Hollow body frogs - help? Hello, Stagers - I was fishing off the bank at a pond yesterday that’s pretty well covered with slimy stuff. Was using a popping frog, varying my retrieve...

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

Hello, Stagers - I was fishing off the bank at a pond yesterday that’s pretty well covered with slimy stuff. Was using a popping frog, varying my retrieve speeds, and had a few that tried to hit it but I wasn’t able to land anything. The cover is kind of a thin scum so the lure is basically just sliding straight across the surface. Any tips on how I should be fishing it? I looked on YouTube and came up with nuthin. Thank you!

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Betts wrote:

Hello, Stagers - I was fishing off the bank at a pond yesterday that’s pretty well covered with slimy stuff. Was using a popping frog, varying my retrieve speeds, and had a few that tried to hit it but I wasn’t able to land anything. The cover is kind of a thin scum so the lure is basically just sliding straight across the surface. Any tips on how I should be fishing it? I looked on YouTube and came up with nuthin. Thank you!

A real frog jumps in, then pauses. They kick a little, then pause. Doubtful you can get it to dive and swim as they do, but you can imitate the pause easy enough. Jerk it twice and let it sit for 15 seconds, then do it again. Hope this helps.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Yes,erratic swim strokes! Just Sayin...RJS

Blackdog Loc: Round Rock, TX

Betts wrote:

Hello, Stagers - I was fishing off the bank at a pond yesterday that’s pretty well covered with slimy stuff. Was using a popping frog, varying my retrieve speeds, and had a few that tried to hit it but I wasn’t able to land anything. The cover is kind of a thin scum so the lure is basically just sliding straight across the surface. Any tips on how I should be fishing it? I looked on YouTube and came up with nuthin. Thank you!

Weeeell All right another one of my secrets for you Betts.

This is a little tricky okay. First, fix a little cigarette and put it in the frog lures mouth...uh-huh, then get a little bitty beer can and put it in the frogs front hand, that's right. Now when you cast it out just let it sit, he's relaxing.

Yep, pulling your leg.

I use Rage Tail soft baits. They imitate frogs very well. They are solid. I use a weighted hook "Texas rig" setup.

The real trick is how I cast it. A flat cast puts its on Top of the slime algae, Lilly pads, grass, whatever. As others have mentioned, twitch it gently and wait.

The other method is more aggressive. I cast it in an arc letting it hit with more force. I retrieve slowly in short twitches but I don't pause it under water.

The Beer and Cigarettes, well I use those when I'm thinkin' and Fishin'.

BD

DCGravity Loc: Fairfax, VA (by way of Cleveland OH)

Agree with OJ and RJS. Another little tweak I do is angle the hook points slightly up with a pair of pliers so it's not completely flush with the frog body. That'll increase your chances of hookup.

HenryG Loc: Falmouth Cape Cod Massachusetts

Betts wrote:

Hello, Stagers - I was fishing off the bank at a pond yesterday that’s pretty well covered with slimy stuff. Was using a popping frog, varying my retrieve speeds, and had a few that tried to hit it but I wasn’t able to land anything. The cover is kind of a thin scum so the lure is basically just sliding straight across the surface. Any tips on how I should be fishing it? I looked on YouTube and came up with nuthin. Thank you!

I would use what you used to catch that 5pounder use a dissent size weight to punch threw that scrum YouTube has some videos on punching through weeds thinking if you can get below what's covering the water the fish have a better chance to see the bait you could also use a heavier surface lure that wili make commotion on the top to bring the fish to the bait some of the guys said you should hop it and then pause which is also a good way to fish the hollow frog I've put a weight or a split shot1 inside the frog to make it heavier and then burn it through a wake of the slim that's in the water sometimes that gets the fish angry to attack the lure good luck Betts going for the.6 Pounder just be ready don't try to quick to set the hook make sure the fish has the lure before you set it a lot of times they will just come up and whack it with there tail to try and stun it's food and then come back and eat it GOOD LUCK🐟🎣😀👍

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

OJdidit wrote:

A real frog jumps in, then pauses. They kick a little, then pause. Doubtful you can get it to dive and swim as they do, but you can imitate the pause easy enough. Jerk it twice and let it sit for 15 seconds, then do it again. Hope this helps.

Thanks, OJ. I’ll give it a try!

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

Robert J Samples wrote:

Yes,erratic swim strokes! Just Sayin...RJS

Thank you, Mr. RJ…hoping to give it a shot tomorrow!

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

Blackdog wrote:

Weeeell All right another one of my secrets for yo... (show quote)

Method #1 sounds like fun, lol! But then I might start thinking that the frog reminds me of everybody I know, and would feel bad if a bass got him. Thanks for the tips, BD, much appreciated. Thanks also for the words “slime algae” because I didn’t know what that to call that stuff. And now I do.

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

DCGravity wrote:

Agree with OJ and RJS. Another little tweak I do is angle the hook points slightly up with a pair of pliers so it's not completely flush with the frog body. That'll increase your chances of hookup.

I will do that, thanks DC! It was a rush to see the attack…hoping to bring it in next time. 😁

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

HenryG wrote:

I would use what you used to catch that 5pounder u... (show quote)

Great advice here, Henry, thank you so much! I jumped the gun on the hook set, for sure. I wondered about fishing it fast. I did have one go after the frog when I was moving it quickly…How do you set the hook in that case?

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Betts wrote:

Thanks, OJ. I’ll give it a try!

Good luck! Some of my best LMs have come on imitation frogs and I won a contest using a black, Bill Plummer’s Super Frog on an overcast day a while back. The hits can be explosive.

HenryG Loc: Falmouth Cape Cod Massachusetts

Betts wrote:

Great advice here, Henry, thank you so much! I jumped the gun on the hook set, for sure. I wondered about fishing it fast. I did have one go after the frog when I was moving it quickly…How do you set the hook in that case?

Point the rod tip toward the hit as to give a little and then set usually if your moving the bait kind of quick and it'll be more of an aggressive strike so it doesn't need much hook setting on your part because the fish is hitting it on the run

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

OJdidit wrote:

A real frog jumps in, then pauses. They kick a little, then pause. Doubtful you can get it to dive and swim as they do, but you can imitate the pause easy enough. Jerk it twice and let it sit for 15 seconds, then do it again. Hope this helps.

The only way you will wait 15 seconds initially is to use a watch. 15 seconds is a lifetime when waiting to move a lure. It is the same as fishing a Texas rig worm. When I first started, I thought it could not be right. It seemed so long.

Betts Loc: Finger Lakes NY

bapabear wrote:

The only way you will wait 15 seconds initially is to use a watch. 15 seconds is a lifetime when waiting to move a lure. It is the same as fishing a Texas rig worm. When I first started, I thought it could not be right. It seemed so long.

I was thinking the same thing about it feeling like a lifetime, haha. An exercise in patience. Thanks, Bapa.