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First, photos from bass caught on the frog
in past few years-
NOTE: they keep getting bigger, I've been getting this down better every
year!
Or skip these 16 photos and go down
to the meat of the article
here:
A trip to Otay Lake
(So. Cal.) Sept. 2007
in San Diego County
on Sept. 12th, 2007 netted me five nice fish on the frog in one afternoon;
the biggest breaking off my 50# braid while trying to horse her out of the
tulle roots she'd shot into in, and one was only a 3 pound 'dink'.
These other three averaged
a little over six
pounds each.
Click on photo to enlarge.
First of my three biggies was a 5-14.
Click on photo to enlarge.
The second one broke off, then I
got this 6-10, a real hog
and my new PB (personal best) on a frog.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Another frog in the mouth shot.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Then my fourth was a dink - 3 pounder (can you believe I can
call a 3 a dink? Well yeah, with the other being sixes!!!)
Click on photo to enlarge.
The fifth was also a lunker and almost
lost in tangles,
but fought her out. She went 6-1 pounds.
So the 'top three' here ended up
weighing in at 18-9, WOW!
About Otay - how to pronounce it.
My fish-board namesake is otay michael. You pronounce the 'tay' part like 'tie', as
in O-tie, accent on the o, it's Spanish, the lake I grew up fishing close to
the Mexican border in South San Diego. Used to bike the 10 miles out and
back with my friends and brothers every Saturday to fish it.
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BIG
frog action from
Barrett Lake, So. Cal.,
in the spring of
2008
Click photo to enlarge.
On a trip to
Barrett Lake (East San Diego county, So. Cal.) on 6.4.'08 I landed this monster. It is my PB
(personal best) for that
lake, and WAS my PB for frog fishing coming in at 6-14-- for a little while
anyways.
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El
Capitan Lake,
east San Diego county.
August of 2008
Click on photos to enlarge.
8.24.'08
August of '08,
I got two nice bucketmouths,
one 5-6 and one 5-8 in just a couple of hours
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California Delta,
September of 2008
Click on photo to enlarge.
The left one was 6-8 and the right went 7-12.
These beauties all came on the frog.
In one day at the California
Delta I netted, literally and figuratively, three
fish for a total weight of 18 lbs 2 oz.
(Almost beat my Otay Lake record for three at 18-9!)
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MORE nice frog action from Barrett Lake, So. Cal.,
in the spring of 2010
Click on photos to enlarge.
A nice 4-3 caught on a Spro Black popper frog - 5.8.'10
Another Barrett Lake (East San Diego
county, So. Cal.) beauty; a Northern bass caught out of that brush
some 20 yards behind me, thank GOD for braid and heavy duty rods so you can
pull 'em out of the muck. NOPE, that is not dirt behind me, that is
floating debris (very small wood chips) covering pockets of water between
large boulders and freshly flooded brush! NOTICE IT'S MID-DAY! Plus,
without a stout rod there would be no way I could have pulled her and her
sister through, and over, all that brush like I did. Prayed like crazy, and
I got them to the boat.
Click on photos to enlarge.
The Spro Black popper frog still in it's mouth-
5.8.'10
Click on photos to enlarge.
A 4lb-6oz I'd got a few minutes
earlier, notice frog down it's throat on pic above? Got one this size again
there four days later too. What a blast!!!
_____________________________
Click on photo to enlarge.
Choke Canyon
Lake, Texas.
Find the bass? It's under all the grasses, something that happens sometimes
fishing the frog. This from a trip to Texas in Nov. of 2010.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Lake
Amistad, Texas. A self portrait at one of the best bass fishing lakes in the
world. This Spro popper got engulfed by a few nice ones after this picture,
while I waded in chest high water tossing to the bushes in 6' not far
further out. AND, it tricked an eight pounder the next morning, light was
about the same, but I farmed it during the hookset. Again, Nov. of 2010.
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How to fish a
topwater
frog.
Originally written 6.10.'05
(with some updates thru 9.'11)
OK, I've spent weeks of time using the frog since
September of last year (2004) [and as of 11.'10 it 's now been 'months of time', going on
'years of time' before I die, Lord willing], and as with a lot of lures that you look at and
say, 'I don't know if a bass would really eat that thing', I said just that
with the frog!!? I had one in the tackle box, but after trying it here and
there and not getting anything I'd switch back after 15 minutes and go to something I knew worked, like a crankbait, popper or a plastic
worm.
Click to enlarge.
My first frog fish at Barrett, September of 2004.
But the frog, worked like either a popper
or a spook, works great,
better even in many instances. The good part is that it's weedless and a
popper is not. You can throw it into tulles and trees and brush and wait for
a couple of seconds and then twitch
it once or twice and hold on for a violent hit from an angry or hungry bass.
