By Jeff Simpson | Angling Edge
I remember when the Skitter Pop originated and it definitely produced magical results the first time it hit the water. Since then there are a lot of “new” topwaters on the market that look flashy, sound different, and come with a whole bunch of fresh marketing buzzwords. And I’m not knocking any of that—innovation matters. But every once in a while, it’s worth stepping back and remembering something important:
Some baits don’t stay relevant because they’re trendy. They stay relevant because they flat-out work — and that’s the Rapala Skitter Pop 07 in a nutshell.
This is one of those surface lures that has quietly built a reputation the hard way—through years of fish catches, across a ton of water types, and in the hands of anglers who want consistent results instead of “hope casts.” The Skitter Pop isn’t complicated. It isn’t meant to be. It’s meant to get eaten.
The Surface Bite Is a Language… and the Skitter Pop Speaks It Fluently
Topwater is different. You’re not just trying to get a fish to find your lure—you’re asking that fish to commit. To come up, break the surface, and attack. That’s a higher-risk decision for a bass, a pike, a muskie, even a big trout. Which is exactly why the right topwater sound and profile matters so much.
The Skitter Pop’s “pop and spit” action has always hit that sweet spot:
- A short, sharp chug that calls fish from a distance
- A subtle spitting splash that looks like an injured baitfish struggling on top
- The ability to pause and hover like a wounded meal that’s about to get away
And when you’re talking about surface fishing—especially in clear water or pressured water—those little details become the difference between fish following and fish crushing.
Why the 07 Size Is the Money Zone
The “07” isn’t just a number—it’s a decision. It’s a size that lands in that perfect middle ground where you can cover a ton of species without looking out of place.
The Skitter Pop 07 is big enough to:
- draw in quality smallmouth and largemouth
- trigger aggressive pike
- get attention in wind-chopped water
…but it’s still compact enough that:
- it doesn’t intimidate neutral fish
- it matches young-of-the-year baitfish
- it gets bites when larger topwaters get ignored
That’s why it’s become such a staple. If I had to pick one popper size to keep tied on for a mixed-bag surface bite, that 07 is hard to beat.
The Proven Deal: Pop, Pause, and Let Them Tell You the Speed
A lot of guys fish poppers like they’re trying to call in a moose—rip it, splash it, move it fast. And sure, sometimes that’s exactly what the fish want.
But what makes the Skitter Pop historically deadly is how well it performs when you fish it like a real baitfish: startled, struggling, and then… vulnerable.
Here are three retrieves that have been putting fish in boats forever:
1) Pop-Pause (the classic)
Pop it once or twice, then let it sit.
A lot of your biggest strikes happen when it’s doing “nothing.” That pause is the whole trick—fish are tracking it, measuring it, and then deciding to end it.
2) Spit and Slide (subtle and deadly)
Instead of violent pops, use short rod twitches to make it spit just a little water while staying in a small zone. This shines on calm mornings, clear lakes, and when fish are cruising shallow rock or weed edges.
3) Chug-Chug-Go (reaction mode)
This is for wind, cloud cover, and aggressive fish. Two or three louder chugs, then move it forward and repeat. It’s a great search cadence when you’re trying to locate active fish on flats or shoreline stretches.
Where the Skitter Pop 07 Has Earned Its Reputation
The reason this bait has the history it does is because it’s not a “one-lake wonder.” It’s a multi-water tool. The Skitter Pop is at its best around the stuff fish already use as ambush points:
- shallow rock, boulders, and riprap
- reed clumps and emergent weeds
- inside turns and points on weedlines
- docks, shade, and shoreline targets
- over the top of sparse cabbage
- calm pockets next to wind-blown banks
And here’s a big one—it’s forgiving. Even if your cadence isn’t perfect, it still produces a clean surface disturbance and a believable profile. That’s a huge part of why it has put fish in the net for so many anglers, for so many years.
Why It Still Works: Truth
Fish haven’t changed. Their instincts haven’t changed. A struggling baitfish on the surface is still one of the easiest meals in the lake—if the predator can time it right.
The Skitter Pop 07 has survived generations of tackle trends because it checks all the boxes that matter:
- it calls fish
- it looks natural
- it pauses right
- it covers water efficiently
- and it triggers that violent surface commitment we all live for
It’s simple. It’s proven. And when the topwater window opens—early, late, cloudy, windy, calm—it’s one of those baits that earns a spot on your deck without debate.
If you’re building a surface lineup, you can chase every new popper that comes out… or you can start with a bait that’s already built its legacy.
The Rapala Skitter Pop 07 isn’t just a classic. It’s a reminder that the best lures aren’t always the loudest on the shelf—they’re the ones that keep getting tied on because they keep getting bit.
