Getting Popped By Nick Curcione
Since all the game fish we set our sights on be it in fresh or saltwater spend most of their time somewhere below the surface down in the water column you can easily make a case for the use of sinking lines. To consistently draw strikes, the flies we present should be somewhere subsurface where fish are most likely to feed. But of course, we all know that is not always the case and for those occasions when they do feed on the surface a top water artificial like a popper can provide some of the most dramatic, adrenaline pumping experiences in fishing. Even a palm sized panfish like a bluegill can light up your emotional circuits when it decides to rise to the surface and attack what it perceives as some type of food source. Start targeting larger species (like largemouth and pike in freshwater) and some of the superstars in saltwater such as albies, bluefish, stripers, sharks, tuna and billfish and the excitement quotient increases considerably.
When predators like this start tearing into terrified pods of baitfish, the action gives rise to an experience anglers dream about resulting in some of our most memorable times on the water.
When this isn’t occurring naturally and there is nothing showing top water, fish that may not have been inclined to do so at first, can sometimes be enticed to the surface with chum. Some of the best top water action I’ve ever experienced was initiated by chumming for amberjack over sunken wrecks. And pelagic sharks like makos homing in on a chum slick present an ideal target for poppers. Keeping your cool can be quite a challenge when one of these apex predators sets its sights on your popper.
The only downside to all this is that many fly fishers have trouble casting them. Unlike most streamer patterns poppers are bulky and wind resistant and this must be compensated for in your casting stroke. Over the years the two most common problems I’ve witnessed in this regard are folks casting too fast with too short a casting stroke. Even a dime-size diameter popper is going to have a slowing effect on the travel velocity of the fly line. This means that you must adjust the rod movement accordingly. In any casting situation (including the other end of the spectrum with fast sinking shooting heads) a slower controlled stroke is more efficient. But especially with poppers, it’s important to avoid high velocity strokes, like the kind of swinging motion we make when swatting insects. Slow down the stroke.
Secondly, it’s important to increase the distance the rod moves on the back cast. A lengthened backstroke enables the rod to achieve maximum bend on the forward stroke. When you follow this with a positive, abrupt stop coupled with a short, sharp haul the result is a smaller loop coupled with high line speed that will propel the popper with nearly the same efficiency as you might expect when casting a streamlined baitfish pattern. Another common fault you want to avoid is the tendency to creep forward after completing the speed up and stop on the back cast. Doing so will bring the rod to an almost vertical position and there’s little space for it to travel except downward on the forward stroke. This directs the fly line on a downward plane, and the popper will fall considerably short of the target.
This next point may sound obvious but to execute practically any cast there must be a sufficient length of line outside the rod tip. With too short a section, say for example 15-feet or less, there is not sufficient line weight to carry the popper. This typically results in the angler having to make several false casts to work line out, a waste of time and energy. One way to avoid this is to simply stop retrieving the popper at a point where approximately 20 to 30-feet of line remains outside the rod tip. Most fish usually don’t follow a popper for very long distances so it’s not necessary to bring it all the way back in. With a sufficient length of line extending past the rod tip, it’s easy to lift the popper from the surface, extend a few more feet of line on the back cast if you need to, and make the forward cast. However, if you retrieve the popper close to you, you’ll have to make at least one roll cast or one or two back and forward casts to extend the line so you can make the final forward cast.
Over the years my go to line for casting poppers is a conventional taper weight forward line. There are variations of this configuration with shorter front and back taper sections that have been variously marketed as “bass bug” or “saltwater tapers.” These lines do make turning over wind resistant popper bodies more efficient, but they also restrict your casting distance.
In addition to floating lines some popper enthusiasts also fish slower sinking intermediates. These tend to be smaller in diameter than floaters which makes them a bit more efficient in the wind and their slick finishes easily glide through the rod guides. They do sink, but the rate of descent is generally slow enough so as not to impede the action of the popper. In fact, a case can be made that in some instances at least; the fact that the line slips below the surface contributes to the popper’s action in the water.
Regardless of line choice, the most practical leader is one that is short and simple. A 3 ½ to 5-foot level section of 20 to 30-pound test mono is ideal for a wide variety of conditions. It works well particularly in windy conditions and the fact that there are no connecting knots makes it less likely to catch any floating weed or grass. If you are concerned with IGFA leader standards, you’ll have to use a section of the desired class tippet size that measures at least 15-inches in length.
Finally, in addition to your casting technique, you will achieve much better results with a properly designed popper. One obvious consideration is to select ones that are constructed of the lightest material possible. Cork and balsa bodied poppers are traditional choices, and they make for great bugs. However, closed-cell foam in the form of Ethafoam like the kind used to line camera cases is a great alternative. For any given size it’s light and it tends to float high on the surface. In terms of popper design, the ones with cupped faces tend to dig into the water when you try and lift them from the surface in preparation for a cast, so I pass on them. The placement of the hook is also important to ensure optimum striking performance as well as casting ease. Avoid poppers that have the hook imbedded deep in the body. Instead, the hook should be glued flush to the popper body. If not, your ratio of positive hook ups will decline, and the popper may be difficult to lift cleanly off the water. Lastly, if you are making your own, resist the temptation to over dress it. Many of the commercially tied poppers have palmered hackle between the tail and rear portion of the body. All this does is increase air resistance. In addition, long trailing tail hackles can foul and add unnecessary weight. A sparse bunch of bucktail is the ideal choice for the popper’s tail.
Surface strikes make for some of the most exciting scenarios in fly- fishing and poppers are one of the most effective offerings you can use to elicit this drama. Just learn how to use them efficiently and you’ll be rewarded with a full measure of this surface pandemonium.