Most of my hits have been within one second of it landing, so they are
ready for anything to come by to ambush it, meaning not far from the
surface.
And this is very important. You must start you cast, if casting
from a boat, up on, or at, the shore- NOT five or six feet from it (unless
there is no incline on the shore and it's only inches
deep, then start in a few inches of depth). In fact, if you think close is good enough in some instances you
could fish this lure for hours and not get bit, but if you had started it
from the shore the results could have been 5 in the boat, instead of getting
skunked. Read that sentence over again until it sinks in.
Click on photo to enlarge.
This one hit my frog after I tossed it under the trees.
AGAIN,
I often throw it onto the shore and work it into the water. If you are a
good caster, the first 12 inches of shore is good too. Around bushes,
stick-ups and trees, which we now have a lot of in our San Diego lakes, I
toss it up under or right next to them. This is important to remember, RIGHT
NEXT TO THEM. Four or five feet from the bush and you have just cut your chances down
to only 10% to get one. They just don't like getting out of their 'strike
zone' or the area they feel comfortable to try and capture something. They
have learned that things too far off usually get away and they don't want to
expend the energy 'wasting it' even trying.
Tulle fishing? Toss into them, not only on the edges. 10
times more fish live in them than along the edge. Especially the
'pockets'. With braid, I toss over and into some of the pockets, then
horse them instantly after they inhale the frog
Click to enlarge.
This northern bass from Barrett Lake
liked the chartreuse
colored frog.
But sometimes you can surprise yourself. I've even got them at lakes far
from shore and brush in open water. I once saw a cruiser about two feet down
cruising and thought, "naw,
he'll never go for it". I cast it to just above his head, he turned and
looked up, and within two seconds decided it was lunch time and ambushed it
with a vengeance- fish on.
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How to 'work' the frog.
The other problem I see with newbie’s I try to teach this technique to is that
they don't really know how to work the bait. Even excellent fishermen in
other techniques fail to work it right, meaning zero positive results (look
up getting skunked, i.e. 'U stink')!
Pattern number 1: Hop and pause it like a real frog. A real frog uses his legs and pushes forward, kinda
hopping in the water. Most newbie’s just give a half-hearted tug to try to
imitate this, and without any slack in the line first. This results in a
frog that scoots across the water, moving
slowly on the surface and not creating much action or attention. If you were a bass, would you then be fooled?
Don't
think so. I'll catch 10 bass to every one of my friends one if they
don't get that bait moving properly. The amount of hopping should be
varied to see what gets the best results. One day, or hour even, they
want it slower, the next faster, but either way, make it 'hop'. Mix it up and try to notice which get the
most action.
Click image to enlarge.
I'd caught BIG LIVE Bullfrogs on them before I actually
caught a bass.
Here is one of the many frogs that hit my plastic frog
at Barrett Lake. (See that small black lump his pushing against, that's
my lure!) I usually try and keep mine just ahead of the real frogs, as
the bass love hitting something being chased too, but this has yet to net a
fish and I've only done it that way a dozen or so time.
Pattern number two, 'Walk the dog': You must get a good movement going to
it, a back and forth action like a spook gets, if you have worked those. A
cadence that you begin and the effect is to almost walk it in the same place
without moving it forward much at all. This only works in open water as lily pads
stop this kind of action. Do this along the tulles or lily pad edges
and up under trees. A lily pad should be worked a lot
slower, unless you have acres to cover, then faster could be better. Then
again, you might switch to a paddle leg frog that covers more water and
saves you on the wrist pain hours later.
Now to accomplish this 'walk the dog' pattern, or the hop pattern for that
matter, you must have a lot of slack in your line so you can
give a decent pull, all the way to a violent slash, but because the line is slack the only
thing that reaches the frog way out there on the pads or whatever is an instant jerk, almost a pop
with the slashing. The best way is to use only your wrist, no arm what so
ever.
Here is a secret, don't tell
anyone: you want to move it hard- but not far. That way you can pull hard
again, and again, and yet hardly move it very far. But the distance it does move it moves
fast and hard sideways back and forth. That way you keep it in the 'strike
zone' longer, the area the bass are in, and the action gets them excited,
like the frog may be injured and be easy prey. When you just get off of
something floating, or work you way to it, stop it for a few seconds, that
is often when it will get slammed.
Pattern number three: mix the two up if the conditions call for it.
Toss it to shore, hop it a couple of times, work it over the weeds, grasses
or pads, and again, hesitate on the edges of them for a few seconds, then just twitch
it once or twice, wait, twitch, wait, then start the walking once in open water
back to you. The explosion could happen at any time, be ready mentally if
they do to concentrate on the next important part; setting the hook.
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On setting the hook.
