Revealed Jul 27, 2022 5:52 PM
On the flip of this century, the perfect frog lures for bass have been whichever ones you would get your fingers on. We had restricted choices for fishing heavy vegetation with something however essentially the most primary amphibians. Whereas some produced strikes and resulted in landed fish, most of those lures have been primitive—with subpar hooks, restricted shade schemes, and poor total design.
Then two issues occurred that put the frog industrial complicated into overdrive: First, braided line grew to become extra extensively accessible and extra persistently used. That meant that strikes that beforehand didn’t lead to fish catches have been now extra more likely to finish in success. Second, skilled angler Dean Rojas of Arizona confirmed that frog lures weren’t only for heavy vegetation, and weren’t solely efficient within the warmest temperatures. Rojas relied on a Boze Sumo Frog from Japan for a close to win on the 2004 Bassmaster Basic on South Carolina’s Lake Wylie, after which labored with SPRO to develop the Bronzeye Frog. With that product introduction, the common angler might purchase a frog that walked simply, didn’t tackle water, had superior Gamakatsu hooks, and got here in a variety of colours at an inexpensive value.
Rojas confirmed that these lures have been rather more versatile and dependable—and naturally, enjoyable—than their predecessors. After that, different producers stepped into the world. Some made merchandise that mimicked SPRO’s, whereas others branched out into totally different designs, new colours and sizes, and all kinds of purposes. Now it’s attainable to skip a frog beneath a dock, pull a large bass out of the thickest grass, and tempt bedding fish like by no means earlier than.
I attended the Bassmaster Basic Rojas practically gained with a frog, and since then I’ve been hooked on frog fishing in my house waters of the Potomac and all through the nation’s greatest bass fisheries. Listed below are among the greatest frog lures I’ve fished.
Why It Made the Minimize
Newcomers could make this frog stroll and skip, and within the fingers of an skilled it’ll dance.
Key Options
- Lengths: 90 mm (3.5 inches), 65 mm (2.5 inches), and 60 mm (2.3 inches)
- Over 40 totally different colours from fundamentals to forage-specific
- Gentle, slender physique design
Professionals
- Nice vary of colours
- Walks simply
- Skips effectively beneath overhanging cowl
- Top quality 2X Gamakatsu hooks
Cons
- After a variety of fish typically takes on water
Product Description
That is the frog that really modified the sport for the overwhelming majority of bass anglers, and whereas SPRO has enhanced the road with popping variations and different noisemakers, should you’re solely going to get one frog, that is the one. Every little thing about it’s premium, from the extra-strong Gamakatsu double hook that stands as much as your hardest braided line hook units, to the road tie, which is welded closed in order that your braid won’t ever slip out.
The residing rubber legs match the various colours and are left extra-long so to trim them to your liking—some anglers like them brief or uneven for higher strolling talents. Anglers simply beginning out ought to favor black, white, and possibly a frog sample, however among the all-time nice colours from SPRO embody Killer Gill, Nasty Shad, and Pink Ear. With these, you’re not simply restricted to imitating frogs and toads, but additionally all manners of baitfish.
While you’re studying the right way to fish a frog bait, one of many first expertise is strolling a frog. Creating the attractive side-to-side dance is exceptionally simple with the SPRO Bronzeye, which makes it probably the greatest frog lures for newbies and seasoned execs.
Why It Made the Minimize
The very best attributes of a strolling frog, mixed with a plopper-style bait, collectively generate explosive strikes.
Key Options
- Size: 3-inch physique, and 4 inches with tail
- Weight: 5/8 ounce
- Flush-mounted double hook
- Greater than a dozen colours
Professionals
- Constructed on Teckel’s slender hole physique
- Tail spins at any pace
- Substitute tails accessible and straightforward to put in
Cons
- Different choices could also be higher for gradual retrieves
Product Description
Lure-building mastermind Hideki Maeda of Japan has lengthy designed nice improvements for different corporations, however together with his personal firm, he’s been capable of let his frog obsession run free. The outcomes have been phenomenal, with all kinds of noise making amphibians hitting the marketplace for totally different circumstances. Not one of the others, nonetheless, have confirmed as in style (or have produced as many event massive bass awards) because the Sprinker. It provides a tail like that discovered on a Whopper Plopper to the frog physique. Reeled at any constant pace, the tail rotates on a free-spinning swivel, and creates a sound that calls fish from afar.
