Picture this: a beautiful summer evening, a glassy, serene pond, a symphony of frogs croaking and insects chirping filling the air. Suddenly, the calm ambiance is broken by a noisy commotion. Plop plop plop plop plop plop plop. The surface of the water is broken by a loud explosion – and just like that, the fight is on.

The River2Sea Whopper Plopper is perhaps one of the most exciting lures to fish with. Its loud, disruptive topwater action and ability to cover water make for some of the most thrilling, blood rushing strikes you will ever see. In this post, I’ll be giving an honest review of the Whopper Plopper in all its strengths and shortcomings. Let’s dive in.

Description and Price

The Whopper Plopper is a prop bait that’s meant to be straight retrieved. It’s main feature is the loud, “plopping” action it delivers when retrieved properly, giving it its name. The bait has a round or ellipsoidal body depending on the size, with a soft plastic rotating prop attached to the back via a metal wire.

The thing that really gives this bait the standout factor compared to similar baits is the prop. The soft plastic material it’s made of is what gives it the uniquely loud “plopping” noise, and it’s attached to the main body of the bait via a cone, which prevents most grass from getting caught in the prop.

This bait comes at a slightly more expensive price point. It comes in 2 models: the Whopper Plopper which has a rattle and the Whopper Plopper Silent which does not. They come in a wide range of sizes, from the tiny size 60 all the way to the gargantuan size 190, weighing in at 2 ounces. From this size down, they range from $20.99 to $9.99. With this lure, you pay the better price for durability and overall higher quality: these lures are tried and true, and they will last for years and catch hundreds if not thousands of fish.

Strike Factor

The Whopper Plopper is my go-to topwater bait when it comes to covering water. If I walk up to a pond with little to now outcropping structure, the Whopper Plopper is my best friend. The straight retrieve makes it easy to fish and cover lots of ground with, and the loud noise draws reactionary strikes from aggressive fish.

That said, the Whopper Plopper does face its fair share of drawbacks. If your pond has lots of surface vegetation like grass or algae, the Whopper Plopper is not going to perform very well. You’re better off throwing a toad or maybe a buzzbait. It’s also much better at targeting aggressive fish: on a slow day or during winter, this bait should stay in the box for the most part.

That said, on good days when the fish are hunting, this bait is phenomonal for producing reactionary strikes. And when it’s catching fish, it’s drawing massive explosions and catching BIG fish.

Gear and Technique Recommendations

I fish the whopper plopper on my 7’0” medium heavy fast action baitcast rod, with a 7: gear ratio reel. Braided line is best for this type of bait since it floats: I fish it with 20 lb test, but anywhere between 15 and 30 should suffice.

The Whopper Plopper shines in low light conditions, when the surface of the pond is clear. It’s best at covering water but try to cast it such that you’ll retrieve it over or near any visible cover.

For most ponds, I would recommend smaller sizes: the 90 is a good finesse option as it’s a bit on the quieter side, while the 75 (which is louder but smaller than the 90) and the 110 sizes will cause more commotion. Anything over a 110 is a bit too big for most ponds, and the 60 while it can be effective typically rolls and doesn’t produce enough noise.

The Whopper Plopper comes in a variety of colors, so try to match the hatch. My favorites are I Know It, Perch, Bone, Munky Butt (goofy name, I know), and of course Bluegill. Try to choose at least one solid color and one clearer, more natural color.

Final Ratings

The Whopper Plopper, while it does have its drawbacks, is one of the most exciting lures to catch fish with. It is a fast paced, attention demanding, blood-rushing delight to fish. With that said, lots of ponds might not be fishable with a Whopper Plopper: heavy vegetation often immediately rules it out as a viable option.

It is by far the best prop bait of its kind on the market, and it revolutionized the straight retrieve topwater category when it released in 2002. It is a staple in the bass fishing industry, and a lure I highly recommend picking up and giving a try. For all these reasons, I’ll give the Whopper Plopper a solid 80/100. It’s one of my favorite baits to fish, but it’s not good for every situation like other lures.

Thanks for checking out this Lure Review! For more honest reviews just like this, check out the Lure Reviews category of the site! Happy Fishing!