In all cases the lures are worked without a lot of fuss. Poppers and small propeller baits begin producing well soon after. Poppers normally do best in spring when worked gingerly in calm conditions and more aggressively in rippled water but the opposite can hold true. The main thing is to establish a cadence the fish want on a given day. With a Pop-R or Spittin' Image, I'll experiment with three different retrieves until I find what's hot.
Fish pick up on that cadence and know when the bait's going to stall and be most vulnerable.
That's when they'll slam it. With a walking bait it's important that you keep it coming steadily without pauses. Noisemakers like the old Heddon Chugger produce a big bubble disturbance that more closely resembles a feeding fish than fleeing bait. Poppers in larger sizes or of specific mouth design can produce a similar commotion. When worked with a sharp twitch, propeller or stickbaits spray a lot of water, but modern poppers can do that, too.