I've thrown a POP-R many times.  Only had minor luck with it.  I figure it's time to give it another go and learn to use it right.  I've created a poll to see if I'm working it too slow.

I've tried gluing the not on the bottom of the eye to make it spit more (A Zell Rowland tip I read)

I've worked it painfully slow

I've worked it fast and erratic

I've worked it in a cadence retrieve, 1,2,3,4..pause...1,2...pause...1,2,3,4 (repeat)

You name it, I've probably tried it.  Chances are, the fish didn't like the color or just wasn't interested in it at the time.

So lets see the most common method.  How do you like to use a POP-R?

You missed one choice in your poll...."ALL OF THE ABOVE"     I've used every choice on there and caught fish on all of them.

You missed one choice in your poll...."ALL OF THE ABOVE" I've used every choice on there and caught fish on all of them.

Exactly 

You missed one choice in your poll...."ALL OF THE ABOVE" I've used every choice on there and caught fish on all of them.

+1

Exactly

Don't rip it, pull it just hard enough to make the water ripple, with a slight splash sound.

    -gk

I love fishing poppers.  probably my favorite lure.  I have caught fish using each of the methods you described, though I usually fish it with a bloop bloop pause type of retreive

I generally use a fast, walking retrieve.  To be honest, I use a pencil popper more than a Rico or Pop-R style bait.

never caught a fish or even had a strike on a pop-r

I usually bloop pause, or bloop bloop pause!

never caught a fish or even had a strike on a pop-r

it takes mad patience. become one with the popper, give it life

To my way of thinking, a popper is designed to be popped - period. Yeah....you can buzz it if you like, however, there are plenty of other lures out there, better designed to vary from the standard popping retrieve of a Pop-R.

I use poppers early in mornings (or evenings) when the water is calm.

I use a spitter (like the Rapala popper with the separate bill) when the water has a little chop on it. This is also a great time to work those Jitterbugs.

I like a surface spinner (like a Tiny Torpedo single prop, or double prop lure like a Devil's Horse) when the wind blows - or I'll use a buzzbait. Depends on what the fish want, not what you want to throw!

There so many different lures for each individual purpose; I just don't see the need to extend the design characteristics of any one of them to make them do what they were not originally intended to do.

JMO folks! 

never caught a fish or even had a strike on a pop-r

it takes mad patience. become one with the popper, give it life

Indeed. But when they hit, it makes it all worth while.

I fish them like a popper.

Patience.

Let the fish tell you what they want. 

i work it slow by a target that looks good, then kinda get a little erratic on the way to the boat

You missed one choice in your poll...."ALL OF THE ABOVE" I've used every choice on there and caught fish on all of them.

+1

Exactly

Same here let the fish and conditions tell you how to fish it.

Let the fish tell you what they want.

I knew somebody would say it.