Every bass fishermen has their favorite styles, colors, and techniques that they love to fish. However, there is one thing that all fishermen can agree on, and that’s the enjoyment of fishing a topwater frog. If you enjoy frog fishing, then April and May can be some of the best action of the year.
The Frog
One of my favorite forms of topwater is the “frog.” I’m sure that I’m not alone in that. Everyone loves throwing a big, bulky frog into a large patch of grass with hopes of having that explosion of water from a monster fish engulfing the bait. The frog has been around for many years and comes in almost every size, style, and color. Almost every bait company has their own version of a frog, and we all have our favorite one. My favorite frog is a black one that I’ve used for many years and barely has any tail left on it from how beaten up it’s been. My more recent favorite is a “popper” in a bluegill color.
Why and When to Frog
There are several reasons why the frog pattern flourishes this time of year. One reason is that early morning bass are still feeding on shad from the shad spawn. Shad will spawn on all sorts of cover, including grass and lily pads. A topwater frog in a shad or white color can mimic this forage. Another reason the pattern works so well is that bluegill also begin to spawn. They can mimic the small bream and sunfish that move around to shallow cover to spawn. Thirdly, is simply the habitat the bass like to use during the transition into summer patterns. Heavy cover, such as grass, hydrilla, lily pads, and even boat docks provide shelter from the scorching summer sun.
Froggin’ Weapons
Regarding froggin’ equipment, I use a 7’6 Extra Heavy Duckett Incite rod with a Lew’s Custom Lite reel. The Duckett Incite series has larger rod guides which is stronger for a heavy line. The Lew’s Custom Lite is one of the best casting reels I’ve ever used, and you would be surprised how that can be a benefit while froggin’. I can cast the bait back into think cover as far as I can see. For line, I prefer a braided line and go with Seaguar Smackdown Grey in 50lb test. It’s easily castable, strong and will cut through heavy cover.
So, grab yourself a 7’6 ft Extra Heavy Action rod, some tough braided line, a frog of your choosing and go find yourself some “bassy-looking” cover. I promise you will get some bass action that will last in your memory for years to come.