Thanks for all of the grand advise everyone, Buddy thanks for the pm. I was out of town for the weekend and upon my return and reading this there are some very good ideas for my friend and I to try and tune the poppers / sliders.

To answer one question on knots, the bugs are all being fished with a loop knot now but thanks for confirming that is the proper application for this fly.

Will have to try some tunning on the fly or while fishing. I knew that this would be a good place to pick your brains on a solution. Thanks.

Rick