To me, Labor Day officially marks the start of "Popper Season" for largemouth bass. Don't get me wrong, I know guys that start fishing with poppers in June, but to me, it makes sense to fish poppers at this time of year. Again, I am not saying that this advice is the end-all of popper instruction, it is just what makes sense to me. I could be wrong. I might be wrong. Okay, I'm probably wrong but I stand by my thoughts.
1. This time of year usually signifies a change in temperature trends. Football has stared, we are in early September, and the days are definitely getting shorter. As temperatures fall, so do water temperatures. This plays a large role in bass behavior and can make a slow and sluggish bass into a feeding machine that wants to put on some pounds prior to winter. That means they are wanting to feed up while still holding to shade, cover, and structure. "What will they feed on" you ask, well lots of things. Here's a thought that makes sense though.
2. All summer long, critters like frogs and insects have had time to grow and get larger. They aren't going to get any bigger than right now prior to dying off or hibernation. That means they are big meals that provide a lot of calories for bass. As temperatures are cooler in the mornings and evenings, that means these organisms are losing body heat and slowing down as well. Doesn't that sound like the perfect recipe for an ambush predator? Big, slow meals becoming bountiful with an added increase in aggression.
In closing, grab a 7 weight fly rod, tie on a popper, and hit your local bass spot. You just might catch your biggest bass on a fly this year. Aside from being a strategically prime time for popping, it just might be the funnest way to catch largemouth. Attacks can range from sips, to slurps, to all-out breaching for flies. I included some videos below to get you started if you are new to popping or if you want to learn to tie a couple of simple popper patterns.
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