River2Sea Whopper Plopper

The River2Sea Whopper Plopper is one of the most recognizable topwater lures in bass fishing, combining a hard-bodied baitfish profile with a rotating tail that creates its signature plopping sound, surface disturbance and vibration.

Originally designed by legendary angler and lure designer Larry Dahlberg, the Whopper Plopper gives anglers an extremely simple but effective topwater presentation: cast it out and retrieve it.

The rotating tail begins working as the lure moves across the surface, producing a rhythmic sound and visible wake that can draw aggressive strikes from bass and other predatory fish.

The Signature Whopper Plopper Sound

The Whopper Plopper gets its name from the distinctive sound produced by its rotating tail.

As the lure moves across the surface, the tail spins and repeatedly displaces water, creating the familiar "plop-plop-plop" cadence that has made the bait famous.

Retrieve speed changes the presentation.

A slower retrieve produces a more deliberate surface disturbance, while increasing speed creates a faster, more aggressive sound and wake.

That allows anglers to adjust the lure without changing baits.

Easy to Fish

One of the biggest advantages of the Whopper Plopper is how easy it is to fish effectively.

Cast it toward productive water and begin a steady retrieve.

Unlike a traditional walking bait, you don't need to constantly manipulate the rod tip to make the lure work correctly. The tail generates the action automatically as the bait moves.

That makes the Whopper Plopper an excellent topwater lure for both experienced anglers and anglers just getting into bass fishing.

More Than a Straight Retrieve

A steady retrieve is the starting point, but it's not the only way to fish a Whopper Plopper.

Slow & Steady

Retrieve the bait slowly enough to keep the tail consistently rotating.

This is an excellent approach during calm conditions or when bass aren't aggressively chasing.

Fast & Aggressive

Speed up the retrieve to create more surface disturbance and cover water quickly.

This can trigger reaction strikes from active fish and is particularly useful when searching larger areas.

Stop & Go

Retrieve the Whopper Plopper several feet and then pause it.

The sudden change from noise and movement to a stationary bait can trigger a fish that has been following behind it.

Around Cover

Cast past:

• Grass Lines
• Lily Pads
• Docks
• Laydowns
• Stumps
• Points
• Seawalls
• Riprap
• Openings in Vegetation

Then retrieve the lure alongside or across the edge of the cover.

Excellent for Florida Bass

The Whopper Plopper is a natural fit for Florida largemouth bass fishing.

Fish it over open water adjacent to hydrilla, along lily-pad edges, around docks and seawalls, or across openings between patches of vegetation.

Because the bait covers water efficiently, it's particularly useful when you're trying to locate active bass rather than slowing down and thoroughly fishing one small area.

Explore more bass lures and tackle in Premier Tackle's Freshwater Fishing Gear collection.

Choosing a Whopper Plopper

River2Sea has produced the Whopper Plopper in multiple sizes, allowing anglers to adjust the presentation based on forage size, fishing conditions and the fish they're targeting.

Smaller Whopper Ploppers

Choose a smaller profile when bass are feeding on smaller forage, when fishing pressured water or when you want a more subtle topwater presentation.

These sizes are excellent for ponds, canals and smaller bodies of water.

Mid-Size Whopper Ploppers

The middle sizes are excellent all-around bass fishing choices.

They provide enough surface disturbance to attract fish without creating an excessively large presentation.

If you're buying a Whopper Plopper primarily for largemouth bass and only want one, this is generally where we'd start.

Larger Whopper Ploppers

The larger versions create considerably more noise, wake and water displacement.

Use them when targeting bigger fish, fishing larger bodies of water or whenever you want a more aggressive topwater presentation.

Large Whopper Ploppers can also appeal to other aggressive freshwater and inshore predators.

Open Water vs. Heavy Vegetation

The Whopper Plopper is extremely effective around vegetation, but there's an important distinction.

Because it uses exposed treble hooks, it's best fished over open water, along vegetation edges and through clean openings rather than dragged directly across thick hydrilla or matted grass.

When the surface becomes too covered to fish exposed hooks cleanly, switch to a weedless hollow-body topwater.

For cleaner water adjacent to the grass, however, the Whopper Plopper is an excellent tool for calling fish out of cover.

Features

• Iconic River2Sea topwater lure
• Designed by Larry Dahlberg
• Hard-body construction
• Rotating tail design
• Signature plopping sound
• Creates substantial surface disturbance
• Effective with a simple straight retrieve
• Can be fished slow or fast
• Excellent search bait
• Multiple sizes and colors available
• Effective around grass edges and open water
• Proven bass topwater presentation

Best For

• Largemouth Bass
• Smallmouth Bass
• Florida Bass Fishing
• Topwater Fishing
• Grass Edges
• Lily Pad Edges
• Docks
• Seawalls
• Laydowns
• Points
• Open Water
• Covering Water
• Reaction Strikes

Why Choose the River2Sea Whopper Plopper?

Some topwater lures require anglers to develop a specific cadence before they really come alive.

The Whopper Plopper doesn't.

Its rotating tail creates the action automatically, which means you can concentrate on retrieve speed, casting accuracy and where you're putting the bait.

At the same time, experienced anglers can vary the retrieve, add pauses and change speeds to make the lure behave differently.

That combination of simplicity and versatility is a major reason the Whopper Plopper has become such a recognizable topwater lure.

Premier Tackle Take

The River2Sea Whopper Plopper is one of the first topwater baits we'd use when we want to cover water and find active bass.

For Florida fishing, we'd concentrate on hydrilla edges, lily-pad edges, canals, seawalls, docks and open pockets around vegetation.

Keep the bait moving steadily until you figure out what cadence the fish want. If a bass follows without committing, try adding an occasional pause or changing retrieve speed.

The biggest thing to remember is the exposed treble hooks. Fish the Whopper Plopper next to the thick stuff rather than directly through it.

When the water is clean enough to keep those hooks clear, there aren't many topwater baits that make it easier to cover water while producing this much sound and surface disturbance.

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