Summer afternoons in the Low Country, steam rolls off dinner plate sized lily pads, the symphony of frogs starts warming up.
Thousands of frogs, Thousands of Dinner Bells to bass lurking just underneath, just waiting for one shadow, one twitch, one perfect cast…
In my personal opinion there is no better way to catch bass then with top water frogs.
The jungle like atmosphere, the explosive strikes, the ensuing battles. It is absolutely fantastic, this is the kind of fishing that people dream about.
Perfect, big bass, top water frog smashing, hot spots.
The Low Country is the place to make this dream come true. Shallow lily pad fields, clear pockets in weed mats, and craggy timber are all perfect, big bass, frog smashing, hot spots.
Frog fishing is all about ambush feeding and reactions strikes. The bass find a hiding spot, protected from the heat and predators, and waste no opportunity to violently inhale anything that scampers by.
Triggering this reaction strike can sometimes be tricky, too fast and the fish wont waste the time and energy.
Too slow and you will spend the whole day working one area without triggering the bite. Vary your retrieve and make sure to pause at every weed clearing and next to every piece of cover you can find.
Really focus on making your frog act as real as possible. Setting the hook and dragging an angry 10 lb Large mouth Bass out of cable thick lilies is difficult.
Some specialized gear will assist you in getting that fish to the boat. Frog fishing isn’t particularly subtle, so do not hesitate to bring out the big guns.
Heavier action bait casters or spinning gear paired with braided line is recommended. You need that pulling power to set the hook and drag them out without breaking off.
Many lure options exist in the frog world
Many lure options exist in the frog world. Most anglers lean toward the hollow body and Texas rigged soft plastic versions.
Companies like SPRO, Zman, and Zoom produce some deadly frog baits in the hunt for trophy bass.
Once you are on the water and that strike finally does occur, you will be asked to do the impossible.
You will have to wait. Count off a -1 Mississippi 2 Mississippi – to ensure they have taken the bait, and then set that hook and reel reel reel. Get them out of there.
Don’t give the fish a second to wrap around cover. There is nothing more exciting than watching a huge bass crash through pads to attack your frog.
Don’t be afraid to cast into the densest of structure, you just don’t know what might be waiting underneath.
Jim Morrissey | President – Chucktown Kayak Bassin’
CKB Angler of the Year 2018
Co-Founder of Yak-Bassin’ – www.yakbassintrail.com
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