The most exciting Largemouth Bass lures on the Professional Bassmaster and FLW Tours the past few years have been Topwater Soft Plastic Frogs and Toads!

Let's take a look at why these lures are so successful at catching big lunker bass, discuss the tackle to effectively fish them, and discuss how and where to use them to catch big bass.

The current soft plastic, hollow-bodied frog has evolved considerably from the original 1898 wooden Frog made by Heddon.   These frogs weigh anywhere from ¼ to over an ounce and are typically weedless by their design.   They can be fished almost anywhere other lures can't!   They feature either a single or double upturned hooks which add to their weedless design.   They also feature skirts, or skirted legs which may aid in allowing the angler to “walk the frog”.   The skirt also attracts and antagonizes bass – especially when the frog is sitting still, while the skirt flares and moves with the water.

The best Frog Manufacturers that I personally use and recommend are Snag Proof, Southern Lures, Reaction Innovations, and SPRO.    Professional Tournament Angler Dean Rojas has popularized the SPRO Bronzeye 65 Frog, which he personally designed.   My personal favorite frogs are the 5/8 ounce SUMO Frog made by Bose/Nature Friend, the  5/8 ounce Snag Proof Tournament Frog (also designed by Dean Rojas), and the 5/8 ounce Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog (designed by Tournament Pro Bobby Barrack).   I have also used and recommend the 7/8 ounce Reaction Innovations Swamp Donkey and the 7/8 ounce SPRO Jungle Frog.   I prefer a heavier frog (at least 5/8 ounce), because of the excellent casting distance.   I also prefer all white or a frog with a white belly.    I know others prefer black.   I feel the most important thing is how well you can set the hook (more on this later), and how well the frog will hold up to retrieving it through thick cover, and hopefully, how well it will hold up to being eaten by big fish!

The second lure is the soft plastic toad.    These are typically between 2 ½ inches to as big as 5 inches long.   The toad typically has a pair of paddle legs which will create a lot of noise and turbulence as it is retrieved!   In effect, the toad is a soft plastic buzzbait.   The advantage of a toad is that it can be fished in places a buzzbait can’t, mainly lily pads, weeds, matted cover, etc.   The toad will also have a slot either in its belly or on top to accommodate a hook.    Typically, a 3/0 – 5/0 EWG (Extra Wide Gap) hook should be used.   I highly recommend a screw-in hook, which will considerably extend the life of your toad.   Depending on the toad, the hook may also act as a keel to keep the toad upright as you retrieve it.  

 

There are many Toad Manufacturers.    My favorite is Uncle Josh’s Sizmic Toad in High Floating White or High Floating Southern Toad (that’s the color!).   These 2 colors use a different material that is more buoyant than any other toad available.    The benefit of this is that the toad can be retrieved a lot slower because it doesn’t sink as fast.   My second favorite toad is Gambler’s Cane Toad.   This toad has a larger profile and a shorter length.   It also makes a huge racket and attracts a lot of bass for its size.   Other toads I have used and recommend are the Stanley Ribbit, Stanley Bull Ribbit (5 inches long!), Zoom Horny Toad, Mann’s Hardnose Toad, and YUM Buzz Frog.   I have caught many keeper bass on all of these toads.   Again, my favorite color is all white or any color with a white belly.

My personal tackle preference with the frog is a long baitcast rod (at least 6’10”) with a heavy action and soft tip.   Any rod that you would use to flip a jig is perfect.   You need a heavy action because you will be pulling both the lure and hopefully a big lunker through and out of heavy cover.  You need a good backbone in your rod.   I also use at least 40 pound braided line.   The braided line not only floats better than monofilament, it is thinner (so you can cast farther) and at least 4 times stronger.   Braided line does not stretch and it is very hard to break 40 pound braided line.    This is extremely important anytime you fish heavy cover.    The soft tip in the rod as well as the longer length will help you add distance to your cast.

For the toad, I prefer a 6’6” Medium Heavy Baitcast Rod with 20 or 30 pound braided line.    Typically, my toads are slightly heavier than my frogs and are a lot easier to cast with this setup versus my frog setup.   I prefer a high speed baitcast reel (at least 6:1) with both setups as well.   A high speed reel will help get a bass back to the boat before it has a chance to wrap you up in weeds or pads.

I prefer to throw both the frog and toad anytime I see lily pads, weeds, or thick mats.  The frog especially excels in heavy lily pads, thick mats, “cheese”, scum, etc.    The toad will excel in water chestnuts, and duckweed.    I also prefer frogs with skirted legs.   I like to trim ¼ inch off ONE of the skirts so that it is shorter than the other skirted leg.  This will make it very easy to “walk the frog”.   Bobby’s Perfect Frog from Snag Proof and Reaction Innovations Swamp Donkey’s are the best walkers that I have used and modified.

Another place I like to throw a frog or toad is right next to a laydown log.  Cast as far back as you can, then slowly “walk the frog” or buzz your toad as close to the entire length of the laydown as you can.    I used to always throw a jig, worm, or spinnerbait along the laydown, but I have had a lot more success on top!    You can cover the same amount of water with one or two casts of a frog or toad versus a dozen or more flips of a jg or worm.

What makes frogs and toads so exciting and fun is that you get to see and hear the bass hitting your lure!   Every angler always remembers his/her first topwater bite!   You probably were so excited, you immediately set the hook and ripped the lure out of the fish’s mouth!   For both the frog and toad, you need to wait a second or two before setting the hook – especially with a frog because of the upturned hooks.   I will always wait until I feel pressure on my rod.   If I see or hear the hit, I will lower my rod (I typically hold my rod no higher than two-o-clock), reel in the slack, feel the rod loading up from the lure in the fish’s mouth, and then set the hook.    I sometimes will also count "one-one-hundred, two-one-hundred" before setting the hook.  I sometimes will not even watch my frog or toad so that I don’t prematurely set the hook!    I will wait for that heavenly sound of SMASH! or SLURP, before I even look at the fish hitting my lure!    There is nothing more fun and exciting than a big lunker hitting a surface lure!

Just writing about my 2 favorite lures makes me want to go fishing!    You can find some of these lures and tackle to fish them for sale in my eBay Store here:

The Man's Man Store - Fishing Lures and Tackle

Read my eBay Guide on How to Choose a Freshwater Baitcast Reel

I hope you will tie on a frog or toad on your next trip and enjoy the most exciting way to catch a big bass!

Tight Lines!

   Author, Russ Leong, Owner - The Man's Man Store  Add to Favorite Sellers