I have a book that shows how to cut 1 1/2 inch diameter Comal brand foam floats into popper bodies. It works great, but the way the poppers are shaped the EYES when they are painted on the float will be underwater. It has dawned on me that on store bought poppers the fish can almost never see the eyes - they must be there for the fisherman to look at. I wonder if they will work better with the fish seeing the eyes?? You get 4 BIG inch and a quarter long by inch wide poppers from one float. Finding BIG poppers in Texas is next to impossible.

Sounds like a lot of fun! I love making my own lures! I have a friend that carves plugs from cedar and then adds hardware and paint and VOILA!

That is a good point about the eyes. I'd like to have one of those fly testing tanks to put one in and see how it really does look from underwater.

I'm curious, which Comal poppers are used in this construction, they have so many models of poppers/floats.

I put eyes low on popper bodies to accomplish 2 things
1) added weight to bottom ensures that popper rides upright
2) if by chance eyes make a difference, they can see them.

I bought a bag of the Comal styrofoam bobbers from Walmart. It has numerous sizes in it. I took the largest bright chartreuse one and took out the plastic pin. Cut it in half length wise. Then cut each half in half length wise leaving 4 wedges. Trim one end off of each wedge making the face of the popper and the trim a narrow flat spot on the part of each wedge that would have been the center of the original ball for the bottom. This should leave you with a large popper body that has a colored slopeing back a narrow base and 2 slanting sides. I glue the eyes to the slanting sides and make a slit with a small hacksaw down the middle of the narrow base for the hook. Lastly, I take my dremel tool and cup the front to make it pop well. Included in all of this is necessary sanding and painting of the non-colored sides. I have been leaving the backs the chartruese color since the fish don't see it anyway.

That is a fine idea alright.

If you would, post some pix over in the fly tying section.

I will, but I have to "PRETTY" one up first.

You might also want to turn it around backwards and make more of a slider out of it.