Not your run of the mill topwater lure, the frighteningly realistic Dragonfly Popper by River2Sea
USA

Date: |
2/27/05 |
Tackle type: |
Lures |
Manufacturer: |
River2Sea USA |
Reviewer: |
JIP |
Total Score: 8.41
Introduction:
River2Sea USA continues to bring unique quality lures to market. Their
newest invention, the Dragonfly
Popper is a top water lure that features fine details and body contours that
resemble a real dragonfly, a lure that bass certainly don't see everyday.
River2Sea
Dragonfly Popper (Pop70) Specifications |
Class |
Floating (Top water) |
Colors/Patterns |
6
available |
Size |
2
3/4" |
Weight |
3/16
oz |
Hook
Size |
#6 |
Hook
Type |
Daiichi Treble |
MSRP |
$9.99 |

As realistic as they get, the
Dragonfly Popper is stunning in detail. The Natural Blue color is the
latest addition to the line up, bringing the total number of colors/patterns
available to six
Impressions: Insect lures have always been
crafted for anglers to use to target their favorite freshwater fish, but over
the years many have actually disappeared. Thanks to River2Sea USA we can now fish
a dragonfly
again. How many times have you been fishing and seen them flying around lakes and skimming the top of the water, landing on vegetation and structure? The
Dragonfly Popper is very impressive as you set your eyes on this insect lure for
the first time. The body is realistic from
all angles and anglers might even mistake it for the real thing. The body shape and contour is amazingly detailed and coated
with layers of paint. The little details on this lure demonstrate River2Sea's
dedication to producing a lure that really mimics prey. This lure has 2 sets of plastic wings on each side just like a
real dragonfly would. The River2Sea Pop70 top water lure comes only in one
size with 6 productive colors, and is armed with one sharp Daiichi treble hook.

As JIP lips the fish the Dragonfly Popper flies
away. Also notice the other 5 patterns these lures come in
Complete Rig
for Dragonfly Popper |
Rod |
Quantum Tour Edition PT (PTS664F) |
Reel |
Quantum Plasma (PLM20) |
Line |
6
lb. Trilene XL |
Field Tests: Just as a fly angler will "match the hatch." The River2Sea Dragonfly Popper is definitely a lure for the
dragonfly season which runs around April to June depending on your local weather
conditions. We fished with the topwater lure pretty much from Spring all
the way to Fall, and found it extremely effective during the Summer months where
the temperatures are blistering and the water is dead calm.

River2Sea USA crafts these lures
with precision and pays much attention to the tiniest of details
Casting: The casting ability of the
Dragonfly Popper really depends on the conditions. If it's windy casting
this winged insect is harder, but on those nice days, especially those calm
and quiet mornings, this lure flies through the air nicely using six pound test Trilene XL line on a Quantum Plasma spinning reel. When these conditions
arise it's not difficult to cast it between lily pads or other structure.

The Dragonfly comes with a
jitterbug-like lip
Retrieving: With a topwater lure the angler has to give life to it in
order to entice strikes. With the Dragonfly Popper put your imagination to
work as you can apply various techniques to make this insect lure look alive.
You can twitch it or pop it, but I didn't find those as effective as my favorite
method, buzzing it like a wounded dragonfly. Cast it between or
next to cover, allow it to sit until the ripples are gone, and then gently send
small pulses to the lure with your rod creating small water movement as if the
dragonfly is trying to move its wings. Try and do this without too much lure
movement. Using this technique can drive a bass or other fish crazy as
they see a dragonfly trying to get airborne again. We had bass,
crappie, bluegills, and other sunfish hit the River2Sea Dragonfly Popper as we
used it around cover with many different type of lively techniques.

One Daiichi treble hook is placed
in the middle of the lure. Also notice the detail and contrast of the body
from this angle and the big green eyes
Durability: The Dragonfly Popper is a quality lure and it stood up to
the
explosive topwater action throughout our tests. The paint and
finish remains undamaged and the overall structure of the lure is still nice and
solid. The only thing that we wish was more durable are the wings. If an aggressive bass attacks the lure
violently the wings can bend. They didn't break while we were testing and we were able to bend
the wings back and the lure was still effective
for many more strikes, but in the future we would like to see an
improvement in the overall durability of the wings.

Not just great for taunting bass,
but other fish such as bluegills and crappie will hit this lure when twitched or
popped at the surface
Ratings:
River2Sea
Dragonfly Popper Ratings
(?/10) |
Construction/Quality |
Great craftsmanship using top notch paint and components. The only
thing that needs improvement are the wings |
8.5 |
Performance |
This lure is not just fun to fish, but effective at tempting bass to explode
underneath it especially during the Summer and Fall seasons |
9 |
Price |
There aren't many dragonfly lures anymore, maybe just one other right now
that's being mass produced. River2Sea USA's price is very competitive |
8 |
Features |
The
lure features an extremely realistic appearance with everything down to the
details on colors and patterns |
8 |
Design
(Ergonomics) |
Excellent attention to detail to replicate the real thing. The body
contour, eyes, wings are all designed with precision |
9 |
Application |
A
great lure for aggressive fish that'll strike at topwater prey such as bass,
crappie, and more |
8 |
Total Score |
8.41 |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus
Minus |
J
Realistic design |
L
Wings need improvement in durability |
J
Fine details |
|
J
Quality hook |
|
Conclusion: Dragonfly lures have come and gone, and not many
companies make them anymore even though recreational anglers call for them on days where they can
take the time to toss a topwater lure for fun, and test
their own skills at luring a bass to take a surface bait. River2Sea USA has
not only brought back
the exciting lure, but improved upon the original idea with exceptional
attention to detail and use of some new materials. The River2Sea Dragonfly Popper is
not only fun to fish, but effective as well, especially on those calm days from
Spring to Fall. The lure is crafted with precision and the appearance is
frighteningly realistic, down to the smallest detail. Yup, the buzz is out, the
Dragonfly Popper is indeed back.

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