Top Water Froggin, For Bass as a rule works best when used in weedy cover for Bass..but can be as deadly in certain open water and, seperate cover patterns as well. The gurgling sound and natural profile of Frog baits when presented correctly with the right gear and conditions will load the boat with Big Bass. I first use a technique of Pulling them across pads, or mat's and hitting the open pockets with a stop and go hopping like retrieve. This is my most productive and favorite presentation for producing explosive top water strikes . Burning your Frog over the top of thick slop and matted weed is also deadly for Bass buried in the thick cover.
When Bass are in an aggressive, and positive feeding mode they will have no trouble tracking down and inhaling your Frog . I will also employ a retrieve where I will burn my Frog over the top of a mat until it hits an open pocket then I will let the Frog sit in the pocket for up to a minute with a slight twitch , pause then repeat allowing the rubber legs to kick, and flutter in the pocket. This can and often does prove to be unbearable to bass and will force a strike out of natural instincts.
When faced with short strikes and swipes at your Frog these are usually signs of either neutral feeding fish or that you're working the bait too quickly and need to slow down your retrieve. A good plan of attack when dealing with short blow ups, and missed strikes is to use a follow-up lure, such as a Texas-rigged lizard, worm, or a weedlessSenko.
Once a Bass misses the Frog, immediately cast your follow up lure into the hole in the weeds created by the blow up. Sometimes Bass that are in a neutral or negative feeding mode and reluctant to take a Frog on the surface will hit your follow-up bait on the fall or the bottom. This also shows the versatilely of Frogs, like most top waters,not only are they an exceptional catching bait there are a good search lure as well.
Frogs can also be used to fish shorelines, flats, and sparse weed areas. These spots can be particularly good in low light conditions when bass are roaming and feeding. In these open water situations, fish Frogs with a slack lined jerk pause walk the dog swimming retrieve . Work your Frogs near visible cover like stumps, lay downs, docks and emergent vegetation. By bumping the bait into objects this will often trigger vicious reaction strikes, especially if you mimic a Frog in panic, trying to flee a predator here again a bass' natural instincts will take over and produce violent heart pounding strikes. When fishing a shoreline, I will cast the Frog right onto the shore and then hop it back into the water. This technique is deadly on Bass.
Always remember to keep your eye on your Frog during retrieves in anticipation of a strike. If a bass hits the bait and you loose visual contact, SET THE HOOK !!! . While a lot of anglers preach a Waiting to feel the fish or count to 3 technique after you see the bait disappear I feel this can sometimes be too long and result in missed fish. The key to the above hook-setting technique is to learn to know the difference between a strike, when the bass has the bait (i.e., it's no longer visible) or the splash of a missed hit. This will take some time to get the hang of and you will miss a lot of fish in the early stages , but it's worth learning to increase your chances of hooking that trophy Bass.
Froggin Tackle
My Froggin set up is a : Team Daiwa Light and tough Froggin Rod, Shimano Curado 6 to1 gear ratio, and 50 pound Power Pro braid.
My Set up for Follow up baits is a : 7 foot med heavy Kistler Senko Worm Rod with a Shimano curado 6 to 1 and 15 lb Yozuri Hybrid.
My Choice of Frogis a : Boze SUMO FROG
The Team Daiwa Light an Tough Froggin rod is a 7 foot 4 inch rod with a soft tip that will let you cast these Frogs way back in the slop, but it also has plenty of backbone to pull that big pig from thick cover. The soft tip allows the rod to load up under the weight of the Frog and will easily cast it a considerable distance with less effort . After a full day of Froggin, using a rod designed to cast Frogs will make a big difference in how tired you are at the end of the day. Any tournament angler will praise the merit of these specially designed rods.
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When Froggin', you want to use a reel with a high gear ratio to be able to pull bass away from heavy vegetation fast . High speed reels also take in line much faster at the hook set. This is very helpful when a bass grabs your Frog and is coming at you.
The positives of braid are many . Its abrasion resistance for heavy cover and its much thinner than mono and makes for longer casts. Braid also floats, This is a big plus for walking Frogs on the surface. The knot strength in also very high .
The Boze Sumo Frog is my choice with its solid body construction and lively legs.It also features a tail weighted system making the Frog float ever so slightly with its nose out of the water , and cast a mile. The Sumo Frog is also armed at the business end with ultra sharp Owner Hooks that have bone crushing penetration that wont let go.
One more note about the Sumo Frog...over the years I have tried every make and model of Top Water Frog and keep coming back to the Sumo Frog. Best on the market IMO.
Top Water Froggin' for Bass is an excellent technique for Bass in heavy cover,shoreline cover and lay downs, or when fishing for roaming bass in the flats with emergent weeds. Frog baits are a great choice and all the craze with tournament pros .
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