What frog's to use and tequniques

[seal]

Gonna try that frogging thing this summer. Purchased a couple different lures and gave them a try out at Mead a couple weeks ago. Just wanted to check out the action and try and figure out the retrieve. One seemed to be a topwater slow retrieve the other seemed to want to swim. Didn't really like the action, the topwater one might have been ok. I saw a guy last summer working one in the major salad at Silverwood and he had it hopping just like a frog, saw him get slammed! I love the topwater bite and think it would be a blast to get hammered on a frog.

Questions-

What are some of the better frog lures and colors, topwater and swimming action?
Any tequniques and advise on how to retrieve?
Also have some fly poppers in frog pattern and looking forward to trying those out, any advise fly dudes?

Thanks!!!

[dockboy]

Bobby's Perfect Frog by Snagproof. Easy to find, well-designed, and very versatile. You don't need every color either. I go with a green, a brown, a white, and a black. For the Perfect Frog, those colors for me are; Cicada, Mink, White, and Yellow Head Black. They all work well, but visibility is the key from me in froggin. Not all the strikes are big explosive flushes. A lot of times Ive had fish just suck'em down like they were trout rising to a mayfly. I want to maintain visual contact with the bait as much as possible. White in bad light, black in shaded areas like willows and cottonwoods where the a lighter colored bait is hard to see, and brown or green when its midday. I also throw a Bose bait that is basically a weedless spook, forgot the name but if you want the info its on the Tacklewarehouse site.

Rods are variable, but there are many versions, gotta find what you like. For open water fishing, I prefer more of medium heavy or heavy with a soft tip. In cover, I use a rod that is heavy like a flip stick, but also softer in the tip. Frogs dont weigh much, and accurate casting is key. I often find the difference between getting hit and getting ignored is putting bait in that 6"-1' of water between the cover and the bank.

There are many ways to fish frogs and as many places to fish them. The first thing people think is heavy, matted vegetation. So are tules, docks, flooded trees, brush, etc. That is a good start but don't be afraid to throw them in isolated cover and open water too. Bill Siemental has kicks butt fishing his Spro frogs in open water up shallow, in lakes with almost no heavy vegetation, along with a lot of other pros here in SoCal. Two years ago (I think...maybe three), my bud Cory D. took a tourney in October at Havasu fishing frogs in open water also. Walking them is a great technique also, has produced me some good fish :Smile:

Oh yeah dont be surprised if the frogs like it too...it the area has bullfrogs, and you're in the right area, you'll eventually get a couple big bullies looking to chow down on their younger cousins lol

[calico killer kevin]

Harrison Hoge Superior Frogs are great baits as are Spro frogs. The most productive frogs for me BY FAR are the Sizmic Toads. They have been killer for me everywhere. Open water, moss tops, and lilies. They are my go to baits for any topwater structure fishing. I like any of the dark green patterns especially Bull Frog and Watermelon Seed.

That's weird, I've never even thought of fishing them at Silverwood. Cleghorn in the dead of summer would be perfect.

[seal]

Bobby's Perfect Frog by Snagproof. Easy to find, well-designed, and very versatile. You don't need every color either. I go with a green, a brown, a white, and a black. For the Perfect Frog, those colors for me are; Cicada, Mink, White, and Yellow Head Black. They all work well, but visibility is the key from me in froggin. Not all the strikes are big explosive flushes. A lot of times Ive had fish just suck'em down like they were trout rising to a mayfly. I want to maintain visual contact with the bait as much as possible. White in bad light, black in shaded areas like willows and cottonwoods where the a lighter colored bait is hard to see, and brown or green when its midday. I also throw a Bose bait that is basically a weedless spook, forgot the name but if you want the info its on the Tacklewarehouse site.

Rods are variable, but there are many versions, gotta find what you like. For open water fishing, I prefer more of medium heavy or heavy with a soft tip. In cover, I use a rod that is heavy like a flip stick, but also softer in the tip. Frogs dont weigh much, and accurate casting is key. I often find the difference between getting hit and getting ignored is putting bait in that 6"-1' of water between the cover and the bank.

There are many ways to fish frogs and as many places to fish them. The first thing people think is heavy, matted vegetation. So are tules, docks, flooded trees, brush, etc. That is a good start but don't be afraid to throw them in isolated cover and open water too. Bill Siemental has kicks butt fishing his Spro frogs in open water up shallow, in lakes with almost no heavy vegetation, along with a lot of other pros here in SoCal. Two years ago (I think...maybe three), my bud Cory D. took a tourney in October at Havasu fishing frogs in open water also. Walking them is a great technique also, has produced me some good fish :Smile:

Oh yeah dont be surprised if the frogs like it too...it the area has bullfrogs, and you're in the right area, you'll eventually get a couple big bullies looking to chow down on their younger cousins lol

Really appreciate the info, thank you!

Frogs on frogs, how do they fight? That is way too funny! I love walking the Spooks so walking them should be a blast. Was thinking about the Spro so will definitely pick those up. I have a medium action 7 1/2 ft that should do the trick.

Thanks again!

[fongster]

Don't mess with mono, even if it's 20#. You want only braid such as Power Pro. 40 or 50# for open water/light mat and 65 or 80# for thick heavy mat or tules. You need the braid to set the hook and get the fish moving especially with a long cast.

[dockboy]

Yeah good point fongster. Braid only. You'll miss bites and increase your fish mortality when you do hookup on mono. 30lb in open water, 50 or 65lb. in cover.Walking them takes some practice. They don't walk like a spook, you have to be fairly precise. Make sure the rod still has a lot of butt, like broomstick status in the lower 3/4ths of the blank. You just want enough tip to walk the bait or throw it easily without having to overpower it. Too much give, and you won't get nearly as many hookups:bite ratio. And if you do hook them, with softer rods a good fish can absolutely cornhole in the heavy stuff, even on stout tackle.

Lol. The frogs aren't really fighters, but it will give you a laugh when you are fishing your bait in a grass pocket and a big *** bullfrog does a kamikaze sumo jump onto your bait. Had one while I was dock fishing that I accidentally hooked and came off on the dock as I was swinging him up for release. he just sat there for about a minute and looked at me (he was scowling, i swear) like i was just a giant speck of smega :ROFL:

[bblbasser]

The zoom horny toads and the strike king rage tails are alot of fun too. Fish em like buzzbaits on the straight grind, or you can wind, pause, twitch, whatever. The fish eat em up real good when conditions are right. You can fish em on 3/0 to 5/0 EWG hooks, Falcon hooks (weighted) for a faster retrieve/windy conditions, or the specialty screw lock type hooks if you feel the need and you can fish em on the same tackle you throw spinnerbaits and buzzbaits with. Oh, and my hook up ratio on the spro frog is much better for whatever reason than other hollowbody frogs.

[Ragetron]

I've had some good luck in the summer with the SPRO frogs. Like some of the guys said above, you can throw them in open water too. Vary your retrieve and see what works. For me it seems that I get hit most often on the pause. I like to pop. pop. pause. But try varied retrieves. Good luck. Getting hit on top is about as good as it gets.

[seal]

Thanks for all the info guys! Gotta get to the tackle shop now and blow some more cash.