Poppers catch fish in fresh and salt water, and in the right sizes and shapes are effective for everything from bass and trout to barracuda, redfish, and stripers. They are large flies and tend to attract large fish, and because you fish at the surface on heavy tippet, you often end up fishing the same fly all day through multiple fish. (Anna Nguyen photo)
October 14, 2025
By Joe Mahler
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One of the ways anglers can strengthen and invigorate their fly-fishing proficiency is to hone their skills with poppers. Poppers are highly effective in both fresh- and saltwater environments, and when fished skillfully will entice a wide variety of gamefish species to take at or just under the surface, resulting in dramatic, heart-pounding strikes.
Over the last 50 years, I’ve used a popper more than any other type of fly. They are fun to fish, draw strikes like crazy, and elicit exciting, splashy topwater takes. Many days I’ll wrap it up at 2 P.M. with the same popper I tied on at daybreak. And poppers are among the most versatile flies. They can imitate frogs, mice, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and many types of baitfish. You can fish them slow, fast, or somewhere in between, depending on your quarry and circumstances. A popper can be used to imitate specific prey for selective fish, or to elicit reactionary “anger strikes” from otherwise hard-to-trick territorial lunkers.
The basic concept of poppers has changed little since 1920, when the first commercial one was made available by Chattanooga businessman E.H. Peckinpaugh. It’s said he got the idea after witnessing a fish attack a bottle cork that he’d dropped in the river. Since then, inventive fly tiers have conceived different body shapes and experimented with other floating materials, as well as cork, to achieve high levels of success.
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Deer hair can be shaped into many types of surface flies. Deer-hair flies make a special sound in the water, they feel more “real” in a fish’s mouth, and they are beautiful little works of art. However, most poppers today are made from EVA foam, which is quicker and easier to transform into a fishable fly. (Anna Nguyen photo) My own early days of popper making were onerous. In the beginning, it was tedious shaping the cork bodies, sanding, sealing, painting (two coats of lacquer), and finally completing the tying process. It took me nearly a week to create a batch. Today, I’ll admit, I can fill my fly box with ready-to-fish poppers in one evening.
Foam, of different varieties, has largely replaced balsa and cork. My favorite material, EVA foam, comes in a variety of colors, eliminating the need to paint. The Krebs Popper Jig is an ingenious device for cutting foam popper heads from EVA cylinders in sizes ranging from ¼ inch (for panfish) through 15/16 inch (for salt water and blue water). Deer hair, whether stacked or spun, is a classic and is deserving of a category all its own.
Aside from size, the shape of your popper will indicate its purpose. Sleek, bulbous, angular, or cupped—all these choices will influence the “pop,” or water displacement, when you strip it across the surface. Let’s look at a few different options.
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Equipment Choices The different popper body types. (Joe Mahler illustration) Leaders.
Determine the butt section using the “rule of five,” whereby you multiply the line weight by five (for example, a 4-weight line x 5 = 20-pound-test) and stepping down in diameter (not more than 25 percent) to the tippet. Choose nylon for your leaders: Fluorocarbon sinks and will hinder the action of your popper by pulling it downward—unless that is your desired result. Match your tippet size proportionally to the size of your popper. If your tippet is too light, your fly won’t turn over properly; if your tippet is too heavy, the popper won’t give you the most effective action.
Lines.
Rods.
Presenting the Fly When you are casting larger, wind-resistant flies, use a wider, open loop. In freshwater rivers and lakes, it often pays to just let the fly sit for a moment in a key area and let it antagonize predatory fish. This is especially true when your fly lands in a perfect spot next to structure or a fish-holding bucket. There’s little incentive to pull it out of the zone too quickly. In salt water and other scenarios where you are covering open water, keep your rod tip low to prevent slack, and immediately move the fly. (Anna Nguyen photo) “The better the cast, the slower you fish.” That’s my mantra for fishing shoreline and cover, and it works. If you place the fly in that perfect spot, you can bet that the fish sees it, and perhaps views it as a threat. Let it sit. Let it bug the daylights out of that fish. Early on, I was told to pop, let the rings clear, and pop again. As the fly gets more out in the open, I’ll strip harder and maybe faster, to draw interest from the larger surrounding area. Instead of watching your popper, keep your eyes moving in a five-foot radius around the fly, looking for wakes. Many times, I’ve seen the popper get picked up just as the fish strikes.
In the event of fish crashing bait—such as when you’re fishing salt water for jacks or stripers—cast into the school and strip as fast as you can. Traditional wisdom says that topwater fishing is best done early and late in the day, but I’ve had some of my most notable catches after the noon hour. Then, one of the keys to success is finding shade—especially in shallow lakes and rivers.
To get the most from your strips, keep your rod tip in, or very near the water. If you raise the rod tip, slack forms, costing you a good portion of your strip. Keeping the rod tip low is much more efficient, moves the popper immediately, and makes a stronger pop. In addition, this slack-free presentation results in more hook-ups. Avoid trying to pop the fly by moving your rod tip—you’ll only create more slack. For a more dramatic pop, try fishing a longer line.
Double Down. For those who wish to increase the odds of success in fresh water, I suggest the “popper and dropper” rig. A simple in-line configuration works best. Tie a 12- to 18-inch section of lighter tippet to the bend of the popper hook, connecting it to your favorite wet fly, such as a soft-hackle or Western Coachman. Strip to the tempo of the dropper fly, and give it time to sink between strips.
Casting Tip. Poppers are bulky, air-resistant, and sometimes heavy. Adopting an elliptical-style cast will save you heartache, and a few wind knots. Start near the surface and lift the rod tip gently to one side until the fly line is completely out of the water. Then apply power to complete your backcast. Ideally, the only disturbance to the surface will be the “exit splash” of the popper.
When I think back on my favorite fishing memories, many were made with a popper tied to my tippet. Whether you tie them or buy them, poppers are versatile, effective, and draw the most dramatic strikes imaginable—making memories that last a lifetime.
A popper with a dropper setup allows you to find aggressive, possibly larger fish with the popper, and warier more reluctant fish with the dropper. It’s also a great strategy in waters with smaller panfish where the popper hook may be too large for them. (Joe Mahler illustration) Joe Mahler is an author, illustrator, and casting instructor based out of Fort Myers, Florida. He is the author and illustrator of Essential Knots & Rigs for Trout and Essential Knots & Rigs for Salt Water (Stackpole Books). Even though he lives in an area known for saltwater fishing, he loves freshwater fishing for bass, bluegills, peacocks, and other exotics. Instagram: @Joe_Mahler | joemahler.com