When it first got here out, and was in restricted provide, covetous anglers have been paying multiples of the MSRP to get one, however now they’re available at market costs. This lure is without doubt one of the best to fish successfully—simply solid it out and reel it again—and whereas the plastic is mushy it is usually super-durable, so even after plenty of fish it continues to run true with out taking over water.
One tip is to purchase further tails as a result of brief strikers will rip them off. Fortunately, the replacements thread simply onto the screw lock for simple restore.
Why It Made the Minimize
Affords a full vary of noise making capabilities for ultra-slow to warp-speed retrieves.
Key Options
- Size: 2.5 inches
- Weight: .5 ounce
- Cupped popping mouth
- Gentle-but-durable plastic collapses on the strike for higher hookups
Professionals
- Will be manipulated to make heavy “bloops” or slight disturbances, and the whole lot in between
- Strong vary of colours
- Very excessive hookup proportion, particularly on brief strikers
Cons
- Not as many colours as another manufacturers
Product Description
Not plenty of professional anglers discuss Booyah’s frogs, however rather a lot secretly stow them of their boats. That features this popping model, which may transfer a ton of water or just a bit, relying on what the angler does with their rod. Sometimes a popping frog calls for a gradual presentation, and this one does effectively in that occasion, nevertheless it can be used at average or quick speeds, and at every pace, it may be made to supply totally different sounds. Accordingly, anglers who hear the “Rice Krispies” noise of panfish popping on the underside of lily pads can replicate that, whereas those that need to make the lure extra froglike can obtain that equally effectively. The plastic is mushy, and even hesitant strikers appear to finish up with lip jewellery. Along with the mainstream colours, the Shad Frog shade is phenomenal through the shad spawn or within the fall, and the Pumpkinseed sample is improbable when bass are patrolling bream beds.
Why It Made the Minimize
Tremendous mushy child frog nonetheless casts a great distance and pivots on a dime.
Key Options
- Size: 2.25 inches
- Weight: 3/8 ounce
- Rabbit fur tail
- Top quality double frog hook
- 12 colours
Professionals
- Further mushy development and superior engineering translate into excessive hookup proportion
- Straightforward to govern
- Regardless of being small, nonetheless heavy sufficient to solid into the wind
Cons
- Softness makes it much less sturdy than another frogs
Product Description
Japan’s Deps is understood for providing distinctive, premium merchandise, and this little frog is simply that. It’s small, however nonetheless packs sufficient of a profile and indentation on thick grass to draw consideration. I used to be amazed at how simply it walked proper out of the bundle, and whereas I’m used to silicone or rubber leg materials, the rabbit fur is each bit pretty much as good. Even when the frog itself is sitting nonetheless, the tail continues to undulate and it doesn’t appear to mat up if put away moist. There are occasions when a standard-sized frog is an excessive amount of for finicky fish, and that’s if you need the Slither Ok. This frog does price somewhat bit greater than another fashions, however the efficiency is definitely worth the value. Should you like this line, you must also try their Buster Ok popping frog.
Why It Made the Minimize
Large with out being too massive to copy prey. It’s going to tempt large bass with out ruling out tournament-size fish.
Key Options
- Size: 3 inches
- Weight: .75 ounce
- “Catamaran mouth” helps stability, whereas additionally permitting the frog to spit and stroll
- Customized-designed hook bend and wire diameter
- Matching skirt tails
Professionals
- Casts a mile
- Will be made to stroll and spit with ease
- Good vary of colours, together with a number of distinct shad and panfish patterns
Cons
- Priced somewhat larger than many different frogs
Product Description
When bass are feeding on larger-than-average prey, or anglers want a kicker fish to shut out a event, typically it pays to go to a bigger mannequin. Large baits are additionally helpful when bass are beneath thick mats, and a barely heavier bait is required to get their consideration.
