Take a look here:
Chuggers - Warmwater Fly Tyer - by Ward Bean
I am looking to tying a few popping bugs for bream. I am planning on using a #8 hook. I am looking for the brand and model # of the hook. All you popping bugs tyiers, please help me out on the most popular hook to make my own poppers. If this would help, I am looking at the head to be around 1/2" to 3/4" long and about 3/8" diameter or so. Thanks in advance for all you'll time and help. Ken
Take a look here:
Chuggers - Warmwater Fly Tyer - by Ward Bean
For completely hair bugs all you need is a long shanked straight bend hook with a straight eye, like an Aberdeen. For bugs with cork or foam heads try the Mustad #33903 hook which is available all over such as from Jann's Netcraft and similar material supply houses.
This kind of bug works real well on bluegills and similar types of sunfish, but they do have a tendency to strike and miss getting the hook; so pay attention to the cautions about this on pages such as DB4D posted. That even happens on the tiniest of plugs such as the smallest floating Rapalas. How they miss those treble hooks there, the ones that seem to catch on everything else that even gets close to them, I have not yet figured out. Recently my fishing partner had constant sunnie attention to the little Rap, but only got a hook up on something like one in a dozen strikes. Standing right beside him I got a lot less attention to the tiny jig and plastic I was throwing but caught a whole lot more fish. Actually we were both amused by the ability of the sunnies to strike and avoid the hooks. I have also seen popper fishermen who didn't score more than one hookup in several hits. The up side is that the sunnies just keep coming back to that kind of offering, while eventually I had to rest areas from my jig to let the bite resume.
Mustad 33903 Size 6 or 8 depending on the size cork I use and the tail I add.
_____________________________________