FROG FISHING FOR VERY HUNGRY BASS TIPS FROM A PRO

Across the country, bass are either in their post spawn patterns right now or they will be soon. There is a plethora of ways to catch these bass, but my all-time favorite for getting bit and drawing in a big one is a hollow body popping frog.

A popping frog can be used as an incredible search bait, and you can duplicate many different baitfish depending on where you throw it and what color you tie on. There are many different options out there. I try to duplicate the baitfish forage in the particular lake I’m fishing. Sometimes I use a frog to imitate a bluegill, and sometimes I throw a shad color pattern. 13 Fishing makes an incredible popping frog that comes with a stout hook and a wide variety of colors for any scenario.

When I throw a frog as a search bait, I work it faster than most. Cover as much water as possible until you put a pattern together on what exactly the fish are focusing on. That’s the magic of a frog; you can literally throw it around everything! Docks, lay downs, grass and open water are just a few of the targets I look for. Once you locate a group of fish or put a pattern together, slow down and pick them off a little slower. I have noticed sometimes there isn’t a “too fast” while working a popping frog.

A couple things I look for this time of year are bass guarding fry and also fish roaming the banks feeding on bluegill. This is very predictable and an awesome way to catch big ones. Typically, if you know a few areas where the fish previously spawned, these patterns will occur in the same areas. I throw a bluegill pattern popping frog because bluegill chase bass fry, and that drives bass crazy.

Another pattern to watch for is a shad spawn. This occurs in the mornings and evenings and can lead to a bunch of fish in a hurry. Look for birds feeding on banks while running down the lake. Find the birds and you find the bait! A white popping frog or a baitfish color is typically my choice in this situation.

A popping frog can work all year long, but it really drives post spawn fish crazy. Who doesn’t like catching fish on a topwater with heavy line and a heavy rod?

Frog Fishing Gear

Heavy gear is needed for setting those big frog hooks and fishing around heavy cover. I fish a 13 Fishing 7’4H Omen Black rod paired with a Concept A 8.3 reel spooled up with Seaguar 50-pound Smackdown braid. This setup allows you to get fish out of heavy cover and into the boat!