UPDATE: 11.'10
BUT NO LONGER as of June 2010, I am now of the opinion, voiced by
professional frog fishing folks like Bobby Barrack, to set immediately, and
to set HARD. Why? Because many times a lunker will have you wrapped up in
stumps or tulle roots before you can say ooops! Get that head turned and
headed your way immediately. If that frog is not longer on
top, reel as fast as you can, feel weight and set the
hook, and never stop reeling. Button down that drag,
get her in fast.
On 'waiting' to set the hook- I've noticed the 'hesitation' technique,
which I'd used for years, it 'was the thing to do', has
indeed cost me some bigger fish. The reason waiting used to 'seem' to be a
better method is that smaller fish might reposition the bait and allow for a hookset
arter taking it down, but many smaller ones, under a pound even, still hit it good enough
for a proper, instant hookset I've found out. I believe the ones we miss
many times are even smaller, so it's going to happen.
IF they miss the frog, just let it sit motionless and many times they
come back around and slam it again, thinking they have injured it. This
will be easy IF you noticed they missed it right off the bat and didn't try
to land them with the hookset (like we try to do), as then the
frog should will be laying 1/2 ways back to the boat, or shore if you're on
it, nowhere near
where it would come back for a second try, it'd be too far away for them to
know where it's at! If
nothing happens, twitch it once or twice, and if still not work it back in
and then toss a Senko right back at 'em that you have at the ready.
Three out of four times that line starts moving off just after entry. I've
had nine pounders hit it again however, with casting it right back at 'em,
like this one below- how cool is that?
Click image to enlarge.
This eight pounder hit the frog two times in a row,
the second of course was the charm!
But no matter what, you now know where it lives, many times you just let it
relax, come back in a a half hour and WHAMMO, it explodes on the frog ALL
OVER AGAIN, how cool is that? I've done that many times now. I've also
returned and caught the same fish, off the same bush, a month later! How
double cool is that? (That's why we love catch and release, we, and otheres,
get the excitment all over again, and it you took her home you
WON"T EVER CATCH HER AGAIN!
ON FIGHTING THEM:
Also, a constant problem is I forget to lower the rod tip into
the water while fighting them. Why, because this will help to keep them from jumping. Once he
jumps, a large percentage of the time you can probably say 'adios basssola' as they can throw that frog all
the way back to your boat with their acrobatic vibrating head, as many of you
already know. Especially the solid frog body styles, they weigh more
and are easy to throw for them.
Bass use that weight as a leverage to get it loose. I 'surf' them back
in pronto with my heavy pole and braid line.
UPDATE: 11.'10
I've also learned that the pros set the hook like it's a 10 pounder that
they need the head turned pronto. Why? Becasuse it darn well might be one,
and you DO want that head turned and headed your way, so swing for the
fences like they do. I heard Gary Dobyn's has had smaller fish fly right
over the boat on his hookset, so let's get strong!
_________________________________
Best times to fish the frog.
I fish the frog, or a buzzbait, as soon as the water starts warming up.
In southern
California I can get topwater action about 10 months of the year to some
extent, and really good action for at least 7! I've hear it said if you hear
frogs, throw 'em.
Early morning and late
afternoon are a natural time but the warmer it gets out the more likely they
will hit all day long.
Don't forget, the best time is the dead of summer, when bass seem the
hardest to find and catch. Just toss kermit under trees and along logs
or over lily pads and hang on buddy. And mid-day is really good, you'd think
not, just early morn and afternoons is what most think, but I've had many of
my best days at
mid-day.
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Click image to enlarge.
Spro frog bass, 17", 5.24.'08 / Lake Hodges, California
Was asked which equipment to use,
thus this was added:
May of '08
What kind of line to use?
I use a heavier line now (at least 50 or 65# braid) (Note: as of June '08
I've gone to 80# Power Pro) due to the stuff you
throw in, on and around. If you are handy with both reel styles, use a
baitcaster so you can haul them in faster. Braid does not stretch so the hooksets are better than mono, which stretches and will not penetrate the
bass' mouth so well.
They also have special 'frog rod's' that have a strong backbone for good hookset
and a soft tip for long casts; but as with any specialty rod are
a bit expensive (from about $70 to $250, averaging $150). I will get one of these rods ASAP as I fish so much
topwater now. (5.'08 Got a Dean Rojas Quantum 7' PT 'frog rod' lately... sweet).
_________________________________
What kind of rods to use?
Here are some specialty rods, most just for frogs but
many can be used dual purpose as a flippin' stick. Prices are approximate as
of 5.'08.
Bass Pro Bionic Blade heavy flippn' stick;
Bass Pro Johnny Morris Signature Series Frog Rod that is 7'2" Xheavy Xfast
($170). That same profile is also found in their Nitro Big Bass Rods ($150)
and Extreme line ($100).