Megabass, one other Japanese purveyor of distinctive sort out, realized that and launched the spectacular Large Gabot. It’s nonetheless not an enormous bait by bass fishing requirements—smaller than many deep diving crankbaits and topwaters—nevertheless it’s bigger than the common hollow-bodied frog. However, it’s nonetheless not as massive as some others like SPRO’s King Daddy. Whereas it’s good for imitating an amphibian, it actually shines when bass are consuming bluegills or different small fish, because it has colours meant to mimic perch and bluegills, in addition to a number of sorts of shad.
Why It Made the Minimize
All the perfect attributes of typical “toads” however with the added advantages of the perfect hollow-bodied frogs.
Key Options
- Size: 4 inches
- Over two dozen colours
- Hole physique and hard-paddling ft
Professionals
- Not like most toads, could be fished at ultra-slow speeds and even stopped
- Collapsible physique leads
Cons
- Wants a separate hook (included in some packages)
Product Description
Whereas Stanley might not have launched the primary “reeling toad,” their Ribbit contributed mightily to the popularization of the class, and it nonetheless continues to catch a number of bass at the moment, because of its paddling ft and easy-to-rig physique. Now they’ve taken that very same toad idea and married it to a hole physique, which signifies that it retains all of a reeling toad’s worth at excessive speeds, simply with higher hookup percentages.
In the meantime, it may be fished slowly, and even stopped, with out sinking (that’s an enormous benefit). The High Toad, which additionally is available in a popping model, works greatest with Stanley’s 5/0 Double Take Hook, which is included in some packs. Strong black is a superb all-around selection, however there are plenty of totally different variations of greens and coppers that higher imitate frogs, toads, and panfish. One sleeper shade is Cricket Frog, which contains a gentle blue backside. I’ve had plenty of success with this sample on tidal rivers and in tannic water.
Why It Made the Minimize
The Gavacho walks and pops with ease, and is the suitable measurement for good hookups.
Key Options
- Size: 2.75 inches
- Weight: ⅔ ounce
- Six colours
Professionals
- Straightforward to work
- Casts an extended distance
- Covers many conditions
Cons
- Doesn’t come via cowl in addition to a strolling frog
Product Description
There aren’t many instances I don’t have a Gavacho tied onto my line as a result of there aren’t many conditions the place it doesn’t excel. If I’m fishing a pad area, I can convey the bait into a gap and stroll it in place. If there’s some chop on the water I can pop the frog. I’ve no drawback shortly strolling it down a weed edge. The one time it doesn’t shine is in actually thick vegetation as a result of the cupped face doesn’t come via cowl as cleanly because the pointed head of a strolling frog.
I additionally like that working the Gavacho takes little or no effort, and the slim profile means I get extra eats with fewer brief strikes. The hooks on it are the suitable thickness, so that they gained’t bend out if you’re winching a fish from the slop, however they’re skinny sufficient that they nonetheless penetrate simply. One other design characteristic that aids in hookup ratio is the mushy physique, which simply collapses and exposes the hooks. —Scott Einsmann
Different Nice Frogs
An incredible frog for when bass are brief putting and you could downsize to stay them.
The Honker could be walked or run like a buzzbait as a result of as an alternative of rubber legs it has tiny Colorado blades that spin and gurgle when retrieved.
The Z-Man Goat ToadZ is constituted of Elaztech, so it floats and it’s extraordinarily sturdy. The fluttering legs put out a pleasant bubble path for protecting water.
The Bully Wa is without doubt one of the greatest strolling frogs accessible. It has a decent side-to-side stroll that’s simple to create, and it comes with stout hooks that stand as much as the heaviest cowl.
