, 2.25 / 2.75 in (57 / 70 mm), 1/4 / 1/2 oz (7 / 14 g); KVD Splash and Splash Jr. poppers; 4.3/5 avg (3 reviews)
  8. Megabass Baby Pop X BFS Popper — $16.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #8; topwater, 2 in (51 mm), 3/16 oz (5.3 g); BFS-size Pop X with a sculpted cup and bubble trail; 4.7/5 avg (3 reviews)
  9. Rebel Pop-R Topwater Popper — $7.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #9; topwater, 2-3 in (51-76 mm), 1/8-1/2 oz (3.5-14 g); the classic Pop-R in three sizes; 4.3/5 avg (6 reviews)
  10. Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Series Popper — $7.99. Tackle Warehouse 'Topwater Poppers' (61 items) sorted by Popularity: #10; topwater, 2-5/8 in (67 mm), 1/4 oz (7 g); budget popper with internal 3D prism finish; 5.0/5 avg (3 reviews)

Canada

  1. Berkley Bullet Pop — C$14.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #2 of 136; fishingworld.ca 'TOPWATER BAIT' collection, best-selling sort #21 of 36; runs topwater; 70 mm / 1/2 oz; popper
  2. Rebel Pop-R — C$10.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #3 of 136; runs topwater; 2-1/2" / 1/4 oz; the classic popper
  3. Storm Rattlin' Chug Bug — C$10.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #12 of 136; fishingworld.ca 'TOPWATER BAIT' collection, best-selling sort #12 of 36; runs topwater; 3-1/2" / 3/8 oz; chugger
  4. SPRO Bronzeye Pop 60 — C$17.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #13 of 136; fishingworld.ca 'TOPWATER BAIT' collection, best-selling sort #6 of 36; runs topwater; 60 mm / 1/2 oz; frog-shaped hollow-body popper
  5. Megabass PopMax — C$31.49. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #19 of 136; fishingworld.ca 'BASS FAVOURITES 2026' collection, best-selling sort #219 of 219; runs topwater; 78 mm / 1/2 oz; popper
  6. Rebel Magnum Pop-R — C$10.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #21 of 136; fishingworld.ca 'TOPWATER BAIT' collection, best-selling sort #17 of 36; runs topwater; 3" / 1/2 oz; popper
  7. Yo-Zuri Hardcore Popper 70F — C$11.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #17 of 136; runs topwater; 70 mm / 1/4 oz; popper
  8. Strike King KVD Splash Jr — C$14.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #20 of 136; runs topwater; 2-1/2"; popper
  9. Strike King KVD Splash — C$14.99. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #30 of 136; runs topwater; 3"; popper
  10. Megabass Pop-X — C$28.49. anglingsports.ca 'Top Water' collection, best-selling sort #49 of 136; fishingworld.ca 'TOPWATER BAIT' collection, best-selling sort #31 of 36; runs topwater; 64 mm / 1/4 oz; popper

Japan

  1. Megabass PopMax — ¥2,145 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #1; 78 mm / 1/2 oz; popper
  2. Evergreen One's Bug — ¥1,861 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #2; 68 mm / 9.8 g; popper
  3. DUO Realis Popper 64 — ¥1,467 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #3; 64 mm / 9 g; popper
  4. Rapala Rattlin' Chug Bug — ¥1,540 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #4; 110 mm / 26 g; chugger
  5. Bomba da Agua Pani-Pop — ¥1,881 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #5; 48 mm / 13 g; egg-shaped pop pencil
  6. Heddon Lucky 13 — ¥1,815 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #6; 3.75 in / 5/8 oz; classic chugger
  7. O.S.P Louder 60 — ¥1,380 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #7; 60 mm / 8.4 g; popper
  8. Megabass Pop-X — ¥1,732 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #8; 64 mm / 1/4 oz; popper; cross-check: also in amazon.co.jp default search top 10 for the type keyword (POPX)
  9. Shimano Raigen 66F Flash Boost Walking Spec — ¥1,672 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #9; 66 mm / 5 g; pencil popper
  10. Daiwa Steez Popper 60F RW — ¥1,496 (naturum list price). naturum 'ポッパー' (Poppers) category, best-selling sort #10; 60 mm / 7.8 g; popper; cross-check: also in amazon.co.jp default search top 10 for the type keyword (スティーズポッパー 60F RW)

China

  1. 亿智谷 (shop) 波爬 水面系 喷水撞水 波扒 — ¥8.8 / item. Taobao list page 'popper' sorted by sales (fetched 2026-09-28): position 1 of 20; shop 亿智谷旗舰店. Cupped-mouth popper with feather treble; listing photo used as is.
  2. 渔弋钓具工厂店 (shop) 炸水波爬 会喷水 — ¥10 / item. Taobao list page 'popper' sorted by sales (fetched 2026-09-28): position 4 of 20; shop 渔弋钓具工厂店. Popper; cropped from the listing splash photo, captions removed.
  3. Megabass POP-X / POP MAX 撞水波爬 — ¥125 / item. Taobao list page 'crawler lure' sorted by sales (fetched 2026-09-28): position 2 of 20; shop 西子进出口有限公司. Megabass POP-X popper (POP MAX option); cropped, logo removed.
  4. EWE 美夏 鬼波 超远投波爬 7 / 9.5 / 13.5 / 18 g — ¥49 / item. Taobao list page 'crawler lure' sorted by sales (fetched 2026-09-28): position 11 of 20; shop 千岛路亚. Long-cast popper; cropped to the two lures at the bottom of the listing image.
  5. GUIDE POST 路标 夜叉 POPPER 55F / 85F — ¥27 / item. Taobao list page 'crawler lure' sorted by sales (fetched 2026-09-28): position 5 of 20; shop 天天去路亚. Popper with feather trebles; cropped to the two lures.
  6. 蓝旗鱼 Bluefish 弹道 波斩 超远投波爬 — ¥28 / item. Taobao list page 'crawler lure' sorted by sales (fetched 2026-09-28): position 8 of 20; shop 千岛路亚. Long-cast popper; cropped to the two lures.

← Topwater hard baits · Prop baits →

Hard baits

Sub-surface hard baits by what makes them move: crankbaits with a lip (squarebill, medium, deep, flat-sided), lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits (suspending, floating, deep), hard swimbaits (glide baits with one joint, multi-jointed swimbaits), spybaits, and the topwater hard baits: poppers, walking baits, prop baits, wake baits.

  1. Crankbaits
  2. Deep-diving crankbaits
  3. Medium-diving crankbaits
  4. Squarebill crankbaits
  5. Flat-sided crankbaits
  6. Topwater hard baits
  7. Poppers
  8. Prop baits
  9. Walking baits (walk-the-dog)
  10. Wake baits
  11. Jerkbaits
  12. Suspending jerkbaits
  13. Water temperature and buoyancy tuning
  14. Nose split ring and loop knot
  15. Jump the slack and rod work
  16. Jerkbait colour and rattle selection
  17. Jerkbait rod, reel and line formula
  18. Jerkbait treble hook sizes and feathered tails
  19. Floating jerkbaits
  20. Slow-sinking jerkbaits
  21. Sinking jerkbaits
  22. Deep-diving jerkbaits
  23. Hard swimbaits
  24. Glide baits (single joint)
  25. Multi-jointed swimbaits
  26. Lipless crankbaits (VIB)
  27. Spybaits
  28. Choosing a hard bait: mechanism, depth, season

Hard baits