Crucial 7'11 flipping stick,
Crucial 7'2" medium heavy for about $100.
Dobyn's 735C (for 'open water' more) or a 736 (for yanking the out of
the trees) Champion Series Frog Rod
for about $190. 7'3" Hvy XFast - many
swear by these rods.
Daiwa Light & Tough Frog Rod 7'4" Heavy Tele Price: $129.95 / TL-74T-5FB.
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageRDCDAIWA-TDLTFR.html
Falcon rods - Bobby's perfect frog rod
www.falconrods.com.
Fenwick EliteTech Froggin Stik (ECF72H-XF).
G. Loomis Frog Casting Rod 863C 7'2" Med Hvy ($230)
Same Profile in GLX ($440).
Loomis has numerous other rods that would probably make good Frog rods in
sizes 7',7'1",7'3", and 7'5".
Loomis 874 or Loomis MBR844C heavy or the FGR863C.
http://fishermanswarehouse.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=2162
Kistler Graphite Plus Frog & Slop 7'3" Hvy ($150).
Lamiglas 806 or 797 for really 'thick stuff'. Lamiglass
Certified Pro Graphite 7'2" Frog Rod ($185).
Powell 735 or for the slop, cheese, etc. bump up to the 766;
Powell Max Flippen Rod 7'3" Med Hvy X-Fast ($200).
Quantum Tour Edition Dean Rojas Frog Rod 7' MH ($180).
St. Croix Legand Tournament SlopNFrog Rod is a 7" Heavy Fast ($240).
www.stcroixrods.com.
Shimano Clarus 7' H, fast action for about $70. Shimano
Cumara Rods have 2, 7'2" Med Hvy models that would probably be awesome Frog
Rods ($220).
Team All-Star Big Boy 7'2" Med Hvy Fast ($120).
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What kind of reels to use?
There are two thoughts as far as which reel to use. One is power, one is
speed. The best combine the two in my figuring, to horse them out of
problems areas pronto.
The Quantum Energy PT has a couple of nice features in that it has a very
fast pick-up of 7:1, most have 6.2:1 or 6.4:1, plus it has something like
24#s of drag, most have about 12 to 14!
Here were some of the recommendations I received when I asked on one of the
fish boards.
Abu Garcia, Revo SX for $149, or the STX $199
('09- I got the Revo, sooo sweet).
Daiwa 7:1 zillion, over $200.
Quantum Energy PT,$189.
('08- I got this one for my swimbait rod, also
sweet).
Shimano, Castaic,$169.
Update 9.1.'11 Just got a nice Curado 200E7, a 7:1
with 11 lbs. of drag, fast for setting hook and getting them out of tough
spots, and with enough drag to make sure I do get them out when they go in.
Casts a mile- AGAIN! Sometimes out reels get old and we think it's our fault
we are not casting as far, it's more about the gear needing cleaning,
or replacing.
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What kind of frog to use?
As far as which frog, I'm experimenting with them all. But to date, my
favorite two are the Dean Rojas SPRO PRO Bronzeye and the Snag Proof
'Bobby's Perfect Frog".
Bobby Barrack and Dean Rojas are both masters of this technique and have won a ton of
money on tournaments fishing them!
Bobby
Barrack's FROG EXPLOSION You Tube video
Bobby Barrack's Toad landed at the Delta You Tube video
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10.'09 UPDATE:
Man o man, the new Rojas
Spro 'popper' frog is the real deal, all of the new picture posts from Barrett Lake,
above, were on it.
Yes, NEW for 2009
The Spro 'Bronzeye Popper Frog'
Click here for a video by
frog designer / pro Dean Rojas on
his story about learning how to fish the frog.
11.'10 UPDATE
Still using this one, this exact pattern, and been
slaying them. Had an eight pounder absolutely try to crush it for
breakfast through a
batch of pod grass on Lake Amistad in Texas three weeks ago.
What a beautiful site seeing this lunker come out of the water, with my lure
and a pound of grass in it's huge mouth as half it's body follows that large
mouth up and out of the water, before slowly sinking back down to try to
swallow it's prey. Unfortunately, this time she missed, taking a
lot of grass, and my heart, back down to the depths with her.
AND, a lot of guys I fished with (on their 'back
seats' as I did not take my boat down there, just bummed seats thru fish
board contacts or waiting and asking at ramps) were getting a lot
more action in November in S. Texas with plastics, however they leaned that
frogs work mid-day as I constantly caught less, but bigger, fish on my
frogs. Water temp was still in the mid 70's, down from 95 degrees in August
and September- YIKES. But I heard the frog bite was off the hook and all
tackle stores were sold out of frogs there the month before- dang).
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Snag
Proof 'Bobby's Perfect Frog' 1/2oz - $6.99 - 9 Colors
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descpageHDTSNAG-SPPF.html
Click on photo to enlarge.
