On the main river I float for smallies, the dead drift with big poppers brings up the big smallies. I couldn't figure out why until I got a 'toon with a standing platform. From that vantage point I could see the ledges underwater that the smallies hid in. Almost all fish were caught on a complete dead drift. I think they snatch it just as it pops into view from their lair.
This is not a numbers game for sure but the fish are always big. If it's numbers I want I do the traditional hitting the shoreline and giving the fly movement. The fish are almost always smaller but there are plenty of them.
Ain't smallies grand?