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Dozer02



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 37

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:05 pm    Post subject: Hollow bodied frogs. Reply with quote

Greetings folks, I just wanted to share some of my thoughts on one of my favorite post-spawn/summer techniques, those squishy frogs that some of us often forget to deploy when the temps rise in the summer months. I'm a topwater fanatic of all types, there are very few bass techniques that can get my heart racing like the explosion of a fat bass on my surface presentation. I've been using hollow bodied frogs for over 35 years now and the best part is that they keep evolving into more enticing morsels that bass just can't seem to resist! Just after the spawn, I'll always have a hollow frog tied on a heavy action rod spooled with #20 test flourocarbon line in the boat. These baits are at their best when fished in thick, sloppy weedbeds, twisted hydrilla or lilly pad clusters but all too often, they go unused in open water, this is a huge mistake! More often than not, the surface of the water may look like a mirror in the summer but underneath that seemingly open, barren water, there's likely a complex variety of bass holding structure, it doesn't have to be much, a submerged weedbed can hold a ton of big bass, you'll never even know it's there if you can't see it. This is where your electronics help. There are many other forms of structure that can be there as well, like submerged rocks, roadbeds or timber. Weedbeds, both submerged and boyant, provide bass with virtually everything they like/need. Shade, ambush cover, forage and abundant oxygen are the essentials of a bass's survival, weedbeds provide all of the above in excess. When you're plowing your frog or other weedless bait through that slop, remember to keep in mind that those same sloppy weeds are almost always present below the water line as well, it'll seem like you're fishing out in open water to other anglers but you're actually frogging over prime fish holding structure, this also offers the advantage of visibility from the fish's point of view. They'll see your frog a lot better in that "seemingly" open water. Another advantage here is you don't necessarily have to use a weedless bait. Bass have been documented to strike a top water bait from as deep a 40' down! Another point I like to emphasize is retrieve speed & type, we all know to "walk the dog" this is similar to teasing a kitten with a piece of yarn, they'll attack it every time....almost, When I can't get a bite walking a bait, I won't switch lures until I try varying my retrieve, sometimes the bass want a presentation more reminiscent of a buzzbait, just a steady retrieve, that will usually trigger that "reaction strike" that we're all so familiar with. Another retrieve would be the "pop-pop-pause" this can yield some of your biggest topwater strikes of all! That little bait is challenging that monster bass underneath it. That big, often lazy bass will likely just sit & watch that frog zip on by above it on a "normal" retrieve, but when that frog has the nerve to stop & just sit there, that bass usually just can't take it! An explosion is imminent! This most commonly occurs when you target cover, like a fallen tree or a lilly cluster, I like to cast well beyond the strike zone and erratically retrieve the bait right into where I think the bass will be, then just stop! I'll let it sit there for up to 30 seconds before initiating a couple very light twitches, trying not to move it out of the zone and once again, just stop. The largest Ct Largemouth of my life came doing this back in 1984 while fishing in the Ansonia/Derby reservoir. There was a half submerged willow that had fallen a few weeks prior, over a flooded road, I was using a plain green Snag-Proof frog, working the shady cover on the shore, I had a Zebco Deliar analog scale back then and it indicated 9+lbs. That bass was 26" long and almost broke my #12 Berkley Trilene due to an improperly tightened drag! Luckily I was able to loosen it before it snapped! The main thing to remember when using hollow frogs is to not overreact on an explosion, lightning fast reflexes will likely send your frog flying through the air, possibly smacking you in the forehead...yeah I've taken a few frogs to the forehead! (lol) Give that explosion a second or two before slowly bearing down to set the hooks, I like to wait until I feel the fish and then set. Probably 90% of you already knew what I've mentioned here but if I can help out the 10% that may not be familiar with this technique, then that's a good thing! As always, be safe on the water, enjoy the season and remember...Winter is coming.
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RD54



Joined: 21 Jun 2014
Posts: 27

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nicely written Dozer. Thanks.
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Scorpio



Joined: 24 Jul 2013
Posts: 73

PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great explanation, thanks Dozer! I have a question though. I love using my booyah pad crasher but I've had a lot of frustrating hits where the lure just comes flying right out the fish's mouth when I try to set the hook. I've tried to set the hook immediately, I've tried waiting a second or two, and I've even tried a longer pause before the hookset and it still happens far too many times for me to not be doing something wrong. Do you have any advice, tricks, etc to share on that topic? Thanks in advance!!
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Statenheimer



Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

@Scorpio - I have recently made it a habit of bending my hooks out further so that the points are at, or just below the tallest part of the frog body. The further protrusion of the point, combined with the new angle they are at has helped to increase my hook-up ratio.

