George Daniel’s Secrets to Catching Smallmouths on Poppers

George Daniel is known for his books about Euro-nymphing and streamer fishing, but he also loves to catch smallmouths. In this video, he shares his time-tested techniques for rigging, pattern selection, and presentation. Perhaps his most important point is that you shouldn’t overwork your flies on the water. A popper may beg to be popped, but George argues that you must resist the temptation, as he prefers a much subtler way to impart action that will attract smallmouth strikes.

Soup to Nuts

Use a leader with a robust butt section that will help turn over wind-resistant patterns. To make your own, use the 60-20-20 formula. For instance, an 8-foot leader should start with 4’8″ feet of 50- or 60-pound test nylon, followed by 19″of 15-pound-test nylon, and a 19″ tippet of 12-pound-test fluorocarbon.

He also keeps fly selection easy, with just three patterns: A Boogle Bug, a foam popper, and an Ol’ Mister Wiggly.

To get better hook sets, extend your arm before you raise the rod tip. This allows you to pick up more slack before the hook set.

Water conditions should dictate which leader, flies, and techniques you use.

But the real secret is how George fishes a popper. The first thing to remember is: Don’t POP It! Instead, you want to impart very subtle action, only after you let all the rings from the initial impact dissipate. Watch all the way to the end of the video to see George’s demonstration of “waking” a bug. The way he raises the rod tip and then makes quick strips to get the the tip back to the surface is ingenious. It keeps slack out of the presentation and allows you to maintain control.