The Whopper Plopper is a topwater prop bait made by River2Sea, and designed by legendary fisherman Larry Dahlberg. Larry originally designed the bait for musky fishing, but it has since gained huge popularity amongst bass anglers.
The original, and biggest model is the Whopper Plopper 190. This is the one designed for musky fishing. But it became very popular amongst the swimbait crowd, who are not at all intimidated by the size of this bait. The newer, smaller versions of the Whopper Plopper made today are more commonly used by the conventional bass fishermen.
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Whopper Plopper Sizes
There are five sizes in total, and the way they structured the sizes is a little confusing so hopefully this breakdown will help you understand. But across the board the Whopper Plopper 130 is the most popular model, and arguably the best Whopper Plopper size for bass.
You might be wondering what the “130” or any of the model numbers mean. Well, that is the length of the bait in millimeters, and it’s printed on the belly of every bait to avoid confusion. But it’s not only the length that changes from one model to the next so we’re going to take a closer look at each of them going from shortest to longest. Also keep in mind that these baits come in a silent version or a rattling version.
Whopper Plopper 75
There are two smaller-sized Whopper Ploppers and the 75 is the shorter of the two. It’s shorter but fatter, making it actually weigh slightly more than the 90. This is the only model that doesn’t have the elongated body that the rest of the Whopper Ploppers have. Instead it has more of a crankbait-shaped body, with its bulbous head and narrowing tail.
The 75 is a great option if you want to shorten length but still want to have a beefy profile and a lot of action on the surface. This model has almost the same size prop blade as the 110 so it creates a lot of disturbance. The 75 is also a great choice for targeting smallmouth bass, since they can have a hard time getting the bigger sizes in their mouths. And if you are only using a spinning rod then this is a great size bait.
- Length: 3 inches (75mm)
- Weight: 9/16 ounce
- Hooks: #4
- Rattle: No
Whopper Plopper 90
This is the next size up in terms of length, but some might argue that it’s a smaller bait than the 75 because it weighs less and has a smaller profile. The reason it’s longer is because it features that classic Whopper Plopper shape with its elongated body.
The 90 is ideal for fishing with light tackle and/or spinning gear. It’s also a great option for downsizing when there is a tough bite. It’s important to note that the prop blade on the 90 is much smaller than on the 75, so you’ll also be downsizing the amount of action on the surface. And like the 75, this is also a great size lure for targeting smallies.
- Length: 3 – 1/2 inches (90mm)
- Weight: 1/2 ounce
- Hooks: #4
- Rattle: No
Whopper Plopper 110
The 110 is longer and fatter than the 90 but still smaller than its two big brothers. You could get away with using this on spinning rod but when you get to this size and up you would be better suited with a baitcaster.
This is a great size to use when the 130 just seems a little big, and to be honest the 130 might feel a little big to novice fishermen. It’s a perfect “in between size” where it doesn’t feel like an ultra light lure while also not feeling like you have a brick tied on.
- Length: 4 – 3/8 inches
- Weight: 1 ounce
- Hooks: #2
- Rattle: No
Whopper Plopper 130
This is definitely the most popular size Whopper Plopper. The 130 model is not too big and not too small for most bass fishing situations. For size reference you could compare it the body of a Zara Spook. Your topwater rod should handle these baits just fine, and give you the best chance of catching bass of all sizes.
This is the first size down the list that features both a rattling and silent version. It’s also the only size that has a saltwater version of itself. The only difference there being stronger hooks and colors geared more towards saltwater.
- Length: 5 inches
- Weight: 1 – 3/8 ounces
- Hooks: #2
- Rattle: Yes or No
Whopper Plopper 190
This is the beast model of the Whopper Plopper family, and the original model designed for musky fishing. But it didn’t take long for trophy bass fisherman to want to give it a go for targeting big largemouth, and as the popularity grew they started making smaller versions to cover all of bass fishing.
The 190 is a very big bait as far as bass fishing lures go, but fishermen who are used to throwing big swimbaits see this as a great addition to the lures they already throw with their heavy swimbait rods. These guys know how to catch bass with big baits, and the 190 is a perfect addition to their collection.
- Length: 7 – 1/2 inches
- Weight: 2 – 3/4 ounces
- Hooks: #5/0
- Rattle: Yes or No
Size Comparison Chart
Here’s a photo of all the models together so you can get a better feel for how they compare in size to one another.
Fishing Whopper Ploppers
Whopper ploppers are one of the easiest lures to fish for two reasons. One, the most effective way to fish them is simply reeling them in a straight retrieve the way you would fish any prop bait. The motion of the bait gliding across the surface is what creates the tail to spin and make the “plopping” noise.
And second, you don’t need to carefully detect bites. This is a topwater bait so you will see and hear most of the strikes you get. And yes sometimes even topwater bites can be silent but you should also hear the “plopping” noise suddenly stop.
If you can’t hear the sound the bait is making then you are not reeling at the optimal speed. The speed at which makes the bait produce the loudest sound is the retrieve speed you want to hit.
If a straight retrieve isn’t working you can try pausing the bait from time to time and popping it like a popper lure. These lures float so you can pause them for as long as you like, but ninety percent of the time a straight retrieve is going to get the best results.
