Fly Tying: Double Barrel Popper

Super aggressive, tremendous fighting force, and acrobatic, Silver Salmon (Coho Salmon) is a favorite among fly anglers. With an average range in weight between 8 to 12 pounds and lengths that can exceed 30 inches, many anglers consider the Silver Salmon the pound-for-pound best fighting game fish. On the swing, stripping streamers, or popping a pink fly topwater, are effective methods to target Silver Salmon, but the most fun is by creating a wake by popping a pink fly on top water.

The best water to target them with topwater tactics is when they are pooled up in a hold mode in soft eddy type water, but they can be targeted in moving water as well. There are a variety of topwater flies for Sliver Salmon out there. Major attributes being a good hook and something that can create a massive wake.

Originally derived for bass, the Flymen Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper head was discovered by Mike Brown of Mossy’s Fly Shop while at an industry conference. Understanding what the poppers were for, Mike got the idea to incorporate it into a topwater Silver Salmon fly here in Alaska because of the wake it creates when it is stripped across topwater. Hence the Double Barrel Popper for Silver Salmon.

So tie a few or ten and let us know how it goes!

Orginator: Mike Brown

Instruction and Photos By Mike Brown of Mossy’s Fly Shop

Material List:

Popper Head: Flymen Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper Sz Large
Eyes: Flymen Surface Seduce Dragon Eyes Oceanic Sz 6mm
Hook: Daiichi 2141 Sz 1
Tail: Fl Fushia or Hot Pink Marabou
Body: UV Polar Chenille in Fl. Fushia
Thread: Veevus 140 Fl. Pink

Step 1. Using a pink acrylic paint, paint the popper head. Once the paint has dried cover it with a clear acrylic or clear nail polish for durability.

Step 2. Using a lighter, heat up the tip of your bodkin and push a hole through the popper head. There is starting hole on the back side of the body.

Step 3. Slide the head back from the eye and put a small thread base down, then apply a small amount of zap gel to the shank and slide head back to the hook eye, this will help keep the head in place and from spinning.

Step 4. Tie in your marabou for the tail, I like my tail to be about the length of the hook shank or slightly shorter.

Step 5. Tie in your UV Polar Chenille and wrap forward to the back of the head, I typically put a few extra wraps at the end to build it up a little. Whip finish.

Step 6. Turn the fly on it’s side. Using zap gel, put a small dot in the eye socket and set your eye. Using a little UV resin, cover the eye and cure with UV light. This will help keep the eye’s in place better. Rotate fly over and repeat on other side.