If the frog does happen to get upside-down, or underneath some cover it is slightly less weedless, but has thus far not been a problem for me.

Hope this helps.
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Dozer02



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 37

PostPosted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Scorpio wrote:
Great explanation, thanks Dozer! I have a question though. I love using my booyah pad crasher but I've had a lot of frustrating hits where the lure just comes flying right out the fish's mouth when I try to set the hook. I've tried to set the hook immediately, I've tried waiting a second or two, and I've even tried a longer pause before the hookset and it still happens far too many times for me to not be doing something wrong. Do you have any advice, tricks, etc to share on that topic? Thanks in advance!!


This is quite common and frustrating when using any weedless topwater bait. What I like to do is watch the explosion and just stop.....do nothing at all until you just start to feel the fish pulling your line, only then do I set the hook. This takes a tremendous amount of discipline! You should also watch your line closely, they'll sometimes grab your frog and swim toward you! One of the most important things you can do is add a scent cover (often called fish attractant) like Bang shad or garlic. This can make them hold on long enough for you to get a good solid hookset. You should also try bending your hooks up as mentioned, don't go too much, just tweak them enough so that they stick to your finger if you rub over them. I like a heavy rod for frogs, usually a heavy action 6'6" baitcaster or a medium heavy spinning outfit spooled with #20 braid if I could get away with it. In clear water, I like Berkley Vanish or any good fluorocarbon in 14 or 17 lb test, depending on cover type. If a bass blows up on my frog and misses (hit's it & spits it) I usually throw one follow-up cast with the frog, if it doesn't hit it again, I'll immediately throw something else like a soft jerkbait, Texas rigged soft plastic or a Senko type worm, this will often tempt that fish into biting. Those type of hits can often be heavy fish so I'll pursue them for several casts with a few different presentations. I also "fan cast" that whole area just in case that big hitter is on the move. Hope this helps your frog bite out! Enjoy!
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hila2006



Joined: 22 Jul 2011
Posts: 582
Location: Ellington

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, very good info. My dad was a big fan of top water to. Anything from a Jitterbug to a hollow frog, got my love for it from him. I do prefer a Zara Spook,prop type top water myself. I do agree, the excitement if the explosion is awesome.
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Dozer02



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 37

PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hila2006 wrote:
Hey, very good info. My dad was a big fan of top water to. Anything from a Jitterbug to a hollow frog, got my love for it from him. I do prefer a Zara Spook,prop type top water myself. I do agree, the excitement if the explosion is awesome.


Oh yeah, we all love to "walk the dog" with the Spook or even newer presentations like the Sammy or Top Dawgs. The zig-zag motion of "walking" type baits have been scientifically proven by marine biologist's to trigger the attacking instincts of predatory gamefish, even when they're not hungry. Their Achilles heel is their treble hooks inability to work through the slop of summer, where those big lazy summer bass protect their eyes from the strong sun and ambush their food while also enjoying the benefit of enhanced dissolved oxygen levels. This is where our fat little frogs truly shine! They plow through just about anything, even those errant casts over tree branches, but their ability to slide through lily pads is a real treat to all bass anglers! If I'm fishing topwaters over rip-rap or featureless banks, I'll usually go with the Spook. I like a Pop-R type bait for early morning structure fishing, like the length of a partially submerged tree. Buzzbaits are also a great semi-weedless option to trigger a reaction strike but you can't stop them near a prime piece of structure to tempt those apprehensive lunkers that might otherwise pounce a paused presentation like a frog or popper. I've fished whole tournaments with great success using a single Spook when the fall "bank bite" was on! The fact is that many small ponds & lakes get overrun by matted weeds that simply cannot be effectively fished by anything other than a hollow bodied bait.
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