Patience and concentration must be used at all time. You aren't exactly tightlining for catfish but you certainly shouldn't be as active as if fishing for trout. I try to visualize the fly dropping through the water column and it's action as I make small 2" to 4" strips of the line. That is if your fishing still waters. Think if pictures that you've seen of mosquito larve. They may wiggle but they really don't move very far. Same is probaly true for most nymphs and other crustaciens.

As for poppers. No matter what size your fishing just toss it out there with a "Splat" and then forget about it. It drives the fish crazy.

Greg