Very very cool!
Was your retrieve generally quite quick? Or did it vary?
Surprisingly, the best retrieve was very slow, nearly a figure 8 retrieve, just enough to get it to create a solid wake. Some days they definitely liked a hard pop with a small pause before the next one.
Did they strike when the fly was not moving, or did you have to twitch and retrieve it to trigger a response?
Generally they would only take it while moving. That last part before it takes a look at the fly though, the fish smashed it after I stopped stripping and let it sit there for a second.
Also, why did you tie in the black foam (i presume) piece under the pink/orange foam. Was that just for extra floatation and/or to help create more wake?
The black foam causes a lot more of a wake. My buddies were just doing the shell back flies, and this version of a popper was hooking up around 3 to every 1 they were getting. I find these flies create more of an air bubble type effect in front of them, rather than just a wake - even at slow speeds.
What size hook? I hope you do a fly tying video?
Hook was a size 4 saltwater gammy hook. I don't have any fly tying videos quite yet. I might put together a step by step one of these days though if there is interest.
Thanks for the comments everyone! Definitely give it a try, it's great fun!
Cheers,
Dan