Frogs and More Frogs!
Ask just about any fisherman and they will tell you that the most exciting type of fishing is top water fishing. It is a thrill to see a big ol’ fish just bust through the waters surface. What is even more exhilarating is seeing a hawg of a bass explode through a matt of vegetation. What’s the best type of lure to use in this type of situation? Yup, you guessed it, FROGS! Plastic frogs can be thrown into the thickest of vegetation. Frogs are best thrown using a 7-7’9 foot heavy bait caster with 40-65lbs. of braided line. The weedless nature of the frog makes it a hassle free lure for any skill level.
The two most popular types of frogs are floating frogs and soft plastic frogs. Floating frogs are plastic frogs that do not sink. The Spro Bronzeye frog is an example of a floating frog. Their unsinkable nature makes them ideal for thick vegetation. They are easy to cast and simple to use. They can be retrieved in a number of ways, such as: stop and go, walk the dog, steady retrieve, or popping.
Soft plastic frogs are different then floating frogs because they sink. The Zoom Horney Toad for example has a kinking motion that when retrieved is activated causes commotion in the water and sinks when it is not reeled in. The best ways to retrieve a soft plastic frog is to: burn it, steady retrieve on the surface, steady retrieves on the surface and occasionally pausing (this pause will allow the bait to sink and fall right in front of the fish under the cover). Soft plastic frogs are best used in open water, lily pads, and sparse vegetation.
There are many different colours of frogs on the market. To simplify color selection, use natural colours like green, brown, white, or black. These four colours can be used in any water clarity and anywhere in the country. When the bite gets tough don’t be afraid to change things up! Try a colour you had no intention of ever using. Sometimes its decisions like this that can turn your day around and get you a limit.
If you have never used a frog lure in your life, then you are definitely missing out. The next time your at your local tackle store don’t shy away from the frog isle and pick yourself up some frogs. I promise that you will not be disappointed when that monster fish crashes the surface and inhales your lure.
‘Till next time: May your hook sets be Massive and your fish be Monsters!
-Peter Natev
garrad said this on June 8th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Hi
I see that you fish the bow alot, and So do I, 3 to 4 evenings a week and on june 7 2009 I found a spot where there is a pike infestation. I fished the same spot on june 7th and 8th for 3 hours each night. On June 7 I caught 4 pike in the the 7 to 10 pound range on my flie rod on a leach patern, then I went back on june 8 and caught 8 more on my spinning rod with small blue kicking minnows. This spot Im fishing is very close to the 17th ave bridge SE Calgary. People don’t believe me but on june 8 I took a few pics and I have an eye witness. I’m wondering if how much of an impact they are haveing on the trout and White fish. I talk to fish and game june 8th and they said trout and white fish numbers are down in this area and that there should not be very many big pike if any, but there is. I asked if I could keep any pike they said yes 3 no size limit. It says nothing in regs about pike. So on june 8 I kept 1 and when I cut it open it was full of eggs. Maybe they are try to spawn late or the cold water is making them spawn late. Or They are there because of the construction at the wier creating alot of slow moving water. Have you run into a Pike infestation.