You should be fine as long as you know the limits of your boat and stay aware of the weather. I use chartruese and white clousers only. They work great and are easy to tie. I haven't personally used poppers, but topwater (from the board) is a fly fishing guide out there and uses them when conditions are right. He said you dont catch nearly as many fish, but the few you get are fun to watch strike the popper. If the fish are schooled up and in the top 30 feet, it can be amazing. They are like pirhana when they attack in schools. I really like it when the water is calm and you cast to fish you can see. Its also cool when you watch one run about 30 feet to T-bone you at a full speed. Look for the rips, watch the birds, the surface, and your finder. It should be a great year.