Snag Proof Tournament frogs.
This Snag Proof Tournament frog has been working for me just fine; just superglue the
front to the hook so the water does not get into the bait so easy.
_________________________________
My favorites to date are the Dean Rojas
SPRO PRO Bronzeye Frog. Comes in 17 colors and 2 sizes, the regular
at 5/8 oz, or the 'Jr.' at 1/2 oz.. About $8.
From the Bass Pro ad: Sleek, mean, and
perfectly balanced. Wild leg kicking action bass can't ignore. Specially
weighted to cast long and always land on its belly. Weedless design with
premium Gamakatsu® hook.
Bass Pro Shops- Rojas frogs
I see where there is a very heavy SPRO frog now,
a 7/8 ounce SPRO Jungle
Frog.
From an ad:
The Jungle Frog 30 is Spro’s newest weapon in
their ever growing arsenal of fish catching lures. The New Spro Jungle Frog
30 will get your heart pumping with the anticipation of the next topwater
explosion of that trophy fish. The realistic colors of the Jungle Frog will
entice the biggest and smallest fish. The Jungle Frog 30 has many features
necessary to fish weedbeds, lily pads and other types of grass. The most
important features of this new bait is the inter-changeable tail, adjustable
internal weight system, and the addition of a swivel inline with the shank
of the double Gamakatsu® hook. The swivel makes it possible to adapt the
Jungle Frog to various fishing condition by adding a dressed trailer hook,
skirted trailer, inline spinner or a G-Stinger for those short striking
fish. The Jungle Frog 30 has a realistic shaped body which keeps the
Gamakatsu® double hook in the best position to penetrate the mouth of the
toughest, scared fish in the water. Size: 7/8 Oz.
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River 2 Sea Bully Wa 65
Click photo to enlarge.
From the River to Sea ad page:
In many cultures the frog is a
revered animal, and our frog family Bully Wa is no different; only this
frog demands respect. Bully Wa is perfect for fishing on top of matted
weeds, but our unique keel shaped design makes this frog walk over open
water like no other. With River2Sea’s enhanced water seal on the hook
shanks, Bully Wa is now one of the most versatile frogs on the market.
This new bead feature on the belly of the frog minimizes the amount of
water that enters during the retrieve, yet allows air to escape on
hookset. This frog family includes three members, Bully Wa 55 ( 2 1⁄4 in),
Bully Wa 65 (2 1⁄2 in) and Bully Wa 75 (3 in). Armed with Gamakatsu EWG
Hook (Bully Wa 65), and River2sea’s Frog Double Hook (both Bully Wa 55 and
Bully Wa 75), these Bully Was will “bully” the bass in your lake into
striking.
 I've used this new one recently,
it has a clear
lip in front to help in the walking movement. This color is deadly at
California's Clearlake as a bird up there has these same colors and they eat
a lot of them.
Click photo to enlarge.
Here friend Tom Leogrande holds up yet
another frog fish he got on the 'tweet bird'
pattern with me up at Clearlake, CA in April of '08. He got all his with
instant hooksets, giving me the first hunch that the 'wait and set'
technique needed to be re-visited, and I eventually did.
http://www.river2seausa.com/t/bullywa.html
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Click on photo to enlarge.
Boze Sumo Frog- 16 colors-
Color Chart
2.75" Body plus 3" legs - 5/8oz.
Click on photo to enlarge and read specs.
Boze ZZ Walker topwater bait.
Here is the one I tried yesterday (kinda a legless frog, worked like a 'walk
the dog' hardbait) most of the day at Hodges, getting 6 blow ups and one
fish in the boat. Not bad considering a month ago I only got two blowups all
day. If this bait came a bit smaller I'd like it more, fish two pounds and
smaller had a hard time trying to eat it. (The bass at Barrett Lake, an east
San Diego County reservoir, of 2 pounds and
up, had no problem eating it.)
The bigger bass (2 lbs and up) will eat this better, I had some smaller ones
trying to.
_________________________________
Click on photo to enlarge.
Reaction Innovations 'Swamp Donkey'
Length: Body: 2.75", Legs: 3", Weight: 1/2oz
Notice the long strands for legs? Too long? For most folks yes. I trim them to 2/3'rd the
length, if not 1/2 if I really need to get the 'walk the dog' pattern to be
exaggerated, and to prevent short strikes.
Here is what they say about it at Tackle Warehouse.
Reaction Innovations Swamp Donkeys may be the best designed hollow bodied
frog bait on the market today. This relentless attention to detail has resulted in new
innovations like an all new double hook made exclusively for Reaction
Innovations. This hook features turned-up points for more positive hookups
and will keep the points from digging into the body of the bait, a real
problem with other baits, greatly increasing your hookup ratio.
