The Whopper Plopper
It’s amazing that this lure has been kept a secret for so long and even more amazing that this type of lure has been out there for over 20 years.
Sometime in 2008 Larry Dahlberg (Hunt for Big Fish) and Simon Chan from River2Sea baits got together to create what is now the hottest selling bass lure on the market.
How hot you ask? The GM showed me the warehouse and said “you see that area right there?” Looking down at an empty area 40ft long by 10ft wide he said it had been stacked 6’ tall. Holding a stack of new orders a couple inches thick he said “I just spent and extra $20,000 in shipping costs to get the new product in and fill these current orders”. Many lure companies don’t even spend $20,000 in shipping all year long.
As a tackle manufacture this is the perfect storm, hectic, stressful yes – but in a good way.
We are talking about a bait called the Whopper Plopper – a funny looking lure with a funny name and a unique sound.
Talking with Simon the co-creator, he emphasized the bait was designed to make a plopping sound similar to a small water bird running across the water before flight. This was a considerable challenge as no other bait makes a noise like this. The prototypes were pretty primitive, starting with a carved broom handle, a wire and a cupped rubber tail but after working and working Simon and Larry were able to come up with the combination they were seeking.
Strangely enough this lure did not start out as a bass lure. Larry is a big fish guy – hunting pike and musky – so he designed the lure in the 190mm size for those larger aggressive species. Soon after they started fishing it they found themselves not only catching pike and musky but bass too, very large bass. This went on for a while until Simon suggested they create a smaller version 130mm where it would be appealing to a larger audience of bass anglers.
At first, the 130 Whopper Plopper – with its weird look, funny name and strange sound – didn’t go over very well. At one large tournament several years ago the River2sea crew handed out a few hundred baits free to the anglers and at the end of the event not a word was mentioned.
Fast-forward a couple years to a FLW event on the California Delta where several of the top ten relied on the Whopper Plopper for the majority of their fish. Continuing on, guys were working hard to keep it quiet while secretly cashing in and catching giant bass.
Moving to 2015, the secret has drifted back east and guys are smashing them. Take a look at Gerald Swindle, Jimmy Houston, Rick Clunn and Hank Parker’s facebook pages and there are shots of big bass and a Whopper Plopper.
This year there have been several FLW, B.A.S.S. and a host of regional events won on this bait. They won’t always tell you, but the long lines outside the tackle shops waiting for the shipment to come will be a big hint.
The Whopper Plopper comes in three sizes: 90, 130 and 190 with a wide array of colors. Tackle Warehouse usually has a good selection.
Fishing the Whopper Plopper
Each size dictates a different rod/reel set up.
The 90 size is small weighing a ½ oz. and can be fished on a medium spinning rod or bait caster. The bait fishes well on a variety of lines but I’ve found 30lb braid is a good fit.
The 130 weighs 1 3/8 oz. where you’ll need a heavy action rod like you would use for a medium size swimbait or a frog along with a good bait casting reel. You can fish this one on braid but I’ve found 20 mono works well.
The 190 is a beast it weighs 2 ¾ oz. were you’ll need a big bait rod to throw it, a rod you would use to throw big swimbaits or heavy Alabama rigs would work then you’ll also want an oversize reel. This bait catches big fish so you’ll want big line to go with your heavy duty set up, 25 would be the minimum where 65lb braid would be the best bet.
Where to fish it. This bait is not designed for going through the weeds; the big trebles will hang up. The nice thing about it is you can fish it in the openings around the weeds, which has accounted for many a big bass. This bait is good anywhere there is a foot or more water visibility a little open water and some bass.
If you’re fishing the back seat and the guy up front is using a buzz bait the Whopper Plopper will flat out make your boaters head spin.
Remember it’s a top water so don’t set on the splash wait for a little tension and if they miss kill it they are bound to come back.
You can swap out the hooks with larger ones if you like and the action will not change.
Editors note: I took this bait to two lakes in Mexico the summer of 2015 where it beat all the other top water baits three to one with most of the bass being bigger.
If you haven’t tried one of these baits it might just be time, that’s is if you can find one.
By Mark Lassagne