Only thing I can think to add for missed popper takes beyond too big of a hook for little bream is that I may have too small of a hook gap for the bream to be hooked. If the popper is too large for smaller bream, I would use a smaller popper. If the hook gap is too small, I would use a larger hook or a smaller popper body.

Or the bream just grabs a part of the fly material (like a rubber leg or tail) and quickly swims off with it before other bream can get it without a solid take or bite (the whole fly is not in the mouth of the bream). This might be why some bream are foul hooked. For this problem, I don't know of a cure. Just the nature of the beast .

Sometimes bream are called smackers because they smack the fly off the surface when they bite. Never heard of or seen bream using their tail to slap the fly. After I cast the popper, I just give it a short line strip and let it sit. Sometimes the bites are very light (like a sip) instead of a loud smack.

I agree that sometimes waiting for the weight of the bream on the popper is good but I would be careful because if the bream have the popper too long, they could spit it out. Slack line has lost me bream also. Sometimes I have even had bream on a solid bite, good hook set, and with a tight line, and still have had them somehow work the hook loose and spit the fly. Stuff happens . Good luck.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"