Article
Date: 07-11-2007
Big Blow-ups Crush Frogs
Those that know me know that I love tossing Frogs! Years ago my daughter Emma loved to watch my frog when I made my little Snag-Proof wonder dance in a shade pocket only to get exploded on by an aggressive largemouth. Designed by pros, the Snag Proof Frog is the frog of choice for the West’s Top anglers. It works great and sits on the back edge of a weed line like a real frog. The silicone doesn’t clump or mat up. Now with even more new color schemes they’re awesome. Still 100% weedless and very affective!
Once you’ve tried to fish a Frog you’ll know how effective (and FUN) they can be, but still many anglers shy away from these hollow bodied wonders as they miss so many fish. Then recently I had the chance to talk with Delta Legend and Fishing hall of fame inductee Dee Thomas. Thomas has been a fixture in the Bass fishing community for nearly 100 years now or at least has that much knowledge of this game.
Thoroughly disgusted with recent tournament results on my part, Papa Dee reminded me to fish to my strengths in as many different areas away from the crowds as I could. Even though I new of areas with higher concentrations of fish, but also much more traffic. Taking this into consideration the last couple weeks I have been doing just that and getting amazing results.
I started putting things that Thomas had taught me years ago to work as I remembered 
things I have picked on in his approach over the years, It’s no secret that current and shade are the key areas. Most anglers over the years have been miss directed a bit when it comes to fishing frogs. Always looking for that thick cheese on mats as the tide drops out is a mistake. Those kinds of areas hold fish but often they lack current and oxygen if they are too thick. The weeds in these areas really get matted up laying on top of each other making its almost impossible for a bass to come through and bite the bait tough for the bass too move then they will leave. These real thick areas are best on the higher tides when the Cheese is floating and loose, then targeting these pockets is really good.
Everyone likes the mats; the mats that are really, really good are those with that stuff, a lot of the guys call hippie grass. It’s the stuff long and stringy straw under the water. The next is the big broad red leaf that in on the water. The cheese is really good when it is loose with lots of holes. These holes sometimes get covered with the red dust from the tulles as the bulbs break in the wind. These holes are really good ‘cause they are clear of weed and still have some shade. These fish will get under the red stuff and they are really easy to catch, sometimes they’re real big.
Its so simple, yet my clients often make it way to hard and just throw at the wrong stuff throughout different periods of the Tide. Anytime you have the red leaf and the hippie grass and you have water running over the top of it. And it’s not too deep and the current is not too fast the fish will set-up underneath it every time. This grass floats and as the tide drops it lies out over the water. This gives the fish shade and still is thin enough for the fish to move through.
Most of my clients ask, What do you do to increase your hook-ups when fishing the frog? First of all I use Snag Proof, I have tried the others but these are the best. To give the frog a little better bite I have been known to make a modification or two. The simplest opening up the hooks with a good heavy pair of needle nose pliers will help. I have learned to widens the set of the hook and turns the hooks up a bit. Be careful, not too much, you still want the bait too be weedless. Then I touch the hooks up with a good bastard file, just enough to make them sticky. Sometimes guy get I little too ambitious and do more harm than good. Everytime I will then goe after the legs to give the frog a bit thinner profile around the hooks. Starting just off the body Use a smallest zip tie you can find and zip down where the legs meet the body, Years ago Thomas liked to make seven wraps with his braided line then ties it off. Braid sometimes would cut the leg when pulled tight, so I have now gone to the zip-ties faster and easier. Then trims the excess leg and shortens the live rubber strands to about two inches. After completing this minor surgery on both sides of the frog he is ready to fish.
I always use a stout 6-3/4 to 7-6 foot rod; . The key for success is body and rod positions, fish the frog with the same technique as a Zara Spook, Rod pointed down, with a twitching motion (changing cadences to figure out what the fish wants). When the fish jumps on the bait set the hook right away by swinging straight up. This gives just the right amount of time for a good hook-set. I use Quantum Cabo series casting reels and 65 pound Stealth Line. Since those encouraging words of a couple weeks back, My bite is back on, and as far as hook ratio now it is really close to 9 out of 10 blow ups. Enjoy!
Pennies
on the dollar for fishing rods, reels, baits, lures, and more?
You be the judge!