The body
design of the Swamp Donkey is longer and narrower than other similar baits,
giving a better walking action in open water and the ability to come across
the heaviest cover. The nose of the Donkey will not slip back down the hook
like other hollow bodied baits, and the material is very soft but is
extremely durable and will rarely tear. Attention to detail and innovative
design sets this bait apart and you'll know that it is up to the quality
standards of all the other great Reaction Innovations products.
Note: I personally have not thrown the swamp donkey yet. Some have
high praises, some say it's their least fav of the selection. (Note: 11.'08,
I have thrown it this year, it was ok).
_________________________________
Here is Tackle Warehouse's link to many frogs and other soft baits that are
for sale:
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/softbaits.htm
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Soft Plastic Toads
YUM buzz frog
Here are a few brands of the toad style lures-
Zoom Horny Toad,
YUM Buzz Frog,
Stanley Ribbit or Stanley Bull Ribbit (5 inches long!), Uncle
Josh’s Sizmic Toad,
Gambler’s Cane Toad,
Mann’s Hardnose Toad,
GrandeBass Mutant, (more of a
creature bait but makes a great wake bait with all of it's appendages) etc..
They are generally between 2 ½ inches to as big as 5 inches long. Most have
a slot either in its belly or on top to accommodate a hook. In effect, the
toad is a soft plastic buzzbait. The benefit is that they can be fished
where buzzbaits would not work, such as lily pads, weeds, matted cover,
etc.. Most toads have paddled legs which really kicks up the water, thus
attracting bass from a distance, meaning you can cover a lot of water- and
that's a good thing right?
 Click on photo to enlarge.
October of 2005,
Seewald in So. Africa
This smallie fell to a Zoom 'Horny Toad' frog imitation. I had
great topwater action on it too. It's a new lure for me and working
wonders. I had limited space to bring a set of lures/plastics to So.
Africa with me, but I made sure I had some of these.
It has two feet that kick up a storm as you
reel it in. It's not a real frog type bait in that it will not float
if you stop the retrieve.
And as a friend reminded me,
"To help keep weeds and slime off of the bait use a
glass or plastic bead in the front of the bait."
That is something
I've just started to do, and it works wonders. I use it in front of
the Senko's now too, it saves a lot of those from tearing.
Oh yeah, here are some hooks that are becoming very popular and I recommend
them. They are a screw-in hook (there are a few styles) which will
considerably extend the life of your toad (or fluke). Depending on the
toad, the hook acts like a keel to keep the toad upright as you retrieve
it.
Typically, a 3/0 – 5/0 EWG (Extra Wide Gap) hook should be used.
_________________________________
Fishing 'fluke' type baits.
Fishing 'bass assassins' or a similar fluke type bait works well too, and if they miss
it you just
let it sit and they will hit it again one or two seconds later to get the
'injured minnow' they have left stunned for lunch on the surface.
Click on photo to enlarge.
A type of bait, general name of 'fluke'.
Again, wait to 'load up' on him before you set the hook. Don't swing
because of the blow up, but watch and feel for the weight of the fish
and then do so. (Same as spooks or buzzbaits for that matter, I keep
working it like they never hit until I feel their weight and then speed up
the retrieve and swing. They don't throw
these flukes as much, as they are not as heavy, so you can hold up the pole
and watch them jump. That's the fun part, unless you are in a tourney and
it's important to land him. I always toss them back after getting a picture,
and come back in a week or two and try to get them again. Many times I do,
and sometimes a year later even when they have added another pound or two!
Click image to enlarge.
Here is one that hit my fluke SIX TIMES, worked topwater herky-jerky as slow as
possible to keep it from sinking. It was last Christmas at the Colorado
River in Arizona. A local pro said, 'too cold
for topwater' after I asked. Tell that to this bass that I got out from under a weed mat
along the edge of the main
river. He hit at it five times in a row in five casts but the weed mat was so thick
he had a hard time grabbing it. Sixth time was a charm. Gill
hooked caused the excessive bleeding.
_________________________________
Blessings, I hope this will help some of you that tried it but gave up.
Shore fisherman can do this parallel to the shore, or working those trees
and bushes now out in the water. If you are new to these techniques let me know how you did
when you tried them, OK?
Michael Seewald
AKA
Otay Michael
Article and photos copyright Michael Seewald.
No legal use without written permission.
_______________________________________
Seewald takes 4th place,
with the frog,
in local tournament. August 27th, 2005,
"Just for fun", a 'sdfish message
board'
bass tourney held at El Capitan, east San Diego County.
