Cracking the code on "impossible to catch" albies and stripers sipping on micro bait. Combines topwater commotion with a perfectly matched finesse trailer The popper draws attention and incites aggression; the fly delivers the subtle, eat-me profile that these finicky fish are locked in on.

About the Popper:

The Hogy Classic Charter Grade Popper is a simple, easy-to-cast floating popper in low-contrast colors like translucent white (bone) or amber. It’s not flashy—it’s deliberate. The popper serves two jobs.

• Casting Vessel: It delivers the trailing fly with precision and distance, even in wind.
  
• Noise Attractor: It throws just enough splash to pull fish up without spooking them.
  
• Unique Edge: Heavier than the Micro Chug, making it better for casting in wind or reaching deeper fish—especially when paired with a teaser.

About the Fly:

The Hogy Protail Fly is built with Hogy’s proprietary blend of Protail plastic—a durable, supple material that holds its shape and flash even after repeated strikes.

• Weighted Balance: Internally weighted to maintain posture and hang time in the water column.
  
• Subtle Flicker: Adds a natural, erratic pulse as it suspends about 18" behind the popper, mimicking a wounded baitfish.
  
• Strike Zone Presence: Hangs perfectly during the pause, staying in the strike window longer than fast-sinking alternatives.

Pop n’ Fly Retrieve

• Rod Tip: Mid-high (10 o’clock), steady between pops
• Angler Input: Strong, deliberate pops with extended pauses
• Reel Speed: Moderate—retrieve slack and manage teaser position
• Effect: Splash draws fish in; trailing fly delivers the strike—ideal when fish respond to noise but eat finesse
  

Approach:

1. Once the surface activity has been located, slowly motor to the outside edge of the feeding area, making sure to quietly approach the school.
2. Make a long cast towards the outside edge of the surface activity.
3. Use a slow, sharp twitching motion for surface popping action. Utilize occasional 5-10 second pauses for finicky fish.

Capt. Mike’s Notes

I’ve been using this setup for a few years now and even today it still surprises me how well it works. The popper throws a sharp clean splash, just enough to get the attention of fish tracking micro bait. Then, as it pauses, the fly behind it starts its little dance, fluttering, flickering, sinking ever so slightly into the zone. You’re watching the surface, waiting for the next pop, and suddenly, bloop, the popper vanishes and the line comes tight. Just like that, you’re into an albie or bonito.

Last October, fishing off Cuttyhunk and western Buzzards Bay, this setup was pure gold. The bait was so impossibly small—anchovies and pin-sized silversides—that nothing else in the box looked right. Soft plastics were too bulky. Jigs got ignored. Even the epoxy jigs missed the mark. But the Pop n’ Fly combo cracked the code. The popper got their attention and the fly delivered the match-the-hatch confidence they needed to eat. It was the only thing they’d touch. We went from ghosted casts to full-on runs in just a few drifts.