# Flip Flop Popping Bug



## Smokey

Here’s a simple and cheap way to make popping bugs.
Materials
Old pair of flip flops of your favorite color.
A spent pistol shell (size depends on how big a bug you want to make).
1” long (#10ish) machine screw and nut. (Screw can be longer).
Cordless drill.
Razor blade.
Something to make rubber legs for the popper (I use bow string silencing Cat Whiskers).
Kink shank hook (size depends on what you’re after). For bream I use #14.
How Too
Knock the primer out of the shell or drill a hole in it, thread a long screw through the shell so that the head of the screw is inside the shell, bolt the screw in place.
You now have a hole-auger for your cordless drill.
Commence to drilling holes in your flip flop.
Cut the pieces that you have drilled out to length (again depends on size and what you’re after).  You now have your popping bug body.
Cut a slit length wise in the body – just deep enough to cover the shank of the hook.
Glue hook into place.
You can tie legs to the back of the bug or wrap a small feather behind the body.
Place legs through the body either by using a large eyed needle or push a loop of thread through the body and us the thread to pull the legs through.
If you wish you can glue some eyes on or use a permanent marker to add color.
That’s it.
Hope my instructions weren’t too confusing here is a series of pictures that kind of goes along with all the above.
GOOD LUCK


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## DRB1313

Nice job Smokey!


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## bonedog

Very nice!
bd


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## Toxic

Awesome info for me, I use poppers for bream mainly, got to get me some flops and make me some bream killers  for next spring !


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## crackerdave

What a GREAT idea! I love to fish for big brim,but my popper making skills are - shall we say - "limited." Thanks,Smokey! Now I know what to do when I "blow out my flip-flop." I love this kind of home-made stuff!


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## Smokey

Toxic said:


> Awesome info for me, I use poppers for bream mainly, got to get me some flops and make me some bream killers  for next spring !





rangerdave said:


> What a GREAT idea! I love to fish for big brim,but my popper making skills are - shall we say - "limited." Thanks,Smokey! Now I know what to do when I "blow out my flip-flop." I love this kind of home-made stuff!



Cool.  Glad to have been some help.
Let me know how things turn out.
A lot of my fly tying tools are home made as well and does just as good as what the fly shops charge an arm and a leg for.


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## bigkga69

I bet you could take Model Car paint and brush or spray it on and make them last a lot longer, I use it for jig heads and it works great, get the little jars of paint, Testors at Wal-Mart, and just dip the bug in it then hang out to dry.....might work, I know it does on jigs...I think I might try to make one of your bugs and see how the paint idea works....I like your bugs !!!


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## rhbama3

very nice tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to show how you did it.


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## Smokey

rhbama3 said:


> very nice tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to show how you did it.



Proud to have helped.
Hope it all made sense.


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## Smokey

Been awhile since I first posted this. I'm sure there's been a lot of new members since then so I thought I'd bring it back to the top.


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## Jack Flynn

Oh yea I love green flip flops just for that purpose! Probably the best popping bug out there if ya ask me. Caught a lot of fish on em..........


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## Smokey

Jack Flynn said:


> Oh yea I love green flip flops just for that purpose! Probably the best popping bug out there if ya ask me. Caught a lot of fish on em..........



Couldn't agree more.


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