The
gun went off at 6:15 am to start (not really a gun) and I heard the roar
of the boats from the launch ramp, which I was still at launching my boat
'Answered Prayer'- oh well! I was now in my first San Diego County
fishing tournament, how exciting. I said hi to a couple of fellows I
know from the fish boards and went to work (fishing that is). I worked a
point 4/5ths of the way to the trees at the far north end of the lake. It
had produced months earlier but two hours of trying my best with hula
grubs and various topwater lures produced the big zero.
I decided to move down to the trees, where after I arrived I realized I
should of gone immediately because bass were busting
everywhere. Two guys said they already had two keepers in their live-well.
That was heartbreaking as I was skunked so far and it was
nearing 9 a.m..
I tried flukes and other assorted topwater there, with the occasional
spinner bait and plastic, but still no action on my line. I sat back
and thought, what could I do different? The sun had burnt the clouds
away and the heat was starting to get unbearable almost instantly. I could hear the fat lady singing and it was now only 9:30, with
three hours left to fish before we had to be back at the docks for weight
in.
I
realized Barrett Lake (in the mountains of dry, eastern San Diego County) had
the same hot weather and the bass loved the frog there, at
least the ones under heavy growth/trees, even at noon, so I tied on a frog
and started working the trees. 15 minutes later I
saw an explosion under a big tree that was half submerged, as most were,
but it was on the other side of the trunk. I tossed the frog into
the thick brush still growing in it. I did not see it land as it
went into and through the brush, as close to the 'explosion area' as I could get.
I kept an eye on the line though and noticed it was moving, so I cranked
down and set the hook- fish on, Thank U Lord. I beefed him out of
the brush and prayed he would not throw the hook, as he jumped pretty
high. I realized he was a nice keeper at that point and
grabbed the net that was at the ready. I landed my first bass; it was sweet to finally get
one; it picked up my spirits quite a bit. Surprisingly, it had hit that
frog gently, slurped it down, and this was the first time of getting one
like that. In fact, all four hits were that way that day. Weird.
I
continued my approach of tossing the frog under the trees but it was tough
as the frog constantly got hung up, not hook wise but just the line would
tangle around the tree branches. If I did not get into the dense
stuff I got no hits. Well, it must have reached about 105
degrees by noon, but I was happy with my results. I had landed two
out of possible three fish I hooked into and had watched one really big
bass come out of the water and try to eat the frog that was stuck up in
the branches. I would lower it down and let it dip in the water,
then raise it up to the branch a foot up, trying to get some attention. It was
about 5 pounds and he slowly came up, big ol' mouth wide open and almost
getting up to the frog at the top of the pull. Believe me, I was
excited and cheering for that big guy to get up there and eat it, but he
only gave it half a try and failed, costing me first place, as well as
one that hit the frog and I failed to reel down first before swingin',
amateur mistake. You have to keep your wits about you or you can
miss a hookset really quick.
I
got out of there right after the drawing, I think everyone did. I was so
hot from fishing in the sun it took quite a while to cool down, even with
the air condition on in the van on the way home.
Click on photo to enlarge.
My two frog fish, netting me fourth place out of 11 teams
(I fished solo) on a very tough bite day, most got skunked.
_________________________________
About Buzzbaits Buzzbaits
work wonders too, as weird as they too might look, but watch out once
you learn those, bigger bass for sure get stirred up and enticed due to all
of the action and noise generated. The bigger the bait size, the
larger the fish caught generally. My biggest bass to date (my PB it's
called, or 'personal best') came off of this bait in April of '08.
Click to enlarge.
Well, here she is in all her glory, weighing
in at 8 pounds 10 ounces.
Previously my PB had been 8 1/4, caught on, you
guessed it, a topwater lure. It was with a Rebel popper back when I was a 'kid'-
about 17 years old. But as I'd
quit fishing for 30 years I've made up for a lot of lost time on fishing top water,
don't you think? It's because of other generous fishermen that post 'how to'
on the internet, like I do now. Pass it along folks, help others out
when you get a chance. Take a kid fishing too.
_________________________________
Update
September, 2008 Well, I really killed
'em this year, as some of the pics at the top of this article prove. But to see
the day I got over 20 on the frog , averaging 3 lbs each,
see my 2008
report here. Scroll 2/3rd of the way down to the
Clearlake report marked
Frog Day,
7.22.'08
_________________________________
ALSO NEW for 2009
Bass Pro Shop
'BigFoot Frog'
5.25.09 I recently made a combination hollow body and kick-leg from
two different baits as I wanted to have versatility in my frog that none
had. I liked a sit, wait, pop but also one that could attract once it worked
it's magic next to a downed tree or in a tulle or lily-pad type area.
