Daiwa Saltiga Frother 170F Popper

When the Surface Erupts, This Is What They Hit

The Daiwa Saltiga Frother 170F is built for one thing: drawing violent topwater strikes from big-game pelagics. At 170mm, this floating popper throws a wide, frothy spray that mimics a fleeing baitfish in distress — the kind of surface commotion that triggers reaction strikes from tuna, GT, amberjack, and yellowtail when nothing else will get them to commit.

Saltiga-Grade Performance on the Surface

The Frother 170F carries the Saltiga name for a reason. It's engineered to handle the demands of offshore topwater fishing — long casts into the wind, repeated high-speed retrieves, and the shock of a hard-charging fish blowing up on the surface. The hardware, hooks, and body construction are all built to Daiwa's flagship offshore standard.

Why Most Poppers Fail at Distance

Generic poppers lose action at long range and struggle to generate consistent surface disturbance on a fast retrieve. The Frother 170F is designed to throw a wide, frothy spray at any retrieve speed — slow walk-the-dog, medium chug, or full-speed burn — so you can match the retrieve to the conditions without losing the action that triggers strikes.

What Makes It Stand Out

• 170mm floating popper — sized for big-game offshore targets
• Frother cup design — generates wide, frothy surface spray that draws fish from distance
• Versatile retrieve — effective on slow walk-the-dog, medium chug, and high-speed burn
• Saltiga-grade hardware — built to handle the punishment of offshore topwater fishing
• Available in LI Clear Mint and Full Clear — translucent finishes that mimic glass baitfish in clear offshore water

The Right Pick If...

• You're targeting tuna, GT, amberjack, or yellowtail on topwater
• You need a popper that generates action at long range and high retrieve speeds
• You're fishing clear offshore water where translucent finishes outperform painted lures
• You want a Saltiga-grade lure that can handle repeated hard strikes without failing
• You're running a popper-and-stickbait spread and need a surface lure that stands out

Best Fishing Techniques

• High-speed burn — fast, aggressive retrieve that generates maximum surface spray for reaction strikes
• Chug and pause — rhythmic popping with short pauses to trigger hesitant fish
• Walk-the-dog — side-to-side surface action for a more natural fleeing baitfish presentation
• Long-range casting — cover water quickly when fish are busting on the surface at distance

Best Conditions

• Clear to slightly stained offshore water where translucent finishes shine
• Active surface feeds — birds working, fish busting, or bait pushed to the surface
• Calm to moderate conditions where surface action is visible and fish are looking up
• Offshore structure — seamounts, current edges, kelp paddies, and floating debris lines

Best For

• Species: Bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, GT (giant trevally), amberjack, yellowtail, dorado
• Techniques: Topwater popping, high-speed burn, chug and pause, walk-the-dog
• Conditions: Clear offshore water, active surface feeds, calm to moderate seas

Key Features

• 170mm floating popper
• Frother cup design for wide, frothy surface spray
• Effective across a wide range of retrieve speeds
• Saltiga-grade hardware and construction
• Translucent finishes (LI Clear Mint, Full Clear) for clear offshore water

Models & Specs

Tackle Express Tips

• Match your leader to the water clarity — in clear offshore conditions, drop to a lighter fluorocarbon leader. The translucent finishes on the Frother are designed to be subtle, and a heavy leader can undermine that presentation.
• Vary your retrieve until you find the trigger — some days fish want a fast burn, other days a slow chug with long pauses. Start aggressive and slow down if you're getting follows without commits.
• Check your split rings and hooks after every fish — big-game topwater strikes are violent. Inspect your hardware after each hookup and replace anything that looks bent or fatigued before the next cast.

FAQ

What's the difference between the LI Clear Mint and Full Clear colors?
LI Clear Mint has a translucent light blue-green tint that mimics small glass baitfish or anchovies in clear water. Full Clear is completely transparent, which can be highly effective when fish are keyed in on very small or clear baitfish. Both are designed for clear offshore conditions where translucent finishes outperform opaque painted lures.

What rod and reel setup pairs well with the Frother 170F?
A medium-heavy to heavy popping rod in the 7–8ft range rated for 40–80lb braid pairs well with this lure. Match it with a high-speed conventional or spinning reel capable of handling the fast retrieves and sudden runs of big-game pelagics.

Can this lure be used for inshore fishing?
The Frother 170F is sized and built for offshore big-game targets. While it could technically be used inshore for large stripers or snook, it's optimized for offshore pelagics and may be oversized for most inshore applications.