Frogging Gear
You’ll be able to’t throw an unweighted senko and a frog on the identical gear. It pays to have a devoted setup for frogging. Listed below are suggestions on the suitable gear to make use of for fishing frogs.
Line
Frogging isn’t a finesse technique, and also you want a heavy line to energy fish from thick vegetation. Most anglers use a 65-pound to 80-pound braid straight to the lure. Most of the greatest braided traces work effectively, however Energy Professional Maxcuatro is a stand out.
Rod
The very best frogging rods have a quick motion and a heavy to further heavy energy. Most anglers will desire a 7-foot to 7.5-foot rod.
Reel
A reel with a excessive gear ratio helps to shortly decide up slack or burn a frog in for the following solid. The most effective frogging reels is the Shimano Curado DC.
Issues to Take into account When Shopping for Frog Lures
Cowl
In open water, frogs can have much more transferring components, however in heavier cowl, and particularly the place there’s a number of fibrous grass, swivels and pivot factors can get matted up. A lot of the hollow-body frogs and reeling toads do effectively in matted grass, lily pads, and even fields of particles, however essentially the most streamlined baits do the perfect. Every time you need to clear grass off your lure, you miss out on a chance to maintain that bait moist and entice a strike.
Forage
Bass actually feed on frogs and toads, however they’re omnivorous, so don’t merely consider “frogs” in these phrases. It is a class of lure that does effectively to copy terrestrials, panfish, and shad as effectively. Take into consideration what you’re making an attempt to mimic not solely when you think about what sound your frog will produce, but additionally when choosing key colours.
Pace
When protecting huge expanses of water, you’ll desire a frog or toad that attracts fish from their recesses. For instance, the Sprinker frog could be labored shortly down a weed edge or over open water. However when concentrating on bass on hyper-specific items of canopy, you’ll need one which’s at its greatest when fished slowly. Right here, a strolling frog like they Bronzeye frog is right as a result of it strikes facet to facet slightly than straight ahead. While you get actually good with a strolling frog, you may stroll it with out transferring it ahead.
FAQs
Q: When do you have to begin throwing a frog?
Whereas the perfect frog fishing usually doesn’t happen till the post-spawn, some devoted anglers use them within the pre-spawn and for bedding bass. In these conditions, don’t anticipate many bites, however the ones that you simply get will probably be from larger than common fish.
Q: What line is greatest for frog fishing?
There isn’t a motive to make use of any line however braid—usually in 50- or 65-pound take a look at—when fishing topwater frogs. That’s very true in vegetation, the place the skinny diameter and lack of stretch helps anglers winch massive fish out of heavy cowl.
Q: What shade frog lure ought to I exploit?
Many specialists declare that frog shade doesn’t matter a lot, they usually completely use both black or white frog lures. Different skilled anglers imagine that since they’re topwater lures, solely the stomach issues. It pays to have quite a lot of lure colours for instances when fish get finicky—or after they’re feeding on particular prey like sunfish, perch, or shad.
Methodology
I’ve been a frog fanatic for a very long time – certainly, the Basic the place Rojas made his mark was the primary one I attended as a media member – and today my frog field (or containers) overfloweth. Whereas I journey across the nation and likewise internationally to fish for bass, my house waters are the Potomac River, which is a grassy bass hideaway the place there are occasions when you may’t fish something however a frog or a heavy flipping weight. Accordingly, I all the time have no less than two or three frog rods able to go. And with the proliferation of snakeheads (a species that loves frogs greater than bass do at instances), I’ve discovered which fashions are most sturdy.
Ultimate Ideas
There’s no extra thrilling approach to fish for bass than with the perfect frog lures, however on the identical time it’s a tactic that may be exceptionally irritating. They’ll typically swipe on the lure or smack it halfheartedly, and since a lot of the fight takes place in heavy cowl, there are invariably misplaced fish. However, in simply twenty years the business has handled anglers to an ever-increasing vary of frog choices—one which grows always. Get some braid, get a reasonably stiff rod, collect up among the prime frog choices, after which determine which of them work greatest on your private home waters.