Then a couple of weeks later I found someone had the same idea and BPS now
sells them, it's called a 'bigfoot frog'. I got a few three weeks ago and
have been having a blast, pausing them, popping them, walking-the-dog with
them and 'buzzbaiting' them over large open water shallows or along weed
lines and nailing bass w/ each technique with it, just as I'd wanted. Plus
it's under $5 and holding up darn good for how many I've gotten on the first
one still- so far a 6, a 5 two 4's and a couple of dozen 2's down a Barrett
Lake, God's gift to So. Cal (kinda like Clearlake or the Delta without the
steroids- as in lack of bigger modes due to most being a northern strain
largemouth).
The BPS 'Bigfoot' frog.
The first sign of damage, which will happen with any of them eventually, is
the tearing at the entrance hole instead of the hook exit hole, which is
interesting. It's a darn good deal overall.
Hope this helps land you some big ones. When you do, don't forget to
thank the good Lord that made it all happen, and count your 'lucky stars'
you were born to fish. And have a heart and take a kid fishing when
you get a chance, it's more fun than getting a big one when watching them
get one too, knowing you made a difference in their, and thus 'the', world!
Ok? Blessings, MS
PS Someone on a 'fish board' (discussion board
on fishing) informed me of this kicker style frog out there too (don't know
which came first, but this one runs $7.50 average). Legs look a bit thin
(can get torn off easy) but high quality Owner double hooks:
Snag Proof 'Bass Kicker Frog'
_____________________________
So, what's the biggest bass
ever caught on a frog?
Well, I might guess this posting about
a 15.77 lunker could be that fish...
WOW, must have been a real thrill, huh?
Click to enlarge.
Mark Keyes 15.77 ACWRL tourney
(California Delta),
June 27th 2010- Big Fish
The following was written JONATHAN ASHCRAFT and posted by
him over on WesternBasss.com.
"Congratulations to Mark, that fish was just
awesome and he did everything right from the hook set, to getting her into the
boat.
Mark was throwing a Snag Proof frog on 30lb Power Pro braid with a Lamiglass rod
and a quantum reel.
She fell for the Snag Proof 'Bobby's Perfect' Frog shown here:
http://www.basstackledepot.com/snagproofperfectfrog.aspx
I just heard a BIG KABLOOOSH and turned around to see the head shake, right away
I knew it was a DD fish, but it was buried in the salad. Mark kept that rod bent
and was grinding it in, I get the TM on high and go to her scoop the salad, as
now we don't see the fish at all, go to lift into the boat and the neck of the
net just bends down, so I quickly lean over and grab both sides of the hoop as
Mark grabs me by my pants to keep me from going over. Lift her up and start the
unveiling process, layers upon layers of salad to reveal this beauty of a fish.
We were shaking, high fives and hugs go around the boat. Now for the part of
putting her in the livewell, we had to press her gills in to get her head to fit
into the livewell - Shocked. ...
Again well done to my friend Mark, I am honored to have been there, netted that
fish and be apart of that moment of a lifetime for both of us. Thank you my
brother."
Ash
______________________
Click photo to enlarge.
A Spro and two River to Sea frogs. My frogs get worked
pretty good in a season, most of the damage is done from the wicked places
they've been tossed into, or over, and expected to do their thing. Thus,
they end up looking like these in a few days of 'work'. But they are
salvageable, see pic below. 
Click photo to enlarge.
Spros, Spro poppers, Bobby's Perfect frogs, River to Sea.
My frogs get new legs every other season or so, and go back to work. This
batch got renewed in June of 2011, just before I went to the Snag Proof Open
up at the California Delta-
Story here:
http://www.seewald.com/2011_july-dec_.htm
______________________
Frog Updates 2010/
2011
Click photo to enlarge.
Koppers Live Target Hollow Body Frog Winner of the
2010 ICAST - Best Soft Lure Award - the Koppers Live Target Hollow Body Frog
is one of the most detailed and realistic frog baits to ever hit the market.
Anatomically correct with unprecedented detailing, it sits in the water on
the pause just like a real frog - tempting bass from below. Designed for
fishing way back in the thickest mats and vegetation you can find, the body
of the Hollow Body Frog is extremely soft, providing excellent
collapsibility, and easily exposing the bait's super sharp wide-gap
double-hook. For anyone who loves catching bass on a frog, the Koppers Live
Target Hollow Body Frog is hard to miss.
I've just rec'd two of these, used, of an eBay purchase, and will throw
them soon (ASAP), the detail is incredible, which is needed when stopping
it in clearer water, as you would when you got into a clearing of lily pads,
between grasses, etc..
|
Koppers Hollow Frog |
Length |
Depth |
Class |
| FGH45T
|
1-3/4" |
0 feet |
Floating |
| FGH55T
|
2-1/4" |
0 feet |
Floating |
| FGH65T
|
2-5/8" |
0 feet |
Floating |
2011
Strike King's
KVD frog.
Click photo to enlarge. Have not
purchased this frog, just found out about it. Looks
like a marriage of a Spro and a Koppers. |
