How to Use a Frog Lure

Frog lures are one of the best topwater lures you can use. It can be absolutely thrilling to see a monster bass come and attack your topwater frog. They are excellent for fishing over weeds but can also be used in open waters too. If you’ve never used a frog lure before, we created this short guide for you. Here we will cover some basic tips on how to use a frog lure.

What is a Frog Lure?

A frog lure is a kind of topwater lure that mimics frogs. They work great for fish that are used to coming to the surface to eat frogs. There are a few different kinds of frog lures you might want to use depending on the situation.

Types of Frog Lures

Hollow Body Frogs

These are good for fishing over mats and heavy weeds because they are designed to be weedless. A hollow-body frog has a hollow body and a double upturned hook. The body and hook are typically firmly against each which gives it its weedless ability. Use this when fishing areas with a lot of surface vegetation.

Soft Plastic Frogs

These are also designed to be weedless much like hollow body frogs. The key difference with soft plastic frogs though is that many of them are slow sinking. Hollow body frogs remain floating on the surface, whereas soft body frogs slowly sink. Many of them also have legs that mimic a swimming motion to attract fish. These are pretty good for fishing vegetated areas when the fish are really active.

Hard Plastic Frogs

If you’re fishing open waters a hard plastic frog is probably your best option. Hard plastic frogs have treble hooks that might get easily snagged if you fish it across vegetated areas. That is why they are best over open waters.

Popping Frogs

Popping frogs can be either hard plastic or soft plastic. These are designed to pop and chug when the lure is twitched on the surface which attracts fish. These can be used effectively in both open waters and vegetated waters. Just make sure if you’re fishing over weeds that your popping frog is designed to be weedless.

How to Fish a Frog Lure

The best way to work your lure will depend on whether you are fishing vegetated areas or fishing open waters.

Frog Lures Over Weeds

If you are fishing a heavily vegetated area, you will want to try throwing your frog over grass mats and lily pads. Typically hungry fish will blast through the weeds to attack your bait. To work your lure, you need to skim it across the vegetation. Do this with small twitches of your rod. Don’t twitch too fast though or the fish may miss your bait. Small twitches, and let your bait sit in the opening for a little bit before twitching again.

Frog Lures in Open Waters

Fishing a frog lure in open waters is all about the retrieve. Getting a good walk-the-dog action with your frog lure requires a little bit of slack in the line. Give your frog lure just enough slack to guide the lure sideways at about a 45-degree angle. Then twitch your rod so the lure turns the opposite way. Keep in rhythm until your frog lure is plopping along the water in a good rhythm. This will get the attention of the hungry fish in the area.

When fishing open waters it’s important to try to lure the fish out of cover. Try to place your frog lure just past where the fish are hiding and use your walk the dog technique to lure them out. Twitch your lure across the water, pause for 6 to 8 seconds, and then start walking the frog lure again. This can be an effective way to lure fish out of cover to the surface to attack your frog.

Choosing a Frog Lure Color

Generally, when you are fishing in murky water, muddy water, or clear water you will want to use a black or dark-colored frog lure. Chartreuse, white, or lighter colored frog lures tend to work better in clear or stained water when the sky is overcast.

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