Froggin’ for Summer Bass

As the hills behind the cove started to go pink in the failing light of the sun, the breeze lost its ambition and, at once, the lake went still. Crickets started serenading the approaching evening and a deer came down to the water’s edge for a drink.

About that same time, a frog entered the water near the grassy bank with a faint splat. The green critter sat motionless on the surface as the concentric ripples caused by its entry dissipated. A moment later, it started across the cove, most likely headed for a distant weed mat.

The frog’s powerful hind legs made a distinctive sound as they propelled it through the water with a steady rhythm.

Glug – Splish – Glug – Splish

Crossing a gulf of black water between two weed beds, the frog’s journey across the cove came to a violent and abrupt end when the water below it exploded. The splash sounded like a bowling ball had been dropped into the water from an airplane and it sent the deer running for cover. Before it ever knew what hit it, a coffee can-sized mouth opened and vacuumed the frog whole. Seconds later, the water was still again like nothing had ever happened.

For all of you amphibian aficionados out there, take heart. No live frogs were hurt during the writing of this column. The one in the story was a rubber frog made by SPRO and it was attached to my line. Unfortunately, no largemouth bass were hurt, either, as I completely missed the hookset on that fish – a good 5 pounder.

This is, my friends, time for topwater froggin’ on just about all of the bass lakes (and Delta) in the area, and it’s one of the most exciting types of fishing you’ll ever do. When a big bucketmouth blows up on your lure, your heart is guaranteed to skip about three beats.

Generally speaking, froggin’ is prime late in the summer when the weather’s hot. You’ll do best fishing early and late in the day, but there are times when the fish are crazy for frogs and will eat them all day long. It’s a pretty simple affair: find some shallow water with lots of cover (and baitfish, preferably) and start pounding it with faux frogs.

I like 1- to 3-foot deep flats that have lots of weeds and nearby access to deep water, but the backs of coves are also productive. During the heat of the day, also try anywhere there’s shade on the water.

If you go to the local bass shop, you can get a little overwhelmed by the number of frog styles and colors that are available. Just remember to keep it simple at first – eventually you’ll find what works best at your lake. I generally keep some SPRO, Snag-Proof, Bobby’s and Zoom Horny Toads on board in green and white shades.


How you fish is dictated by the type of frog you tie on, but I usually like a pop-pop-pop-pause type retrieve. Sometimes, to mix it up, I’ll also fish a frog on a straight and steady retrieve. Some brands are also suitable for “walk the dog” style fishing, which can be especially deadly when the fish are munching on shad.

To be able to wench a big largemouth out of the weeds, you’ll need an extremely stout outfit. Go with a heavy-action graphite rod rated somewhere in the 17- to 25-pound range and a reel with plenty of cranking power. I know, it seems like overkill to use such powerful gear, but you really do need it. As far as line goes, braided is the only way to go. Sixty or 80-pound Power Pro works best and make sure to tie your frog directly to it. In other words, you don’t need a leader of any type.

One last note – don’t think that froggin’ is just the domain of boaters with $50,000 rigs on big reservoirs. It’s also fantastically effective this time of year on farm ponds. So, you may want to hit up that neighbor of yours with that sweet looking little lake on his property…

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